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Bacowka Polish Restaurant - Schaumburg

Bacowka Polish Restaurant - Schaumburg
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  • Bacowka Polish Restaurant - Schaumburg

    Post #1 - January 27th, 2017, 2:17 pm
    Post #1 - January 27th, 2017, 2:17 pm Post #1 - January 27th, 2017, 2:17 pm
    One of my co-workers is Polish and loves to travel as well as eat, so naturally she is a fun co-worker to have as those are two of my favorite things to do as well.

    I had read a Saveur article about a Polish white borscht soup called BIALY BARSZCZ ( http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/P ... te-Borscht )

    Sounding delicious I asked my co-worker if she has had that soup and if so, was it local. Turns out she had just had it yesterday and said it was delicious.

    Bacowka is is the restaurant where she dined. Has anyone been?

    (I'm hoping to get here next week sometime for lunch. Any LTHers in the area, let me know.)

    Bacowka Polish Restaurant
    1120 S Roselle Road
    Schaumburg, IL
    630-283-0023
    Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Bacowkarestaurant/
    Basically open 11am-11pm daily
    I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.
  • Post #2 - January 27th, 2017, 2:53 pm
    Post #2 - January 27th, 2017, 2:53 pm Post #2 - January 27th, 2017, 2:53 pm
    Bacowka is one of our favorites. While I haven't had that particular dish, I've had a lot of other items on the menu. The stuffed cabbage, the pierogi, and especially the breaded pork with mushrooms are excellent.

    When you go, make sure to explore the KD Market (http://mykdmarket.com/) in the same mini mall area. Lots of great stuff in the prepared food section.
  • Post #3 - January 28th, 2017, 6:13 am
    Post #3 - January 28th, 2017, 6:13 am Post #3 - January 28th, 2017, 6:13 am
    same interior decorator as smak tak?

    looks good
  • Post #4 - January 28th, 2017, 9:03 am
    Post #4 - January 28th, 2017, 9:03 am Post #4 - January 28th, 2017, 9:03 am
    AlekH wrote:same interior decorator as smak tak?

    looks good

    I notice that one of the commentators on the Facebook page says, "Bacowka is real authentic Polish mountaineers place." So "Polish mountaineers place" must be a thing, and both restaurants must be going for that as their vibe. I never gave thought to there being Polish mountaineers in the world, let alone Polish mountaineer places, but of course there are. Happy to learn something new.
    Last edited by riddlemay on January 28th, 2017, 10:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
    Pithy quote here.
  • Post #5 - January 28th, 2017, 10:11 am
    Post #5 - January 28th, 2017, 10:11 am Post #5 - January 28th, 2017, 10:11 am
    riddlemay wrote:
    AlekH wrote:same interior decorator as smak tak?

    looks good

    I notice that one of the commentators on the Facebook page says, "Bacowka is real authentic Polish mountaineers place." So "Polish mountaineers place" must be a thing. and both restaurants must be going for that as their vibe. I never gave thought to there being Polish mountaineers in the world, let alone Polish mountaineer places, but of course there are. Happy to learn something new.


    Polish Mountaineers are sometime referred to as Highlanders. Maybe you've heard of them. Smak Tak is also a Mountaineers place.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #6 - January 28th, 2017, 11:12 am
    Post #6 - January 28th, 2017, 11:12 am Post #6 - January 28th, 2017, 11:12 am
    Just so you know, biały barszcz also goes by the name żurek (or żur). There are many arguments over whether this exactly the same soup, or whether there are differences (and what those differences are will vary around Poland) but they are both rye meal* soups and many people use the term interchangeably. Just FYI in case you see it on a menu, but not biały barszcz.

    ETA: I should also add that that recipe does not call for the souring agent that is usually used in preparations of żur/żurek/biały barszcz, so it's a little different than what you will get at the Polish restaurants around town. A lot of people will add vinegar (or sometimes lemon juice) to give the soup its signature tang if they're not doing it the traditional way (which I go into detail here.)

