Haka Bar

Haka Bar

Bracka 20, 00-028 Warsaw (Śródmieście)
FB haka.bar.waw
Opened June 22, 2013

Coconut lemongrass. Poached cod w/ vegetables and coriander.

Warsaw’s trendy Haka bar and restaurant, which serves food inspired by the cuisine of New Zealand, has a special treat for soccer fans this July: live broadcasts from the World Cup in Brazil over a glass or three of Haka’s cocktails, based on strong house liqueurs. Fans of other sports are also welcome.

The Haka Bar is housed inside a 19th-century brick townhouse at 20 Bracka St. and its interior was in part designed by prominent sculptor and designer Paweł Grunert. The bar specializes in contemporary European food with a touch of fusion cuisine.

The drinks menu features wines from Australia, Chile, France and Italy, prosecco sparkling wine, draft Guinness beer, a choice of house liqueurs and Polish regional beers. Dishes served by Haka combine the flavors of many different cultures, but have New Zealand fusion cuisine as the common denominator. Haka also offers business breakfasts, Sunday brunches and dinners with wine and other drinks. All dishes are prepared fresh from seasonal ingredients.

Haka head chef Shane Baker describes the cuisine of New Zealand as a culinary trip around the world. New Zealand’s distinctive Pacific Rim restaurants serve European dishes that are heavily influenced by the cuisine of Asia and Oceania. Baker adds that in New Zealand even a roadside diner makes sure that its food is of high quality and made from fresh ingredients, and presentation is also important. “That’s what we want to do at Haka,” says Baker.

The house specialties include beetroot, pumpkin and roast pepper soups, chicken wings with spicy butter, spicy grilled tiger prawns, chorizo, salmon quail egg mousse, sweet potato hummus and several kinds of burgers. The burgers are made from eel, pork or beef and there are also veggie burgers, all served with handmade brioche buns. Other dishes worth a try include beef and marrow bone with ginger pickled cucumber, BBQ pulled pork with crunchy coleslaw, parmesan cheese and boiled egg Caesar salad and hassara chili spiced chicken with cucumber tzatziki. Vegetarians will appreciate Haka’s spiced chickpeas with smoked aubergine, smoked aubergine yogurt and tomato with grilled tortilla. For dessert, the chef recommends a traditional New Zealand delicacy: Pavlova with fresh cream, kiwi, raspberries and coulis. You might also want to try Haka’s delicious strawberry sorbet with almond biscotti.