Pierogi Kitchen

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Polish American Food in Wicker Park

Pierogi Kitchen opened near the beginning of the year. The new school Polish spot is from the owners of the short lived Firewood BBQ, the previous tenant at the corner of North and Wolcott. They also own Ella’s BBQ in Lincoln Park, Earls BBQ in Jefferson Park, and Mas Tacos in Irving Park. 

Recently Opened in Wicker Park

Pierogi Kitchen came about when owners Artur Wnorowski and Gosia Pieniazek did a complete revamp of Firewood BBQ. They wanted to try something a bit different than barbecue so they tapped into their Polish-American heritage with Pierogi Kitchen. The menu features a large chunk of Polish classics such as Bigos aka Hunters Stew or a unique tasting bowl of dill pickle soup made of a smoky broth, sour rye, kielbasa, boiled eggs, onions, and marjoram. The stuffed cabbage made with pork shoulder and chuck roll sitting in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce is as good as I’ve had outside of the Northeast Ohio region though my overall experience with Polish food is somewhat limited. 

Stuffed Cabbage Roll at Pierogi Kitchen 

Can you even be a real deal Polish restaurant if you don’t have pierogi on the menu? Artur and Gosia spent countless hours perfecting their recipe which is a boiled version with some really smooth skins. When they made the switch from barbecue joint to Polish kitchen they decided to keep the smoker and use it at Pierogi Kitchen resulting in menu items like the brisket pierogi. These had a divine smell when they arrived in front of me and really hit the spot on a day where I was craving smoked meat. 

Brisket Pierogi at Pierogi Kitchen 

I was never a big fan of traditional Polish sausage, at least not in the way I'm a fan of Italian sausage. Now I’ve always liked the Vienna Beef Maxwell Style Polish Sausage (natural casing of course) but that’s kind of its own thing compared to Kielbasa. That said I was tempted by the fact that they make their own kielbasa at Pierogi Kitchen and smoke it on site too. The Kielbasa Platter comes with three pieces of potato and cheese pierogi, sauerkraut, mustard, and cwikla which is a beet and horseradish relish. The smoked sausage was great both in terms of flavor and texture and it paired really well with the sides while the potato and cheese pierogi was every bit as satisfying as your typical bbq sides such as mac and cheese. I ate every last piece of food on my plate and decided right then and there that I liked Polish food more than I thought I did. Pierogi Kitchen has a full fledged bar with Zywiec on tap and happy hour specials to boot. Overall I think they made the right call switching over from traditional bbq to Polish American comfort food. Chicago needed a new school Polish spot like this.

Kielbasa Platter at Pierogi Kitchen 

Pierogi Kitchen
1856 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 799-8273
Website

Tostini

-Grubbing in Chicago  

Turkish and Polish Rogers Park

One of last years biggest trends in Chicago restaurant openings was Turkish food. One spot that snuck in last minute was Tostini. Located on a rather quiet block in Rogers Park is this new Turkish/Polish hybrid sandwich shop. I stopped in mid-December and was greeted by a friendly lady working the register and the food. She's the Polish part of the restaurant and so are her homemade soups. The Turkish part is her partner and also the classic Turkish breakfast dishes they offer.

Newly Opened in Rogers Park 

Aside from classic polish soups and traditional Turkish breakfast they also offer what they call Tostini sandwiches. These are where the fusion of Polish and Turkish flavors take place. Particularly in the Kofte and Potato Tostini. Kofte are Turkish meatballs made of beef that typically come more flattened than the traditional Italian meatball. They also add cheese before it's all loaded into a sliced Middle Eastern flatbread and pressed. After it's heated through and toasted they add cabbage salad and a sauce similar to ketchup/mayo. It's a unique sandwich and a tasty one at that. I'm not sure if these are traditional anywhere within Turkey or they're just a creation of the couple behind Tostini. The other interesting tidbit I got from their menu is a complete Turkish breakfast they do for around $15 per person with a day's heads up given. Smaller breakfast plates like sujuk and eggs are available all day with no notice needed. They also sell gelato and baked pastries. Thumbs up for the tomato soup.

