Cafe Polonez
195 Roncesvalles Avenue
416-532-8432
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip, and beer: $57

Back in the day (oh say, six years ago), I was pretty ignorant as to what qualified as Polish cuisine. To me, it consisted of two staples: sausage and No Name’s brand of cheese and potato frozen pierogi. Then I met my Polish significant other, and was exposed to so much more that this cuisine had to offer. I have enjoyed many of the Polish dishes I consumed - even Flaczki (beef tripe) soup that my husband shudders at. He brought me to Cafe Chopin for my first Polish restaurant experience, and that was where I learned that pierogi did not have to taste like the fried doughy cardboard slathered with sour cream that I was accustomed to in university. On a stroll in Roncesvalles a few years back, we decided to try Cafe Polonez instead of Cafe Chopin, and haven’t looked back since.

The establishment underwent a renovation earlier this year, and the place exuded warmth upon entering. My dining partners and I were greeted warmly by the server and settled ourselves in for a hearty meal. An added bonus we received was a carafe of water flavoured with blueberries, strawberries and lemon. Little things like this add to the eating out experience, and further cement the fact that I can expect friendly service here. Their menu offers ten soups and a variety of salads (both Polish style and the standard greens offerings), so there was plenty to choose from. I opted for the Farmer’s soup ($3.85) to start - also known as Sour soup in Polish (Zurek). It consisted of sliced pieces of polish sausage and a halved boiled egg in a sour cream and meat based broth. Trust me - the taste was better than its description and appearance. There was a strong marjoram presence, and the sour flavour came from adding rye sour, which is a key ingredient in rye bread. The complimentary rye bread was good for dunking in the soup to get every last drop. We also got a plate of pierogi ($4.25 for six) to share as an appetizer, and wished we opted for the full dozen ($7.75) instead. These dumplings were pillows of tastiness: the dough was neither too chewy nor soft, and the mushroom and sauerkraut filling blended well together with the bacon and onion topping.

For my main, I chose cabbage rolls ($10.50) which were stuffed with well seasoned minced pork and rice in a tangy tomato sauce. The only minus was that it came more warm than hot; the side of potatoes were hotter in temperature than the rolls themselves. My dining companions each ordered the Hungarian style pancake ($12.50), which was noted as one of the ‘Chef Specials’ on the menu. Pork goulash comes enveloped in a large pan fried potato pancake, with the pancake sopping up the stew’s flavour. The pork was tender and flaked apart at the first bite. Needless to say, both of my friends enjoyed their entrees. Both dishes came with several sides, including a beet and horseradish salad (my favourite), shredded cabbage and a diced vegetable mix. Cafe Polonez does not mince on portion size, so for those who are all about portion control, plan on taking half the meal to go.

Of course, there was still a tiny bit of room left for dessert, so we ordered the crepe with sweet cheese and berries ($4) to share. The sweet cheese turned out to be cottage cheese with added cinnamon and sugar. There was also sour cream on the side to spread on it, and the flavour combination was quite complimentary. The crepe hit the spot, and was a nice ending to a satisfying meal.

For those who like set menus, Cafe Polonez offers daily prix fixe specials priced from $13.50 - $ 15.50. It includes a daily soup, entree and a non-alcoholic drink – a steal in my opinion. The beer list is extensive, with a large selection of Polish beers such as Tyskie and Zubr ($4.50 each). Service is consistently friendly here, and the servers are happy to answer any inquiries the customer has about the food. Polish cuisine signifies tasty comfort food to me now, and I am content each time after having it. What more could one ask for in a meal?