Mystery Diner goes to Polish deli

It’s the holiday time of year when the  Mystery Diner becomes the Mystery Snow Shoveler. It’s time to dine in consideration of heavy labor ahead.

It’s time for Ania’s Polish Buffet & Deli in Lake Zurich.

Found in a strip mall on Route 12 in Lake Zurich, Ania’s is presently adorned with holiday wreaths. The single serving room is large, light and airy, with two tiers of buffet offerings. That’s where I head after ordering coffee and water from my waitress.

First, the salads. Other than the creamy cucumber and dill, I enjoy the light sauerkraut and the horseradish beets. I'm happy the horseradish is a seasoning and not the main event it sometimes becomes. Garden salad is also available, but I elect to pass; I've got work to do.
My take on a Polish buffet is to focus on three common foods: Pierogi, Bigos (called Hunter's Stew at Ania's), and sausage.

Pierogis are somewhat the Polish version of ravioli, a small stuffed dough pillow without sauce. Ania’s presented two stuffings this day. The potato and cheese was chewy without being gummy. The meat dumplings seemed to have a dry filling, but I found myself drawn to the beefy flavor. A bit of gravy or sauce would have made them exceptional.

The Hunter’s Stew was certainly moist enough, with variety in texture. Using a dark sauerkraut base, the tang was well offset by herbs and sausage, and in Ania’s case, great thick slices of mushrooms. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of stew, the hearty fare you want before a work out.

I loved Ania’s sausage. I believe it was just kielbasa, but it had been oven-crisped after cooking, and the crackle and aroma were perfect. Moist, but not fatty, it was a high point. I blended a little sweet sauerkraut (kapusta) with a bite, and knew I needed more. I had more.

Of course, I had to also sample some other items. Some locations use too much ricefiller for their stuffed cabbage, but Ania’s held a warm meaty balance, topped with a light tomato basting sauce. I paired the cabbage with chicken meatballs, which were my downfall. They were stellar, each bite tasting like healing homemade chicken soup. Thinking now, I wish I’d taken about a dozen home with me. Next time I will.

I was left with no room for the potato dumplings or pancakes, and I looked wistfully at the golden cheese blintzes on my way out. I was as stuffed as those cabbage rolls.

Ania’s Polish Deli & Buffet is the ideal place for a quick seasonal family getaway while out shopping for gifts or a tree. Their meal is the definition of hearty.  Based maybe on one too many meatballs, the Diner has changed his mind about the snow, deciding to become the Mystery Couch Potato. It’s time for watching some football. Or maybe dreaming of pierogi.