So, he's kicking off a new, monthly series hoping to shed some light on a few cuisines you might not understand fully.
As some of you may know by now, Dolinsky eats out once-in-a-while! However, he grew up in the United States, and as much as he has learned eating food from all over the world, he stills turn to people who actually grew up in other countries as occasional sources of information.
The new monthly series, My Country, My Cuisine, does just that.
We begin with a country that is close to Dolinsky's heart: Poland.
Polish food is always hearty, but at Ferajna restaurant on the city's far Northwest Side, it also triggers memories for Dolinsky's friend, Karolina Brzozowska.
"It reminded me of my home town, with my grandma [who] used to take care of it - the kitchen. The smell, the feeling, the taste, which is really reminding me [of] my hometown," Brzozowska said. "We're here to taste a few of my favorites."
In a land of pierogi and cabbage, the roasted duck was a surprise.
"We do eat a lot of meat. We roast it, meat, duck, the casseroles, the soups we love," she said.
Especially the beet-filled borscht, which arrives with something unfamiliar.
I told her, "I've seen the borscht before, but what is this next to it,? Looks like an eggroll to me, I've never seen that before." Brzozowska replied, "It's absolutely not an eggroll. It's a croquette, and it's actually filled with meat, but you can absolutely eat it with sauerkraut and mushrooms."
White sausage is thick and meaty, covered with caramelized onions for a deeper flavor.
"It's very popular, especially during Easter time. This is a famous dish you can eat and we all eat," Brzozowska said.
Chicken livers are also topped with onions, served with a choice salads, such as shredded carrots, dill-flecked mashed potatoes or sliced cucumbers swimming in sour cream. Another favorite: thinly-pounded veal schnitzel.
"It's a little bit greasy. It keeps you warm, but we still enjoy it, especially when you have a glass of beer so you can taste it," said Brzozowska.
I told Karolina, "Now my only experience in Poland with drinking is not with wine but typically with beer, So, I've got a 'zywiec' here, and what do you have?
"Okocim, and what do you say?" I said.
"Na zdrowie!" she said.
"Dziekuje," which means "thank you."
"Prosze," which means "you're welcome."
After dinner, a little dessert. Karolina gets the lowdown.
The verdict? A sweet plate of cheese blintzes.
"What are these called in polish?" Dolinsky asks.
"Nalesniki," she said.
By the way, Ferajna's menu is written in both Polish and English. Its walls are lined with photos of famous Polish celebrities and athletes who've dined there, so you know it's legitimate.
Ferajna
6714 W. Belmont Ave.
773-427-0727
www.ferajna.com
