A taste of Poland
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When debating food choices, it seems to be the same old pattern; fried food, pizza, sandwiches, Chinese, maybe a little sushi and after that the ideas may not reach much further. What about Polish food? Although it may not be the norm for many to have a Polish meal, Polska Chata, a restaurant in Irondequoit, offers a variety of Polish dishes and zupy (soup).
Polska Chata opened more than four years ago on East Ridge Road. In December, they moved to their new location at 32 Vinedale Road. Recently as they undergo renovations, they plan on extending their seating for lunch and dinner to the upstairs.
Owner Margret Gorniak came to the United States 28 years ago. She is now proud of her restaurant and the food that they have become known for.
“We make our own pierogis, that’s what we are famous for,” said Gorniak. “The pierogis are all natural, we do not use preservatives.”
Along with pierogis, the menu includes polish favorites. The most poplar dish is the polski talerz (polish platter) that includes kielpasa, pierogi, golbki and bigos. Also very popular is a taste of America, which is the fish fry on Fridays.
The restaurant caters to the need of the large Polish community in Rochester.
“We have all the traditional food that everybody grew up with,” said Gorniak.
The Polish cuisine offered at Polska Chata gives those who have come from Poland a taste of home and in turn gives the Rochester community a taste of a different culture. The Polish community has close to 30,000 people and most are active in the Stanislous Church on the corner of Hudson and Norton. The church creates a central place the Polish community.
Polska Chata also sells products that are shipped straight from their home-country. They have cookies, dry mushrooms, pickles, jelly, horseradish sauce, mustard and much more. The most popular item they sell is the czarne porzeczki nektar, translated into English as juice.
“Around the holidays you get everything that you would if you were in Poland,” said Gorniak.
With many cold cuts for sale, the kiszka (blood sausage), is only available at Polska Chata. It is not sold any place else.
Catering everything from weddings to communions, Polska Chata charges by the pound, making it less expensive than ordering from other stores.
Why you should try it: “Everything is homemade,” said Gorniak. “We have reasonable prices with big portions.”
