Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
When searching for restaurants to review, we seem to have fallen into a somewhat disturbing pattern. Unfortunately, our “golden years” are spent going from one doctor visit to another. We find ourselves googling for restaurants that are close to our next doctor appointment. Upon searching for restaurants in the Elk Grove Village area, our trained eyes spotted something totally different. It was a Polish restaurant based upon our favorite Polish dish, pierogis. We jailed up little Rosie in her crate and sped off to Tata’s Pierogis.
Tata’s Pierogi’s
570 E. Devon Avenue
Elk Grove Village 60007
(847) 264-8944
tataspierogi.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 to I-90 East to Arlington Heights Road South, Left on Landmeier Road, Right on Tonne Road to Devon. Restaurant on the corner.
Estimated Travel Time: 32 minutes
This is a small store front venue that is handicap accessible. We walked in on a Wednesday afternoon and we were able to secure the last available table. The décor was modern with some European touches like their bucket chairs that are really comfy.
The format of this restaurant is different. You look at the menu, decide what you would like, then go up to the counter to place your order. You choose your drink from the nearby cooler. When placing your order, check out the small blackboard for the soup of the day. After ordering, you are given a number which you place on a stand at your table and wait for the goodness to arrive.
They offer ten varieties of savory pierogis, such as potato/cheddar/bacon and sauerkraut. They also offer three varieties of sweet pierogis: blueberry, chocolate, and sweet cheese. Also, on the menu are such Polish staples as Golabki (stuffed cabbage), Pyzy (potato dumplings stuffed with meat), and the ever-popular Baba Halina’s Kartazce (a pork sausage in a cooked potato that weighs one pound). If that wasn’t enough, it comes with three pierogis.
Dining Duo Tip: Read the menu closely. A lot of selections come with pierogis, potato pancakes, or a bite sized side of salad.
We spotted an item on the menu that we will always order. The addicting (5) Potato Pancakes ($10.60). These were large, seasoned to perfection, and crispy around the edges. They were served with sour cream and apple sauce. Nancy’s first forkful was a sight to behold. Her eyes rolled up in her head as she started mumbling in Polish. The funny thing is, she’s not Polish and she doesn’t speak it. She has a hard enough time speaking English! They were the closest we have found to the ones that Nancy makes. Don’t pass them up.
As usual, Jim ordered an item that contains basically everything in the restaurant, namely the Polish Plate ($14.64). This was one huge potato pancake, one Polish sausage, and six pierogis of your choice (he chose sauerkraut). The entrée comes with a bite sized salad, a serving of their Goulash (fried sauerkraut with diced Polish sausage), and a pickle. The pierogis are topped with sauteed onions and bacon. Everything was amazing, and the Polish sausage was charred for that extra snap. Half his meal came home in a doggie bag.
Nancy had the 12 Pierogis ($14.48) and she had her choice of two types. She chose the potato/cheddar/bacon and sauerkraut. This was also topped with bacon and sauteed onions. She liked the potato/cheddar/bacon ones, but the sauerkraut ones were a bit too sour for her taste. She took half her meal home in a doggie bag.
The restaurant is now on our list of go to venues when we are in the area. They also have a freezer where you can go in and pick up packages of your favorite Polish dishes to take home. As they say in Poland, Smacznego (bon appetit)!!!
The price for our Polish cuisine was $47.90, finding authentic Polish cuisine, priceless…
Jim’s take: I loved the sampler platter. You get a little bit of everything, or in this case, a lot of everything.
Nancy’s take: Jim’s Polish sausage was delish, but the potato pancakes stole my heart.
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com
