Polish spot provides comfort

The heavy, black chandeliers dimly light the walls with faded paintings of Poland. A wooden ladder hangs suspended from the ceiling above the tables. Animal hides and antlers accessorize the walls without illustrations. This is Staropolska, a rustic Polish restaurant in Logan Square and Gabby Gruzska’s favorite Polish restaurant in all of Chicago.

For Gabby, a senior of Polish descent, Staropolaska reminds her of her family and happy memories of spending time with them in Poland.

Gabby’s father found Staropolska when he first moved from Poland. The ambiance is comforting — all the staff and most of the customers speak Polish — and the cuisine is purely traditional Polish food.

Speaking to the waiter in Polish, Gabby orders tatar po polsku (steak tartare), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), Ruskie (potato and cheese pierogies) and grillowana polska kiełbasa (grilled Polish sausage).

The steak tartare is presented in a neat patty with a raw egg yolk with finely chopped onions and pickles on the side. Gabby ate it as a sort of meat spread atop bread.

“You can’t tell that the meat is raw because of the olive oil, seasoning, lemon and vinegar in it,” Gabby said.

Next are potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream for dipping. Gabby prefers this Polish way of serving them because it makes the potatoes less heavy. Gabby’s largest complaint of Polish food is that its extremely filling, so variations like these make traditional meals more enjoyable for her.

The next dish was potato-and-cheese pierogies served with bacon bits on top and sour cream on the side. The savory dumplings made of potato encased warm, creamy cheese and potato mixture. Gabby bonds with her family over making pierogies at home.

Finally, we had grilled Polish sausage with fried onions, pickles and horseradish. The sausage was a combination of pork and beef, and was grilled to a golden brown. It had a strong garlic flavor and the horseradish added some light spice.

“Polish cuisine ties into my culture and heritage because it is what brings my family close,” Gabby said. “From a young age, my babcia (grandma) and I would peel potatoes, make pierogies and make other Polish food together. That’s why it is so important to me. Eating Polish food reminds me of being in Poland with my family and all the good times that we had sitting at the table for lunch, enjoying a ‘typical Polish meal.’”

Staropolska: 3030 N. Milwaukee Ave. 

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