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Deliciously Kitschy – Old Warsaw Buffet
My family stumbled upon this gem a few years ago quite accidentally. Tucked alongside a strip of generic shopping malls off Chicago’s busy Harlem Avenue it’s easy enough to miss. But it was late on a Sunday afternoon and we were hungry so in we went. Fast forward a couple of years later, and this is one of our favorite weekend haunts. It’s not inexpensive, but it is delicious, and well worth the trip. Stepping inside you’ll feel a bit like you’ve gone back in time - this is Old School 1980′s banquet hall decor – capital O, capital S. It’s tacky, and it’s spectacular.
Don’t even think about a menu – just walk in, wait to be seated, place your drink order and step up to the buffet. I like to start with a plate of mixed salads – fresh greens with onions, tomatoes and peppers, scoops of coleslaw, macaroni salad, pickled beets and herring, which balances nicely with salty chunks of smoked salmon. In between bites I sip on fresh brewed ice tea with lemon and take in the view (who can resist getting lost in twinkly lights and silver discoballs while listening to the muzak version of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”?)
Next up – a trip to the hot side of the buffet. This is where you can choose from a variety of Polish fare including kielbasa, pierogi, cheese blintzes, potato pancakes and stuffed cabbage. There’s an assortment of other tasty goodies like barbeque ribs, roast duck, pork chops – even a carving station with roast beef and ham. Pay attention to the sign that tells you to take only what you’ll eat – for me the fear of being charged for not finishing my food is probably what saves my stomach. I do leave room for their extensive pastry selection- they are well known for the paczki which pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee. Other surprising delights are the butter cookies – you might pass them up at first glance, going instead for a more colorful choice – but these are melt in your mouth delicious and you’ll remember them for sure on your next trip back.
The Details
Old Warsaw Buffet
4750 N. Harlem Ave.
Harwood Heights, IL 60706
708-867-4500
http://www.old-warsaw-buffet.com/
Steve’s Place is the Place to Be
When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go after school was a hot dog joint called Big Al’s. I’d order a pizza puff and cheese fries, then ask Dad for a quarter to play Pac Man while we waited for our food. We’d eat perched on blue vinyl barstools at the counter and I would swivel back and forth looking out at the park across the street. My feet could never reach the floor but I didn’t want them to -the checkerboard linoleum looked dirty and old. There was enough grease in the air to make me feel sticky and it was always hot, yet it remains to this day one of my favorite places. The food was delicious, yes, but more than that, I loved the feeling of comfort when I was there.
Walking into Steve’s Place in River North for the first time three years ago, I felt suddenly transported to that place of warmth and familiarity. From the outside, it’s an easy enough place to pass up – the paint on the sign is long faded and the tacky ice cream cone sculpture hanging over the doorway has seen better days. Stepping inside on a weekday lunch hour you’ll find the place full and the chatter of the counter help friendly. Construction workers, police officers and young professionals, all stand in line together waiting for cheeseburgers, gyros platters or italian beef sandwiches. My personal favorite is the BLT. Ordered up on crunchy whole wheat toast, the bacon is always hot and the lettuce and tomato crisp. On work days that are particularly grueling, I add an order of fries with a side of cheddar cheese sauce for dipping. Delish! One friend of mine swears by the pork chop sandwich with grilled onions and mustard, and another sticks with the polish sausage. Each sandwich arrives in a red plastic basket with wax paper and the requisite pickle, and you’ll want to save room for a slice of pie from the cooler- choices include pecan, sweet potato, lemon meringue, even cheesecake and chocolate cream. Or you can keep it simple and enjoy a soft serve ice cream cone or cup.
This greasy spoon is tiny - there’s room for only about 25 in the booths, eight at the counter. If you’re dining alone, you’ll have plenty to read sitting at the counter in full view of the wall decor – it’s a kitschy collection of everything from political cartoons and framed pictures of Greece, to paintings of religious figures on petrified wood and autographed photos of pin up girls. Eat in or carry out, but whatever you do, enjoy the moment. It’s not every day you can be transported back in time to a place where things were simpler.
Steve’s Place
230 W. Chicago Ave. (Chicago and Franklin)
(312) 337-2462
Hours: Mon-Fri- 7:00am – 5:30pm, Sat- 7:00am – 2:30pm, Sun- Closed