Kofte and Potato Tostini 

Tostini
1622 W Morse Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
tostini@yahoo.com

5 More Northwest Indiana Favorites

-Exploring NW Indiana

I'm still a huge fan of Da Region. I might not have posted from there in a while but I'm still heading over there now and then. Over the last year or so I've visited a handful of spots that all had me asking "how come I didn't know about this place sooner?" There's so many gems in this still very industrial part of Indiana that's more so a part of Chicagoland. The dining scene here reflects the area in that it's very working class and pretty much no frills. But they're also the type of spots that are becoming rarer to find in a cosmopolitan place like Chicago. Don't get me wrong you still can find them but you need to head towards Indiana to do so. So let's head into Da Region to check out some regional eats.

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 Marquette Yacht Club (Portage, IN)

I was a good Catholic boy this past Lenten season. I ate fish fry every Friday night but one. There were a couple of memorable ones including this low key "yacht club" found out on the canals of Portage Indiana. The Marquette Yacht Club is a super rundown spot that’s open for dinner just once a week on Friday’s. The day of the week combined with the location in Great Lakes country means they do a Friday Fish Fry. A very good one at that. The Lake Perch was on point. Go with a classic baked potato over the frozen fries and be sure to add some of the cheese spread that comes with the bread to your potato. I was told blue gills and walleye make appearances here and there. I can’t believe this was my first time here. But with this being year round I’m sure I’ll be back this summer.

Friday Night Lake Perch Special

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 Dan's Pierogi's (Highland, IN)

The pierogi is probably the signature snack of Northwest Indiana. The annual Pierogi fest in Whiting is one of the Midwest's biggest festivals. I had a chance to sample some from Dan's at the festival last summer. I then decided to stop into their storefront in Highland not too long ago. The Polish community has a huge presence in the area with quite a few old time Polish restaurants and delis still hanging on. Dan's is part restaurant and part deli. They sell most of what they serve in case you want to take something home and make it yourself. We were dining in and decided to try the loaded pierogi, Polish sausage sandwich, and a cabbage roll. The loaded pierogi were potato pierogi topped with sour cream, cheese, bacon. It wasn't what I was expecting. The cheese should've been melted and what not. Stick with the pierogi as is which are delicious by themselves. The Polish sausage was a cooked link from one of the Chicago producers. It hit the spot. Best item of the trio was a moist cabbage roll which they sell by the piece which is nice. I'll grab some next time I'm passing by.

Polish Food at Dan's Pierogi

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 Harvey's Restaurant (Hammond, IN)

It took me quite a few rides by to finally try Harvey's. As soon as I walked in I knew it was going to be good. Of course I read some reviews and those were positive too. Lot's of talk of classic this and classic that. From the dining room itself to the menu and it's prices. Look at those single seat booths!

 a peek inside

Harvey's was empty when I visited but they were only open for another 30 minutes or so. The waitress had mentioned it was a busy one and she was ready to go home. That said she happily sat me down and took my order which ended up being the "Harvey Club" as it's called. You know how I like to check out the somewhat unique menu items that can give a place part of it's character? Well this is a perfect example of such. It's a club sandwich made with a burger and fresh ham cut from the bone. Inspection of the burger revealed what looked to be a fresh hand formed patty. As far as the construction of it goes that too was good with the proper triple decker. Just $5.95 with fries. Wow.

The Harvey Club at Harvey's

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 Chuck Wheeler's Vienna Beef Red Hots (Gary, IN)

It had been a good five years since I was at Chuck Wheeler's in Gary. It's of my favorite lil spots to indulge in a Polish sausage. It’s either that or a hot dog (natural casing) and some chips if you want them. That's all they do. The stand is housed in a little kiosk connected to a mall that's half empty. So you have to enter the mall to get a sausage but bc they have such a limited menu and use the natural casing encased meats it's a classic little spot. Everything on your dog or sausage includes mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers, and some pickled green tomatoes. Served this way since 1958.

Polish Sausage at Chuck Wheeler's Vienna Beef Red Hots

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 Panini - Panini (Michigan City, IN)

Last stop is in Michigan City. Is that even the Region anymore? Doesn't matter bc this is a spot people from the Region should be driving to. It's got more the feel of a restaurant somewhere in Europe than the Rust Belt. Honestly it's probably the nicest casual spot in the area and just bc it's not a fancy sitdown spot doesn't mean the food quality here is lower than steakhouses in the area. The folks that run Panini - Panini put in alot of work bc much of the stuff they serve is made in house. As the name suggests they feature sandwiches but aren't exclusive to just that. This is classic Euro style bistro with a cheese case and curated wine selection. It fits in a place like Old Town Chicago more than Michigan City but they seem to have been embraced by locals and summertime residents.

