Krakowiak Restaurant - Polish in South River NJ

[AppleSpam]

I'm looking for a good Polish restaurant in Middlesex County area and came across this name on the boards but no reviews. I am used to the restaurants in the lower east side of NY. You know, the great pierogis, bigos, stuffed cabbage, the big hearty breakfast with kielbasa. Any info on this restaurant or others would be appreciated.

[fishnut]

I have not eaten tripe soup (flacki ??) since I was in college many years ago. It was at
my favorite downhome Polish restaurant in East Village, NYC. On First Ave and the only
sign on it read "Polish Restaurant". Just a lunch counter served by Polish women in
house dresses. The place is gone now but it served great food and a real treat for a poor
college student.

The tripe soup at Krakowiak is excellent and a meal by itself. I just wish that the place was closer to my home.

[maxthegreat]

The food at Krakowiak is like good old fashioned grandma home cooking. The first time I went there was with a friend that grew up in Poland. Its the only Polish restaurant she will go to. My husband started with the tripe soup and really enjoyed it. The prices were really affordable and the portions were good. i've tried their pork cutlets, pierogis, potato pancakes and the hunter stew. I was slightly disappointed with the potato pancakes but everything else was great. During lent season I order the potato pierogis minus the bacon. Its also a BYOB which is a plus when going with a group.

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Krakowiak Restaurant
42 Main St, South River, NJ 08882

[tom246]

Wedding planning sucks (no, not mine, DD:). Weekends have been a mess helping out.
On the way home from north Jersey we got off at exit 9 and hoped that Krakowiak had a table available. They did and we enjoyed a very good dinner.

The Polish and Eastern Europe food coming out of the kitchen is stick to the ribs good and the setting is like being in a relatives house.
We each started with sauerkraut and mushroom stuffed pierogi sauteed with chopped onions and bits of bacon. These pierogi will make you forget a tough day :).
Wife had the stuffed cabbage, three large rolls in red sauce with mashed potatoes. Delicious and a large serving.
I chose a special, half roasted duck glazed with fruit syrup and topped with pieces of whole fruit.
This was delicious and reminded me of a similar dish I had during a visit to Prague.
A nice bottle of rustic Carlisle Zin was perfect with the food.
Too full for dessert, we passed but the pierogi filled with blueberries sounded good!

Krakowiak has very good food served in a comfortable setting. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, its a good choice if your looking for a break from your usual places.
Plus the value is nothing short of incredible.
http://www.krakowiakrestaurant.com/in...

[Angelina]

Funny thing Tom...my mother wants to go here today!!! Great review! I will let you know if we go there today...I better start fasting as those portions are huge! :)

[tom246]

Angelina, enjoy if you and mom decide to go. Krakowiak shows that tasty food doesn't need to be fancy.

[Tapas52]

Tom thanks for the review....sounds wonderful..It's now on my goto list. Is this place near Ria Mar?

[Passadumkeg]

About 1/2 mi or less, right next to the rail road tracks. My dad was born, in what is now the empty lot on the other side of the tracks.

[tom246]

Tapas, 42 Main St., right in the heart of town. Ria Mar is on Whitehead, around the corner from Krakowiak, about 1/4 mile away.

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry! I got confused w/ the Polish Restaurant on Whitehead Ave., whose name I forget, but may be superior.

[Angelina]

Thanks, Tom! Well...the family wnet there this past Sunday...I was craving their beef goulash...we get there, and it was closed for a private party!! :( It was pure torture!

[tom246]

Angelina, wow, that is disappointing and I agree with the torture part :)
A lot of people rave about Polonia Polish Restaurant around the corner from Krakowiak on Whitehead ave but I've never been.

Another plan B could have been to jump back on Rt 18 down to Rt 9 south to Shirin Cafe. You would have at least cured the pierogi urge :). The pierogi at Shirin are excellent as is everything else.

[fourunder]

If anyone ever ventures to the Northern part of the state, i suggest The Royal Warsaw in Elmwood Park, affectionately known as *Poland on the Passaic*. You can also shop at the Golden Eagle, Super Deli or Piast Provisions

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Royal Warsaw
871 River Dr, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407

Piast
800 River Dr, Garfield, NJ 07026

Golden Eagle
452 Lanza Ave, Garfield, NJ 07026

Super Deli
125 Wallington Ave, Wallington, NJ 07057

[Passadumkeg]

Thanks, Ton, I was trying to recall Polonia's name. Although 2 years ago, I've dine several times at both Polonia and Krakiowak. The Polish guys I grew up w/ and I feel a preference for Polonia, more on the menu and better food for the buck. Has any else tried it?
Both are very good restos. I'll be back in SR this summer and will again try both.

