Try a night out on the goulash...

Eastern Europe has never been seen as an epicurean destination by us Brits. But why do we embrace cabbage yet shun sauerkraut, fear pierogi (ravioli-like meat or potato dumplings) when they're simply Eastern Europe's answer to pasta, or shy away from sausage when Poland's penchant for bangers is matched by our own?

Now, with London's Eastern European communities thriving, there are more restaurants than ever. In Hammersmith, home of London's largest Polish community, the brand-new Knaypa is attracting a mixed young crowd on the hunt for cold-weather fodder.

As if the pierogi weren't enough, there's an incredible range of vodkas, too. From Polish Wyborowa to cranberry or bison grass varieties, they come with mixers, in cocktails, or from £35 by the bottle to be sipped straight from shot glasses. And you wonder why the meals need to be so rib-stickingly filling... As the Polish say, eat, drink, and loosen your belt - Na Zdrowie!

THE KNAYPA
There are plenty of Polish options in the area near Ravenscourt Park, but Knaypa's shiny newness gives it extra kerb appeal. Food is well-cooked and a there's a variety of vodka.

Choose from two dining rooms: contemporary and bright-hued upstairs, or the warm wood downstairs, modelled on a rustic inn.

Highlights are the smoked sheep's cheese (£5.20) and herrings with apple, horseradish and tomato sauces (£3.90), and the heaving platter of Polish specialities for two to share (£26.45), which conveys the glories of well-made pierogi, bigos (stew) and country sausages.
268 King Street, Hammersmith (theknaypa.co.uk)

BALTIC
Boasting clean, simple lines in a converted coach-builder's premises in Southwark, Jan Woroniecki's Baltic is a stylish proposition with live jazz on Sundays. The menu runs the East European gamut through Hungary, Poland and Moldova.

Popular dishes include the cheese, potato and sour cream pierogi (£5.50), beef goulash with dumplings or buckwheat (£15.50) and Hungarian chocolate and hazelnut torta (£5).

Or you can order a dozen oysters and drink Tatankas (cloudy apple juice and Zubrowka bison grass vodka) to your heart's content. Older sister Wódka, in Kensington, is smaller and cosier with an equally tempting menu.
74 Blackfriars Road, Southwark (balticrestaurant.co.uk)

THE GAY HUSSAR
This book-lined Soho institution is where the grown-ups - and politicians and writers - eat hefty Hungarian dishes at lunch (£16.50 for two courses). Try fish dumplings in dill and mushroom sauce, smoked breast of goose with red cabbage or chicken in creamy paprika sauce with galuska egg dumplings.
2 Greek Street, W1 (gayhussar.co.uk)