 Roasted pork loin with bacon, lettuce, & tomato with Provolone cheese

I'm not sure if they make the bread in-house but if not they must be getting it from a local artisan supplier. Either that or they source from a few different people bc their sandwiches come made in variety of ways. The roasted pork is made from thinly sliced pork tenderloin that works great with the melted provolone, but it's that bread that really brings the sandwich up a notch. Our favorite here is the grilled white fish with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar cheese which we add bacon to. It reminds me of the fish sandwiches down in the Florida Keys which always bring good memories to me.

White Fish Sandwich at Panini - Panini

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See ya next time @chibbqking

Dive Bar Food

-Grubbing in Chicago(land)
Where to find Cheap Booze and Good Food

I have alot of little projects going on here at S'C'&C. Some of them have been in the works for years while others come together rather fast. Originally today's post was going to be a blowout extravaganza but I've decided to turn it into a running series. Something I always thought of as fun is checking out the local dive bars in Chicagoland. There's quite a few if you're willing to leave the comfort of the Near Northside. Some of them even serve food and some of those spots even serve some pretty good food. Today’s post features five dive bars where the food is better than the cheap booze. Bar crawl!

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Sunnyday Tap (Chicago, IL)

There's not many dives left on the Northside. You will find one up on Elston though. The Sunnyday Tap has been around here a long time. Exactly how long I'm not sure but the inside goes back to at least the 70's. Any Northside dives still around are most likely Polish though Sunnyday is a hangout for folks from the Balkan crowd. They serve food what seems to be once in a blue moon. I've tried to eat here on a few occasions and they never had a cook. They grill up the standards like Cevapi and kebabs. One time I got lucky and decided to try the Sunday special Serbian Hamburger. It's a minced patty that's grilled up and served with some warm lepinja and a big scoop of Eastern European butter. Fresh cut fries come served with all lunches and dinners but they suffer from a single fry. I actually expected something totally different as the picture of what I ordered was an actual burger. Nonetheless I enjoyed this meat forward plate of drinking food and the beer here is dirt cheap.

Serb Burger at Sunnyday Tap

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 Small World Inn (Chicago, IL)

What I mean when I say you need to head towards Indiana to find the dives is you gotta go south. The closer you get to the border the more dives there seems to be. The Eastside of the city has it's own little community and the bars are a big part of it. Small World Inn sits on the busy stretch of 106th street just east of the bridge. I've written about this Eastern European bar before over on Serious Eats. At some point during the past calendar year I became aware of a Tuesday night taco special. Small World's location on the Eastside puts it in the middle of the Chicagoland deep fried taco pocket. An area where you’ll find a few spots on both sides of the IL/IN border where they make tacos this way. None of that store bought hard shell crap in these parts. Corn tortillas are stuffed with ground beef and held together with toothpicks while they take a bath in the deep fryer until golden and crispy. Toppings (L,T,C) go on when toothpicks are taken out. Tuesday’s only.

Deep Fried Taco Night at Small World Inn

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Crow Bar (Chicago, IL)

Just down the block towards the Skyway is this old time dive. I finally stopped in here for Corned Beef and Cabbage day over the Southside parade. An annual event at this longtime bar on 106th that once successfully sued the long gone Crobar on account of disruption from non stop calls of people trying to contact Crobar but calling the Crow Bar instead. I'm not sure how long they've been doing their St. Patrick's Day corned beef special but it's definitely a big tradition in the area. Tons of families packed both the bar and also the banquet hall next door. The corned beef is all you can eat and comes served with all the traditional fixings as well as potato soup and Irish soda bread. Impressive job with the tender corned beef considering they make 100’s of pounds in celebration of Southside parade day each year. That said they make it for the menu year round. Call ahead though. You never know.

Corned Beef and Cabbage at Crow Bar

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Cookie's Restaurant (Minooka, IL)

Cookie's is way out in Minooka. I'm not even sure how I ended up here. It was a couple years ago and I was out this way for something and must've found this little dive popular with locals. Aside from the booze they seem to really like the Poor Boy sandwich from here. Not to be confused with a Po Boy from New Orleans. A Poor Boy is actually a hyper regional eat from around this way. There's a place outside of Joliet called Merichka's that's pretty famous for this sandwich. Other spots in the area serve them and I gotta say I liked Cookie's version much more than Merichka's. Maybe that was bc I was splitting this heavy hitter made with a semi ground steak patty (essentially ground beef) that's placed onto a long roll that's been slathered with garlic and butter if not margarine or something to the likes. They always seem to be served on 8 inch rolls thus are big plates of food. They're said to have derived as an option for those who didn't want to spend on a steak but still wanted to get full.