    * Actually, that's just usually how I see it translated. It doesn't necessarily have to be based on rye, but it's based on some fermented grain. I use a combo of rye, wheat flour, and oats.
    Last edited by Binko on January 29th, 2017, 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #7 - January 28th, 2017, 11:22 am
    Post #7 - January 28th, 2017, 11:22 am Post #7 - January 28th, 2017, 11:22 am
    Also, looking at the online menu of the restaurant that is available, I don't see either of those on their regular menu. It may be a soup of the day, or it may be an outdated menu, so it's something I may call ahead to ask about.

    That said, if you're anywhere near a Polish restaurant, there's a good chance of finding it on the menu, so explore any other Polish options where you live.
  • Post #8 - January 28th, 2017, 12:23 pm
    Post #8 - January 28th, 2017, 12:23 pm Post #8 - January 28th, 2017, 12:23 pm
    Further curious about the Polish Mountaineers/Highlander thing. Besides there being something in the decor that distinguishes a Polish Mountaineer place from other Polish restaurants, is there something in the cuisine that is uniquely Mountaineer/Highlander? I've been to Smak-Tak two or three times and enjoyed it greatly, but I didn't notice a difference in the menu from other Polish places. That is very likely due to my ignorance.
    Pithy quote here.
  • Post #9 - January 28th, 2017, 12:52 pm
    Post #9 - January 28th, 2017, 12:52 pm Post #9 - January 28th, 2017, 12:52 pm
    Further curious about the Polish Mountaineers/Highlander thing. Besides there being something in the decor that distinguishes a Polish Mountaineer place from other Polish restaurants, is there something in the cuisine that is uniquely Mountaineer/Highlander?


    I never made it to Szalas, but it was supposed to be a "Highland Polish" restaurant - from what Ive heard there *are* some differences, in menu and culture etc. Szalas was on Check, Please - and I noted it as a place I wanted to go to..but I believe its closed now..

    http://checkplease.wttw.com/restaurants/szalas-closed

    c8w
  • Post #10 - January 28th, 2017, 1:22 pm
    Post #10 - January 28th, 2017, 1:22 pm Post #10 - January 28th, 2017, 1:22 pm
    I went to Szala's several times .. food was good, decor over the top (pull the rope to ring a bell to get in, huge water wheel, dining in a sleigh rather than a booth). Way back when, I vaguely remember hearing about another Polish Highlander place nearby, that I'd like to try sometime. Has anyone been to the restaurant in the Polish Highlander Alliance of North America building lately? (Perhaps this should be shunted off to a new thread.)

    Polish Highlander Alliance of North America
    4808 S Archer Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60632
  • Post #11 - January 28th, 2017, 3:48 pm
    Post #11 - January 28th, 2017, 3:48 pm Post #11 - January 28th, 2017, 3:48 pm
    If you are ever up in the far northern reaches of Lower Michigan, when the weather is warmer, get to Legs Inn in Cross Village. Their zurek soup is wonderful, and the whole place is worth a trip. (I see I said the same thing back in 2008!)
  • Post #12 - January 28th, 2017, 8:41 pm
    Post #12 - January 28th, 2017, 8:41 pm Post #12 - January 28th, 2017, 8:41 pm
    riddlemay wrote:Further curious about the Polish Mountaineers/Highlander thing. Besides there being something in the decor that distinguishes a Polish Mountaineer place from other Polish restaurants, is there something in the cuisine that is uniquely Mountaineer/Highlander?

    I don't believe there's a significant difference in cuisine today- I think you would have seen more distinct differences 100 years ago in Poland, but by the time the food makes its way onto a Chicago menu now, it's fairly similar. Music, dance, and dress are the most notable cultural highlander aspects, but it's more rooted in tradition than in everyday practice. Zakopane, the representative mountain town of the area, is pretty popular with winter sports tourists these days, though it means you still see some mountain culture preserved for the visitors.

    Góralski (highlander) cuisine, like most that comes from mountain regions around the world, was heavily influenced by what kind of food the terrain afforded. That meant a more prominent role for potatoes (is that even possible?). A food that reflects this is moskole, which are baked, potato cakes that were brought into Poland along with Russian prisoners of war that the Germans held in southern Poland during WWI (Moskol= someone from Moscow). It made its way into Polish kitchens, but would not be something you'd be likely to see in many restaurants. Often topped with garlic sauce/butter or cheese, in my head I imagine these being an easily portable breakfast to take up with you into the mountains, though I have no idea if that's how they were actually eaten.

