Although the translation of “Píwníca Rajców” to “Councilor’s Basement” suggested that I should go down the stone steps into the restaurant, I stayed outside. The terrace that faces the main historic street in Gdansk was much too inviting, although I’m sure the centuries’ old basement of Artus Court would have been just as atmospheric, what with its history of massive feasts over which the city’s upper crust would wheel and deal while gorging on delicacies and imbibing the best wines. Instead, I sat at a table next to a heater on a cool evening and watched the city’s nightlife play out as I feasted on an incredible meal that set my expectations high for the three weeks I would be traveling around Poland.

Try This: Begin with a tasty salad with grilled goat cheese, pears, caramelized figs, Italian nuts, grapes, and a cranberry dressing, complemented by a wonderful Polish wheat beer. For your main course, go with the pork tenderloin sous vide with perfect upright triangles of polenta, a smoked plum sauce, and boletus mushrooms fried with butter. Make the pavlova, a wonderful concoction of meringue, mascarpone, fresh fruit, and fruit mousse, your choice for dessert.