[arpad]

Tried them both and prefer Krakowiak .
Prices are about the same and so is quality .

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Krakowiak Restaurant
42 Main St, South River, NJ 08882

[Passadumkeg]

A win-win situation.

[arpad]

BTW how's life up among the moose and the Frenchmans or did you move to the Southwest already ?

[Passadumkeg]

I began teaching in NM nearly 40 years ago; getting vested in a second retirement!
Found Polish food in 2 shops in Albuquerque.
Back to Maine for June & July, down to NJ for family & food fix. Will be meeting other NJ hounds; email me if interested.
Mark

[RPMcMurphy]

Bummer, I'm walking distance to Krakoriak and live less than .25 miles from Polonia. I'll be leaving beautiful NJ where I've lived the past 28 years....to move to even more beautiful Boulder, CO.

[Quine]

Are you sure? I am a bred born raised NJite and the few years I lived in Rochester NY totally freaked me out as I was so far from the ocean. The air, weather were just so totally wrong.

[arpad]

I live on the outskirts of Cranbury and that's the absolute furthest I've EVER lived from salt water !

[Passadumkeg]

Murph, the Sayreville Bombers prepare one for anything! You'll love Boulder! f
Fine dining and the Rockie Mountains. less than an hour from Denver. We'll be heading up there at some point. If ever in the Albuquerque area, a day's drive down I-25, let me know.

[MGZ]

Hmmm . . . South River for Polish home cooking. Wow, that seems awfully familiar. Maybe a quick stop by St. Mary's to see if Father Stosh will bless the bobka? Only this time, I can't expect a five dollar bill to be discreetly pressed into my hand just before I leave (instead, I have to pay???)

[Passadumkeg]

If Father stosh will not, go further up Whitehead and Have Father O'Reilly at St Peter & Paul's do it. We can do that now.

[MGZ]

Just so long as I don't have to go to confession first.

[arpad]

BTW you might enjoy this - a real free swinging site !

http://www.polishforums.com/

[Angelina]

Thanks, tom!! We are HUGE fans of Shirin!! Just last week we were there! Albert is such a great host!!!

We winded up going to Tuscan Grill on Rt. 9 in Manalapan because my parents wanted to try it...I know..I know..another Italian!!! It actually was pretty good!

Maybe next week we will try again to get to Krakowiak!

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Krakowiak Restaurant
42 Main St, South River, NJ 08882

Shirin Cafe
345 U.S. 9 South, Manalapan, NJ 07726

[equal_Mark]

Maybe a CH gathering at Krakowiak could be arranged?

[tom246]

Krakowiak would make a great place for a CH gathering. Big enough room that is rarely full, very reasonable menu so people can afford to attend, SR is centrally located, its BYO if your into beer, wine etc and most important, the people who run the restaurant are nice and very friendly.

Count me in if it takes place.

[Passadumkeg]

June or July?

[Angelina]

I just eat here for lunch today and I am so happy we did!!

The place was great! I had the beef stroganoff over noodles and my husband had the beef goulash with potato pancakes. We also ordered cheese blintes.
It was clearly one of the best meals we have both had in a long time. Very home-style cooking.

So cheap, too! The entrees were $ 9.75 each and the blintzes were $ 4.75 for 2. the plates were overloaded so, now we have lunch for tomorrow!

Our waitress was really nice, too!

I will definately go back!

They are closed on Mondays.

[arpad]

Try their Krakowiak platter - a carnivores delight ! Kielbasa , bigos , stuffed cabbage and pirogie !

[Angelina]

I saw that on the mnu and thought it looked so good! What is their version of hunter stew?

[jrd303]

It's stewed cabbage and there are chunks of different kinds of meat spread throughout. If I'm remembering correctly they serve rye bread with it as well. I was thinking it would be a nice thick soup and was surprised when I opened the lid. =)

Has anyone ever tried the steak when it's on the daily special board? I've always been curious

[tom246]

Angelina, glad that you discovered Krakowiak. We have been going for several years and have always had excellent meals, never have been disappointed.
Relaxing, casual atmosphere is as comforting as the food ;)

[Angelina]

Thanks, Tom! This was a great find and I am so glad to go!