    A notable Góralski dish is kwaśnica (if you're familiar with the Slavic drink kvas, this name is the same idea- it refers to something fermented, sour, or acidic). It's a sauerkraut based soup with meat, often smoked ribs and bacon.

    Hałuski is a potato-based dish of the region that represents the liminal space that exists in so many European cuisines, the not-quite noodle, not-quite dumpling (think gnocchi), sometimes served with a sheep's milk cheese called bryndza. It's now claimed more within Slovakian cuisine, or in the Eastern European community in Western PA and adapted into an egg noodle and cabbage dish.

    Perhaps the most noteworthy culinary contribution of Podhale (the Polish highlands) is oscypek, a smoked sheep's milk cheese you'll find being sold all over Zakopane. The smell of the salty, piney smokiness is pretty transporting, and this is one of the few protected regional foods (like Parmesan or Gorgonzola in Italy) in Poland. Lamb/mutton would have also been served occasionally around the Tatra mountains, though I'm thinking that a much greater emphasis was put on sheep for milk and wool than for meat.

    Looking at Bacowka's menu, they have oscypek, moskole(!), kwaśnica, and a common highlands dish called placek po zbójnicku (potato pancake "robber's" style, which is essentially covered in goulash). That's more representative of mountain cuisine than any other Polish menu I've seen in Chicago. I hope they also serve bread with smalec (lard speckled with bacon)- that was a nice touch they had at Szała's.

    riddlemay wrote:I've been to Smak-Tak two or three times and enjoyed it greatly, but I didn't notice a difference in the menu from other Polish places. That is very likely due to my ignorance.

    Smak-Tak's menu offerings don't appear to have a regional focus. You may see more regional variation in food from Śląsk, or Silesia. They speak a different dialect of Polish there, and there is more of a German influence within the food. One of their more notable dishes, kluski śląskie, are another example of a hybrid dumpling/noodle that are great vehicles for a sauce. I'm not aware of any Chicagoland places that focus on this cuisine.

    Szała's, as well as the Polish Highlander Alliance, reflect the south side/north side divide that existed in the city- highlanders (from southern Poland) tended to settle on the south side, while the north side saw many immigrants from the rest of Poland. The communities remained relatively separate despite their shared language. As great as Szała's offerings were, my favorite highlander restaurant was Paul Zakopane Harnas on Milwaukee. It was never very crowded when I went in, but they did a steady takeout business, as some folks in the neighborhood bought a meal plan where they could regularly pick up a certain number of meals per week. I don't think they had a particularly regional menu either, but the Polish mountain hospitality always came through- the owner would come around, offer shots to the table, and invite you back to his house in Zakopane. I wonder if anyone ever took him up on it...
  • Post #13 - January 28th, 2017, 8:53 pm
    Post #13 - January 28th, 2017, 8:53 pm Post #13 - January 28th, 2017, 8:53 pm
    Sweet Willie wrote:Bacowka is is the restaurant where she dined. Has anyone been?

    I hadn't heard of Bacówka until a few weeks ago, when I stumbled across mention of it while looking up another Polish restaurant. The menu is intriguing.

    riddlemay wrote:Further curious about the Polish Mountaineers/Highlander thing. Besides there being something in the decor that distinguishes a Polish Mountaineer place from other Polish restaurants, is there something in the cuisine that is uniquely Mountaineer/Highlander? I've been to Smak-Tak two or three times and enjoyed it greatly, but I didn't notice a difference in the menu from other Polish places. That is very likely due to my ignorance.

    It is certainly true that most Polish restaurants in Chicago have menus barely distinguishable from one another. If you look at the menu from Bacówka (mountain hut), however, a few items stand out. The Tatra Mountains are known for sheep cheeses, which shouldn’t be too surprising. You can find bryndza and oscypek in Chicago’s Polish delicatessens without too much trouble (I got some particularly mediocre bryndza at Shop & Save’s deli in the past week). From casual observation, I don’t think these cheeses are as common on restaurant menus, but Bacówka lists Moskole (potato cakes with bryndza, more or less) and Oscypek z Żurawiną (fried smoked cheese with cranberries). That sounds like Highlander chow you don’t see too often on menus around here.

