Hi,
After a solid four hours at the Field Museum seeing the Jacqueline Kennedy and Machupichu exhibits, we were ready to eat. My camera wasn't with me, so I wasn't in the mood to hunt down the Kennedy White House style dinner (or is it lunch), which some establishment is offering during this exhibit period. If someone knows the place I am referring to, please PM or e-mail me because I know it exists, I haven't found it quite yet.
Remembering Gary extolling on the wonderful tasting soups at Podhalanka, I steered my Moms there. Mom2 is a first generation American of Polish extraction, who long ago introduced me to the Busy Bee, which closed some years ago. Gary's pictures of Podhalanka instantly reminded me of the Busy Bee, so I was really pleased to finally make it.
For first course, we ordered three different soups: Mom1 had cabbage soup, Mom2 had Ukrainian Beet Soup and I ordered Sour Borscht. The Ukrainian Beet soup was sweet with a surprise ingredient of cooked lima beans where Mom2 expected potatoes. Mom1's cabbage soup had a sauerkraut twang and was surprisingly more sour than my Sour Borscht. I really don't know much about the composition of my Sour Borscht, beyond seeing slices of Polish sausage in it. It was white, it was sour, and though Mom1 (of Cabbage Soup) pronounced it tasteless; I liked it thank you very much. It reminded me, again, I want to go back to a restaurant on Deep Lake for a Polish pickle soup.
For the balance, we ate family style from an array of one-dish meals: We had Nalesniki (blintzes) which were applesauce filled and folded with sour cream and applesauce on the side. I might repeat this if they offer a filling which interests me, because the presence of applesauce twice in the same dish was just too repetitive.
We ordered a plate of mixed Pierogies (meat, cabbage and potato & cheese), which came sour cream. When we order these again, we will dispense with the meat (it was a dry, very finely shreaded pork) to concentrate on the other fillings. We would also ask them to drown them in melted butter, which we recall fondly from the Busy Bee.
The Ann Fisher recommended potato pancakes were divine. All thumbs up.
The pair of Golabki (stuffed cabbage) with fresh mashed potatoes, who needed more mashing, was a thud. Mom2 makes her Golabki with beef, I make mine with a mixture of pork and beef, while Podhalanka made it with pork only. We were collectively not enthusiastic about Golabka.
I inquired about dessert, which the waitress said they had "A cake of cheese." I hoped they had something with poppy seeds, really hoping for a jelly roll type cake heavy with poppy seed filling. Instead, she brought out a plastic clamshell from a bakery, showing us a cake whose bottom was poundcake, then a 1/2 inch layer of poppy seeds, 2-inches of dry looking farmers cheese-type cheesecake and a thin layer of chocolate. I ordered one piece, which I shared with Mom1 as I really wanted my poppy seed fix.
There was a young Polish couple who came after us at a neighboring table. They ordered $10.75 dinners which included soup and salad. The salad alone was very attractive. It was an oblong plate with a white pickled cabbage salad, cucumbers with sour cream and a beet salad; be still my beating heart. So next time we're heading for the plate dinners with a side order of pierogi and/or potato pancakes.
We will also order the beverage 'Kompot,' which is a compote made from rehydrating dried fruits. Mom2 makes a very good variant with dried cherries prominately featured, which for some reason wasn't made this last holiday season. Next time...