The Two Pole Stars, Episode Two: Polka Restaurant

If Warszawa is run by your elegant auntie who has a fondness for high culture, then Polka is run by an eccentric uncle who has an obsessive relationship with flea markets. Step across the threshold here and be instantly bombarded with a mind boggling array of kitsch (a polite word for "junk"). So thick is the experience, its hard to believe you are still in Los Angeles. Part of you will wonder if you've been transported to some alternate dimension, populated by a race of super-beings who are fond of sausages and lace-covered table lamps. Nonetheless, Polka, each time I've visited, is packed to the gills with customers.

For a long time, Polka was a prized bastion of the discerning LA Cheap Eater, attracted to their bountiful menu which automatically included a cup of tasty soup, a cabbage salad and a dessert. I'm going to take an undoubtedly controversial stance and assert that Polka can no longer hold this status. A glance at their pricing and the high end of the menu tops out at nearly $20! This is not "cheap," folks. Especially so, considering the side veggies are commonplace frozen items, frankly, a bit overdone, and available at the neighborhood Vons. The soup, though tasty, is pretty simple. I'd like to suggest that Polka no longer holds the value proposition it once did.



As a starter, we chose a plate of pierogies. They arrived covered with sauteed onions and, were for the most part, pretty tasty. They lacked the light elegance of Warszawa's version, but certain took up a fair amount of stomach-share.




There are three categories of dinner--$15.95, $17.95 and $19.95--each price point features a different set of possible selections. As usual, I chose the stuffed cabbage ($17.95). Make no mistake about it, the food here is tasty and filling. My cabbage rolls were no exception. A combination of pork and chicken meat, covered with a tomato based gravy accompanied by mashed potatoes, corn and carrots. The portions were large enough to warrant a doggy bag.



There IS still a bargain to be had in the side item section of the menu, where three huge sausages can be had for a mere $3.95. These were juicy, tender and very tasty. Into the doggy bag they went too.

Were I to choose between the two places, East side or West...given the fact that their pricing is nearly identical, I'd have to choose West. In terms of sophistication, execution and general elegance Warszawa wins hands down.



Polka Restaurant
4112 Verdugo Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323) 255-7887
(323) 255-1000