[tom246]

Krakowiak is very, very good. Bring a hearty red wine, relax and enjoy some great homemade cooking.
Inexpensive enough to allow you sample an array of items.

Tom

[val ann c]

Applespam, Herm, piney,
Thanks for this discussion. I love slavak cooking. We will definitely try Krakowiak.

Krakowiak Restaurant
42 Main Street
South River, NJ (New Jersey) 08882-1225
Phone: [phone]

[stack_c]

Any other good polish/slavak up in Monmouth or Ocean county? We've been heart broken since the Green Store Polish Deli in Bradley Beach closed and we can't get our fresh kielbasa. When we travel out to Wilkes-Barre, PA to see family we bring a cooler and fill it with homemade pierogies and kielbasa!

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry, but there is a great Polish tavern in PERTH AMBOY. It's in the yellow pages. Can anyone help me w/ the name?
Zhenkooya

[JessKidden]

Off topic, (since they aren't "restaurants") but, "stack c", if you're looking for Polish delis for kielbasa, etc., there are two place near South River (both are on the edge of town, and actually in East Brunswick):

European Home Made Provisions- 301 Old Bridge Turnpike
Continental Home Made Provisions- 190 Main Street
(Continental is, confusingly, in the "Old Bridge" section of E. Brunswick- "Main St." on maps is often listed as County Rt. 615 or by it's name in Sayreville, "Bordentown Ave.").

Both are very close to Rt. 18 (and a lot closer to BB than Wilkes-Barre).

European Provisions has a huge selection of their own cold cuts (ruined me for any "factory" meats- even Boarshead) and many varieties of kielbasa (including one approx. 4" in diameter that they slice like a cold cut) and lots of canned imported foods.

There's also a small shop that's opened in downtown Jamesburg (Railroad Ave. & Hooker St. IIRC) with a small selection of meats, but, unlike the above, I don't think they make it themselves.

[The Chowhound Team]

Thanks for the tips on delis! Just to clarify, we welcome all tips on chow sources here- restaurants, markets, delis, farm stands- it's all on topic if it's great chow!

[Herm]

I'll second European Home Made Provisions. Like the sign in their store says, 'There is no place like us near us, so this must be the place!'. Of course Continental provisions is right near them, but honestly European Provisions is so good, I've never felt the need to seek out Continental. Just as an aside European Provisions also carries Liverwurst made with Goose Liver!

[Passadumkeg]

I've been going to European Provisions as long as I can remember. I bring home the kishka for my Yankee wife. Polana, the resto on Whitehead Ave in SR is very good and reasonable and 50' from where my dad was born! A monument to a great man!?

[albinoni]

And in Linden, there are at least two grocery/deli/takeout places Syrena (in the National Wholesale Liquidator strip mall on St. Georges Ave just south of Styles
Street) and Pulaski, on Wood Avenue near the train station.

[arpad]

And across the street from Pulaski on the side street there's the Bratek deli loaded with good things .
And of course there's Big Stash' place on the other side of Rte 1 !

[smingusdingus]

Polish American Euorpean Resturant on Rt 9 in Barnegat has great stuffed cabbage. Center of a strip mall.

[Tapas52]

White Eagle Polish Deli
65 East County Line Road,
Lakewood, NJ 08701
[phone]

They have all kinds of home made Kilbasa and more...

[piney]

krak's pierogies (non-fried option) are excellent. so is the bigos. i don't know if the beef tripe soup is offered in the summer, but it's a creamy, slippery, spicy must have treat. nice homemade-like desserts like apple cake. some of the waitresses can be a little stoic, so you may not nessesarily be treated like royalty, but you probably won't be treated with any negative passion, either.

[Herm]

I've been to Krakowiak twice, and absolutly love it. I've had Pierogis, Stuffed Cabbage, Kielbasa, and of course the Borsht (sp). The Pierogi's fall into the to die for catagory, as does the Borsht (very light soup in an almost clear pink broth), and Stuffed Cabbage (best I've ever had), and while I enjoyed the Kielbasa the method of preparation was different to what I'm used to. It was split in half and deep fried until crispy - very good, just different. I can't wait to go back myself. I also read your post on NJ but refuse to post there, to much drama on that site!