Portage Park, Part 1

We moved to Portage Park last December, and since we have explored many restaurants in the area. For our first few months, we were convinced we moved to a culinary wasteland. We ordered in a great deal of pizza and Thai, most from our old neighborhood. When we ate out, we would return to our favorites. Something about a new neighborhood in the dark of winter had us seeking out the comfort of familiarity. Ten months later, our dining out choices are mainly centered within walking distance from our house. This is the first of a series to answer the question, 'What's out there?' The best place to start is with our most recent find.

Tucked behind a Dunkin' Donuts at Addison and Austin is Sami Swoi, a mecca for comfort food. The menu consists of some of the best Polish food in the neighborhood. Start off with one or both kinds of borscht. The red is vegetarian, warm with several small polish ravioli resting on the bottom. The broth is warm, beet-y, with a small amount of vinegar to add some zest. The white is a thin cream base chock full of chunks of smoked sausage. Creamy, smoky, and hearty.

The sweet cheese pierogi are handmade, smooth, each with a slightly different shape and size. Served with a side of sour cream, they are fast to disappear.

Entrees range from seafood to schnitzel. Most dishes are heavy on the meat, as a good Polish restaurant should offer. Try the Gypsy Pork Strips, served in a skillet with vegetables. Pork is cooked in spices and very tender. Another meat option is is the Vienna Pork Schnitzel with Mushrooms and Egg, topped with a healthy dollop of parsley butter. Ah, just writing about this makes my stomach growl. Perfect comfort food, the breading is slightly crispy, pork tender, and the roasted mushrooms piled to the side are a perfect complement. And then there is the egg. One sunnyside up egg covering the entire schnitzel. By the time you break the yolk, you are ready to swear off bacon and eggs for breakfast. And then, if you are crazy like me, order a side of buttery dumplings.

Now, for those that don't eat meat, or don't want to indulge in the above mentioned heart-stopping dishes, there are several fish options. Salmon, Trout, and Tilapia are options. The Sauteed Trout with Almonds was recommended, and while the taste is good, the fish is a little dry. The Tilapia seemed more moist, with a cream sauce.

They have a small bar with several Polish Beers, but skip that and order the fresh squeezed juices. If you can't decide which to order, there's always the Fruit Kompot, a Polish juice made by boiling apples, strawberries, and peaches.

This will be a tough winter for us. Will we able to keep up with the caloric intake of our dining out choices? We'll let you know this spring.