    We’re approaching the high season for żurek and its relatives. Meatless versions of the sour soup are often served during Lent (begins March 1, 2017), before the celebratory meat-filled version makes its appearance on Easter (April 16, 2017). I’m looking forward to some good żurek, having just had a somewhat unsatisfying bowl at Mabenka (7844 S Cicero) last Saturday.

    Image

    It wouldn’t have been bad at all, except it was over-thickened to an unpleasant gluey consistency. I bet Bacówka has a better bowl.
  • Post #14 - January 29th, 2017, 10:16 am
    Post #14 - January 29th, 2017, 10:16 am Post #14 - January 29th, 2017, 10:16 am
    T Kent wrote:A notable Góralski dish is kwaśnica (if you're familiar with the Slavic drink kvas, this name is the same idea- it refers to something fermented, sour, or acidic). It's a sauerkraut based soup with meat, often smoked ribs and bacon.


    Ah, good one. That's similar in spirit to kapuśniak (another sauerkraut soup), but usually more sour and liquidy (at least in my experience. I've also heard that traditionally it was made with lamb, which would make sense, but I've always had it made on pork.) And, actually, it's not too far in spirit away from biały barszcz/żurek, either, with the sauerkraut and its pickling liquid providing the sour element instead of soured rye(or other grain) meal.

    Outside of that and oscypek, I'm having a tough time thinking of other unique food items. My father is from Zakopane (though he tells me his is not a Góral--rather a townperson--and he doesn't speak in a Highlander accent), and many of our family friends are Highlanders, and there's little besides those two items that I can identify as uniquely regional and hard to find in other Polish restaurants.

    Oh, there's also the żubrówka if we're counting drinks. (Although you can find that at most Polish restaurants that serve liquor, and Polish bars, of course.)

    Edit: Oh, I missed the comment on the moskole. That's one you don't really see on menus around here, at least I have no memory of ever seeing it. The placek po zbójnicku seems pretty similar to placek po węgiersku (potato pancakes a la Hungarian) that you see on many menus, but I'm not 100% sure if it's the same thing. Many recipes look like they equate them, along with placek po cygańsku ("Gypsy" potato pancakes).
    Last edited by Binko on January 29th, 2017, 10:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
  • Post #15 - January 29th, 2017, 11:37 am
    Post #15 - January 29th, 2017, 11:37 am Post #15 - January 29th, 2017, 11:37 am
    Thanks for the heads up on this place! I am working in the area on a short contract and am looking forward to dining there this week.

    Speaking of Sauerkraut Soup, Czech Plaza in Berwyn was chosen as a finalist in the local competition to judge the Best Soup.

    WP_20170126_18_35_58_Pro (3).jpg


    This soup is made with smoked sausage, sauerkraut, sour cream and a secret blend of spices. Served with bread.

    Not really "sour and liquidy" but rather creamy and a little thick. Even though they were up against some Mexican soups that are almost a stew (a meal) My Bride judged this soup to be the best (blaming her German heritage :) ).

    Czech Plaza Restaurant
    7016 Cermak Rd, Berwyn
    (708) 795-6555
    http://www.czechplazaberwyn.com/
    Last edited by Panther in the Den on January 30th, 2017, 7:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
    "Very good... but not my favorite." ~ Johnny Depp as Roux the Gypsy in Chocolat
  • Post #16 - January 29th, 2017, 1:57 pm
    Post #16 - January 29th, 2017, 1:57 pm Post #16 - January 29th, 2017, 1:57 pm
    Panther in the Den wrote:Thanks for the heads up on this place! I am working in the area on a short contract and am looking forward to dining there this week.


    Why don't you join us on Tuesday for lunch? viewtopic.php?f=19&t=43520
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #17 - January 31st, 2017, 9:31 pm
    Post #17 - January 31st, 2017, 9:31 pm Post #17 - January 31st, 2017, 9:31 pm
    I went to the LTH luncheon at Bacowka today and came away deeply impressed by the food. The biały barszcz was really delicious, I though it was sauerkraut soup just from the aroma as it arrived at the table, it had a deeply fermented taste that I don't think I would have associated with grain if I hadn't read the description here. I didn't order my own, but Cynthia was nice enough to share.

