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Andrzej Grill
Annnnd it is time for another guest post from Jonathan! I do not know how this man has time to save lives and take amazing pictures. Maybe he does not sleep... anyway, enjoy the post!
The first Monday of March is Casimir Pulaski Day here in Illinois. Who is Casimir Pulaski you ask? Why he’s a Polish war hero of the American Revolutionary War of course! Why do I bring up Pulaski Day? Well, Chicago is known as the largest population of Polish people outside of Poland. And with that in mind, I often find myself always thinking that I should eat more Polish food. And it just so happens that this very weekend I found myself thinking just that. Thusly, I went out in search for a restaurant to fill this void.
It’s a late Saturday afternoon when I arrive at Andrzej Grill. The restaurant, which would be easy to miss if not for the rather explosive sign out front, is small and intimate. Inside there are five bare tables and a row of game machines, which may or may not be functioning. The door to the kitchen is open at the back end and a stream of children come out with food in hand. It’s the type of scene you’d imagine in a movie. This is a family place with the kids growing up around and in this small restaurant, eating each meal and helping out when they can. Without even ordering I want to like it here.
The menu is short but sweet. It has the usual Polish treats (perogies, dumplings, sauerkraut, potato pancakes) and a few surprises (veal ribs, tripe soup). The price seems reasonable too with dinners at $8.50 and soup for $2. I order (or rather over order) a cup of borsch, the stuffed potato pancake (a house specialty) and the polish combo.
The borsch arrives and is a milky purple hue. Filled with cabbage, potato, beans with a hint of beet, the soup is a creamy but light wonder. This is the type of soup that can get you through a Chicago winter.
The Polish combo is a bit of a sampler (perogies, stuffed cabbage, grilled kielbasa and potato pancakes). The stuffed potato pancake, however, is the main event. It consists of a large potato pancake filled with a soft pork goulash and topped with a dollop of sour cream and dill. The dish is a well-balanced marvel - a savory hearty goulash with sweet dill accents, wrapped in a crisp potato and smoothed by the sour cream.
Andrzej Grill
1022 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
773-489-3566
Map
Like what you've read today? Subscribe to my RSS and never miss a post!Posted by kiditamae on March 11 2008 at 11:19 am
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yum, that potato pancake looks grand. can someone get Vselka to make that here?
ang on March 11 2008 at 1:00 pm
I think I had something like that in Greenpoint once (the stuffed potato pancake)! Don't remember the name of the place, but damn was it good...
Zach@MidtownLunch on March 11 2008 at 2:07 pm
I miss my Babci's pierogi,platski,beet soup,home made hoarse raddish & kielbasi.Greenpoint has Good,Great Polish food.
Elzbieta on March 13 2008 at 4:40 pm
Elizabeth, is that you? I miss my Babci's cooking, too. From Greenpoint, too. But we're all trying our hand at it until we get it right. There's nothing like Babci's chicken soup or cheese pierogi. But the plum pierogi was the best! And the chrusciki- Smaczny!
Dorenia on March 13 2008 at 6:51 pm
Ang,
Yea I dunno... maybe you can request it and the kitchen cooks can try to replicate it. I am pretty sure Veselka's kitchen does not necessarily employ cooks who know how to make a stuffed potato pancake if it is not on the menu or often requested.
Zach,
Greenpoint? oh man, I dunno if I can venture out that far away from my nabe. But yea, stuffed potato pancakes.. mmm
Elzbieta,
Really? Do you know of some places in Greenpoint?
Dorenia,
I have no idea what you and elizabeth are talking about but it sounds like food, so keep going.
Danny on March 14 2008 at 5:30 pm
Hi there
I just came accross your blog thanks to stumbleupon and I am loving the food pics that you have, they are all so bright and full of colour. I started off as a blogger myself a year ago and loved talking to other food bloggers around the world so much that I wanted to find a way of more people sharing photos and meeting other foodies. I used to get annoyed that I would be making so many great recipe videos and food photos and hardly anybody would see them! That is when I came up with www.ifoods.tv which is a new site for foodies all around the world to share food photos, recipes and videos as well as meeting other foodies. We are only starting off and are currently a small community but I would love to see you there sharing some of your amazing photos with other foodies! Keep up the good work on the blog and hope to talk soon.
Cheers!
Niall Harbison on April 21 2008 at 8:26 am