Poor Boy Sandwich at Cookie's

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Andy & Sophie's (Joliet, IL)

Thursday's are Cabbage Roll Day at Andy & Sophie’s in Joliet. Best get there early bc we arrived at 1:00 and got the last of the batch. Upon walking in we easily brought the average weight of customers down about 100 lbs. Blue Collar America is alive and well in these parts. As for the owners they came to the area from Poland and bought the place in 1974. They still live upstairs. Sophie does the cooking and Andy does the schmoozing. He’s got lots of stories to tell but beware bc PG-13 they are not, and why would they be? This was like a peek into the 70’s. A spot stuck in another time.

a peek inside

The menu changes daily and the bartender daughter said the corned beef and cabbage on Wed. is the most popular. Interesting bc the cabbage rolls were killer. I planned on returning for some of that corned beef and more stories from Andy who’s pretty much a walking stereotype of an old Polish guy who owns a bar BUT he and Sophie are retiring in June. What a shame but also what an awesome ending for this couple who's run this bar for the last 44 years. You can catch their story on retirement HERE. Sophie will still be cooking her comfort food thru June. There's little doubt the new owner would change it up but you never know. Plus it wont be the same without the namesake couple.

Cabbage Rolls at Andy & Sophie's

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See ya next time @chibbqking

Polish Food Trailer

-Grubbing in Chicago 
Polish Food and Tools

Usually a trip to the Home Depot's or Menards means a Chicago dog. Albeit a boring skinless wiener. But about four months ago I noticed a Polish food trailer permanently parked in the lot of Menard's on Clybourn. My first thought was it was a pretty awesome idea. After two visits he seems to be getting a steady crowd so how cool would it be if this became a thing? I guess it makes to much sense.

Polish Food Trailer parked in Menards at 2601 N. Clybourn 

I dont know much about the people behind the trailer but they do seem to be Polish if not Eastern European. The menu had quite a few options both Polish and also American. The latter of which are things like burgers, corn on the cob, and fair style fried potato sticks. As far as the Polish food goes it's pretty traditional as far as the classics go. You know stuff like potato pancakes, Polish sausage, stuffed cabbage, and of course pierogi. My first trip there I got some potato pancakes. I love them but I didn't love these. Had I known that they would comes with sour cream, bbq sauce, and some sort of orange colored concoction I would have said put it all on the side. But aside from that the pancakes came out so quick who knows how long they'd been sitting in there. They didn't seem so fresh.

Potato Pancakes

I still gave them a second chance and damn-it it didn't go much better. I tried the pierogi and forgot to mention that of there was sauce not to put any on them. Reason being is they have pictures of all the food and they aren't sauced in the pic nor do they mention it in the description. On top of all that they said it was a mix of meat. potato, and cheese but all they gave me was the meat. To one dimensional and I'm not a fan of bbq sauce on my Polish dumplings. I'm thinking the sausage is the way to go.

Pierogi at the Polish Food Trailer

The Polish Food Trailer
Parked in the lot at Menards
2601 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614

Eastern European Food in NE Ohio

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- Exploring NE Ohio's Eastern European Culture

Today's report is quite a few years in the making. It's spans over at least three different trips to the NE Ohio area during the last five or so years. During these trips there's been something that's always stood out as far as Eastern European food goes. Cuisines from countries like Poland, Hungary, and Serbia can be found in NE Ohio towns like Toledo, Parma, and Cleveland. It's quite interesting if you ask me. These restaurants and bakeries are holdovers from when Northeast Ohio was a hotbed for immigrants looking for work. Most of them found it in the areas steel mills, canals, and other forms of blue collar jobs. As always with immigrants come their recipes. Many of which live on today.