    I did have the pierogies which were some of the best I've ever had and I don't write that lightly. The wrappings were light and thin like the best of what you hope for in soup dumplings or ravioli. I had a combo plate of sauerkraut and meat that were lightly dressed with butter and crumbled bacon. SteveZ had the placek po zbójnicku which I've had before at Polish restaurants, this was one of the best versions I've tasted, not too heavy, but still filling and hearty. My seat mate Sylvia, who lived in Poland for 3 years ordered the moskole and was very happy with it. The waitress said the potato pancakes were made from cooked potatoes which was traditional and it was served with farmers cheese and sauerkraut. I believe I also tried the oscypek which SteveZ ordered, you could taste the smoke, but it seemed over-smoked and too hard, the fruit served with it greatly improved it. I'll let the others describe their dishes, but I came away impressed. Too often in Chicago Polish food is more about quantity than quality, but the food here was beautifully made with quality ingredients and a light hand, I'll be back soon, thanks for the heads up Sweet Willie.
    For what we choose is what we are. He should not miss this second opportunity to re-create himself with food. Jim Crace "The Devil's Larder"
  • Post #18 - February 1st, 2017, 8:53 am
    Post #18 - February 1st, 2017, 8:53 am Post #18 - February 1st, 2017, 8:53 am
    nice write up mbh!

    The oscypek (smoked cheese) was too hard, ok smoke flavor to it, fruit indeed helped out.

    I too really enjoyed the moskole, placek po zbójnicku and especially the biały barszcz.

    I had the pork cutlet w/cheese, mushrooms and two fried eggs on top. The fried taste permeated everything to a large degree, it was so-so.

    I did not get to try the pierogies, that will be a must try item next time I go.
    I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.
  • Post #19 - June 13th, 2021, 9:14 am
    Post #19 - June 13th, 2021, 9:14 am Post #19 - June 13th, 2021, 9:14 am
    Hi,

    On the first day of open Illinois, I met a friend at Bacowka Polish Restaurant. In the past, I came here with the Moms for dinner. Mom2 always ordered the blueberry pierogi.

    Once there was a elderly couple who seemed to be dating at the next table. I had order envy from the food they selected. It was a dish of braised cabbage topped by meat filled dumplings.

    The other day, I was scanning the menu trying to find this dish. I finally described to the waitress about "some meat over braised cabbage and sauerkraut." Fortunately, there were only three dishes which came with braised cabbage. One was meat cutlet, which interestingly my friend had already ordered which came with mixed salads and potatoes. There was something else and finally Pyzy z Miesem, my meat stuffed dumplings served over braised cabbage. Surprising to me, this was in the appetizer section.

    Part of our conversation was about the Great Depression and how it affected our parents. My friend's parents were a half- to a full-generation older than mine. My parents were kids while hers were approaching or full adults. Her Dad married for the first time the very same year my Dad was born.

    Here is how it played out at the table: my friend declined her potatoes, though I asked if I could have what she declined. I finished my plate. My friend ate one of two cutlets and barely touched the side dishes, then asked for a box. She only took home the cutlet.

    I asked if I could take home her salads, which she was leaving behind. I took two salads, the pork lard spread and the last two pieces of rye bread.

    It occured to me later, I was still living the Depression ethic. I bet I was labeled as cheap, though I could not see why this food should be thrown away.

    It was great to see this place survived. I did call in advance to make sure they really were open.

    Regards,
    Cathy2
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #20 - June 13th, 2021, 8:27 pm
    Post #20 - June 13th, 2021, 8:27 pm Post #20 - June 13th, 2021, 8:27 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:Hi,
    It occurred to me later, I was still living the Depression ethic. I bet I was labeled as cheap, though I could not see why this food should be thrown away.
    Regards,
    Cathy2


    I don't think it is cheap. I think throwing away perfectly good food is wasteful. It's not as if food waste isn't a current concern. And I'm sure children are still starving somewhere as a result of our not finishing what's on our plates. :)

    I will say that meat dumplings over braised cabbage sounds mighty attractive.
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com

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