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Tony Packo's

Toledo, OH

Here we have the most famous restaurant in Toledo. Tony Packo's and their Hungarian sausages are synonymous with the city. What started out as a small hot dog shop during the Great Depression in 1932 has spawned into a mini empire with multiple locations including a spot at the city's popular minor league baseball stadium. You can even buy Tony Packo's signature sausages at grocery stores in this region. The famous "Hungarian Hot Dog" as they're called are a Tony Packo original recipe. There's no Hungarian Hot Dog Tour to embark on in this region. The inside of the original is part tavern and part sit-down. As you might imagine they're a popular place for the family on Sunday's.

a peek inside at the bar

This being my first visit I was required to try the signature Packo Dog and I found it to be quite tasty. The spicy sliced sausage is stellar and so is the spicy meat sauce on top. The latter of which I thought was good enough to warrant buying a DIY jar of it to take home. When I opened it one winter I followed the directions precisely and added two pounds of beef and some tomatoes and ended up with a huge bowl of sweet slop. I guess they're not giving that secret recipe out to everyone after all.

Hungarian Hot Dog at Packo's

The menu boasts other Hungarian favorites and I decided to take an order stuffed cabbage to go. Beef and pork combined with rice and seasonings, hand-rolled in cabbage, thats simmered in sour cream and tomato sauce. Served with their tender paprika dumplings and gravy it made for a pretty good meal spread out over two days. After just one visit it was easy to see why this place is loved locally.

Stuffed Cabbage

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 Little Polish Diner 

Parma, OH

Our next stop takes us the Cleveland suburb of Parma. It's the city's largest suburb and a great place to go get a taste of Old Ohio. There's both a Ukrainian Village and a Polish Village too. The Little Polish Diner is exactly what it's name implies. It's a spot I got tipped off on by the fine folks at Roadfood. The type of place I love exploring while on the road. They say this is the place to go in Parma for a taste of Poland and after one trip in I can back this fact up. I tried a plate of Pyzy which consisted of six fluffy potato dumplings filled with meat and sauteed in bacon and onion. Yum! Served on the side was a creamy cucumber salad that I didn't think I'd like but I loved. Great little place.

Pyzy at Little Polish Diner 

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Belgrade Gardens

Barberton, OH

In my opinion one of the country's most interesting regional eats can be found in the town of Barberton which is about 15 minutes southwest of Akron. In this little town of 25,000+ the fried chicken is king. It's called Barberton style fried chicken or Serbian fried chicken and it can be found at a handful of old school spots in town. Belgrade Gardens is where it all began. Started by two Serbian immigrants forced to sell their farm during the Great Depression they then opened Belgrade Gardens and began serving their now famous fried chicken. It's a distinct style that I think is best described as Shake & Bake style as far as the thick unseasoned crust goes. Though this isn't baked but rather fried in lard. The meat is really juicy as they've perfected the fry job over the years. Also distinct is the fact they serve the chicken back (top piece in the pic) in your order. Dinners come with a vinegar-based cole slaw as well as a unique rice and tomato sauce side that's seasoned with hot peppers called "hot sauce" and fresh cut french fries. I really enjoyed both the atmosphere and food.

Fried Chicken Dinner at Belgrade Gardens

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Kuhar's Carryout

Mentor, OH

Out in the Cleveland area there's a couple places that remind me of old school spots in Madison, WI that I used to frequent. Places where they run a catering operation that doubles as a takeout joint with the menu switching up daily. Kuhar's is in a suburb called Mentor which is about20 minutes north up the lake. You wouldn't guess it was a restaurant without the carryouts in it's name. This place has been a part of the area for more than 40 years. If you grew up around here you probably went to a party catered by Kuhar's at some point. They have a menu that changes each day and it features popular Hungarian-American dishes like goulash over buttered noodles. it's the prettiest looking dish but comfort food rarely photographs well so whatever. I wish I had a place to carry this out in Chicago.

Goulash (Saturday special) at Kuhar's Carry-Out's

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Kiedrowski's Bakery

Amherst, OH

Approaching their 30th year in business this small polish bakery in a strip mall in a Cleveland suburb is a popular spot with the locals. It was named "best Bakery in America" in a poll conducted by Baking Buyer Magazine back in 2011. That might not mean much but I can vouch for the place. They pack alot of house baked goods on site. Most of which looked like something I would like. The most popular of which is the Snoogle. "Accidents can be disastrous in a bakery, but the 'snoogle accident' was a welcome one for Kiedrowski's! Late one evening at the bakery, Tim was preparing ladylocks and Terri was working on a batch of cheese danish. With leftover ingredients, these two happy bakers set out to create something new. A little bit of this, a little of that, and voila, the Snoogle was born! These sweet cream-filled confections have become Kiedrowski's biggest seller. It is not unusual for the bakery to sell 40 dozen Snoogles daily, and upwards of 100 dozen every weekend."

Snoogles (Signature Dish) at Kiedrowski's Bakery

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Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop 

Parma Heights, OH

There's a handful of bakeries in the Parma area and a couple of them feature Hungarian strudels. I tried to go to two of them but one was randomly closed. Good thing Lydia's was not other wise I would never know I have a love for Hungarian style strudel. The original location of Lydia's opened in 1938 in an area that had a predominately Hungarian and Romanian population. Today they;re a fifth generation family business that hasn't changed a thing as far as recipes. I got a half dozen of their hand stretched made from scratch strudels. I got different flavors like cherry, apricot, and even prune but it was the cheese which she recommended that blew me away. If I'm ever near here again it's a must I stop and get a bakers dozen. These are the treats I never knew I needed so much.

Hungarian Strudels at Lydia's Bakery

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Tony Packo's
1902 Front St
Toledo, OH 43605
(419) 691-1953

Little Polish Diner
5772 Ridge Rd
Parma, OH 44129
(440) 842-8212

Belgrade Gardens
401 E State St
Barberton, OH 44203
(330) 745-0113

Kuhar's Carryouts
8030 Broadmoor Rd
Mentor, OH 44060 Hours:
(440) 951-1000

Kiedrowski's Bakery
2267 E. Cooper Foster Park Road
Amherst, OH 44001
(440) 282-2700

Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop
6230 Stumph Rd
Parma Heights, OH 44130
(440) 885-2600

Montrose Food Mart & Deli

-Grubbing in Chicago

Exploring the City's Independent Grocers

One of my favorite ways to pass a little time is through the exploring of independent grocers. I love doing this while out of the country but find it just as enjoyable in Chicagoland where there's plenty of spots to check out. No doubt some of the craziest are the Eastern European supermarkets. I say crazy totally in terms of people inside the store at once. If you've been to Fresh Farms in Niles during prime hours you know what I'm talking about it. If you like a place like Fresh Farms you will enjoy today's stop which goes by Montrose Food Mart even though it's located 6600 West on Irving Park.

Locals Favorite in Dunning 

Montrose Food Mart has been a neighborhood favorite for over 20 years. It's no doubt expanded in that time which is the reason it has Montrose in it's name even though it's on Irving Park road. This is one of the premiere grocers for the city's Eastern European (Polish specifically) community. It's literally a one stop shop with above average prepared foods, butcher counter, deli counter, bread station, booze etc. They have it all in terms of ingredients an Eastern European family would cook with. This doesn't mean you have to be cooking Polish food to shop here but if you want to get something you can eat right away it's a smorgasbord of options as far as the Polish diet goes.

Chef's Corner

The prepared foods section is to your left after you walk in. It goes by 'Chef's Corner' and the biggest draw here is the home cooked Polish food. But it's not the only draw. They make about ten different soups all half the price of a place like Mariano's. If you're looking for Polish classics like pierogi or zapiekanka they have those ready for you to take and eat. The "salad" bar is probably 30 offerings deep of every type of pickled vegetable and meat salad recipe you can imagine. It's impressive.

a peek inside

If you're shopping they have a nice selection of ground meats (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) and all sorts of different pieces of different animals. The house smoked meat selection is extra impressive. The home cooked Polish menu changes daily but always available is the $3.99 lunch special. You choose from one of the days entrees and get your choice of two sides, and your choice of cabbage.

Hunters Stew (part of lunch special)

I dont go in here all the time but when I saw a fresh tray of breaded pork tenderloin coming out I made sure to get into line and I've been back in that line a couple times since. It's one of the most filling meals in the city at under $5 but you wouldn't blink twice if you paid $10 or even a little more. It's all home cooked and it's done by folks who've been cooking this food their entire life with some of them having started off in Poland itself. I got something like two large perfectly fried pork cutlets with bowl-fulls of mushroom gravy. They made sure there was enough gravy for my double side of real mashed potatoes. All of this for less than $5 makes it seem like you're somewhere overseas. Check it out.

Lunch Special at Montrose Food Mart & Deli

Montrose Food Mart & Deli
6601 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 628-7515
Website