Where the locals eat.
After the Bears fourth straight loss in embarrassing fashion to the Vikings this past Sunday I would rather not talk Bears football anytime soon. Bill Swerski and the boys were fuming after yesterdays defeat at the hands of Brett Favre and the really good (I told you so) Vikings. I got a chance to catch up with them after the game over at Sawa's Old Warsaw Polish Style Smorgasbord at 9200 Cermak over in Broadview, Illinois. It was something that had to be done as my appetite for NFL football was worsened yet again. I needed the comfort of beer, Bill and the boys telling me Ditka might come back as da next coach and maybe some pierogis and potato pancakes from a smorgasbord of food.
a Chicagoland favorite
If my appetite for food wanted to return after the bottle of Jameson it took to make that hot mess somewhat entertaining to watch there's plenty of it at Sawa's. I chased the shots during the game with bottles of High Life so I could be reminded that while life in Bears camp isn't so high right now, it can be again sometime soon like it was in '85. At least that's what I thought about 3/4 of the way into the bottle and a "we can still play Bears football and be a proud tough franchise" speech that I got from Swerski. As I sobered up it became more and more clear that we have a couple of linebackers one of whom is going to be returning from a season ending injury, a Kicker and a quarterback and that's it. Much work is needed to be done and we have no draft picks which aren't of much use for a team that has as many busts as the Bears do this decade. But hey, at least we got a quarterback...right? Don't be jumping ship now and begging for a spot on board when Jay gets to put this season behind him. I'm looking at it as a bad season for number six and nothing more. Not much was said at the roundtable discussion with most of the superfans too busy eating and trying to drink enough beers to forget whats happening.
The table where the superfan meeting took place oversees the buffet
Swerski insisted we drink Zywiec so something was good about the day
Founder Walter Sawa was a pork butcher in Poland until 1939. The decorated war veteran opened Sawa’s Old Warsaw in Broadview in 1973. Over 30 years later, the restaurant is as popular as ever serving up great tasting Polish - American cuisine. It took about six-seven beers, 22 pierogis and 12 potato pancakes to make me forget about the mess that is Bears football but forget I did. Sawa's menu is the buffet which will run you anywhere from $10-$16 dollars for adults depending on what day it is. The food is really fresh because that's what the people are eating. IF you dine in then you are getting the Polish smorgasbord. They also have a carryout menu with just about everything available from the buffet table cooked fresh to order. Most of the items are available by the piece like the pierogis, blintzes, stuffed cabbage, potato dumplings, fried chicken and all their pastry's. On my visit I really liked the meat pierogis and thought the fresh made potato pancakes were the best I've had in a while.
Really Great Potato Pancakes. Click HERE for Sawa's history.
I hope to return one day and engage in full combat warfare with the buffet table. Maybe after a Bears Super Bowl sometime in the near future? While that might not be realistic, me putting down a bakers dozen of them pancakes as an appetizer is. I would however like to point out that my preseason prediction of a Chargers-Saints Super Bowl is very realistic. I also told you that all the Vikings were missing was a QB and a big play receiver who's also a threat on special teams and that they were getting both. What I didn't know was they would get two big play wideouts. Oh and I also said that Aaron Rodgers is going to be really good, as is Jay Cutler, which he still will be. Got it? Good. Oh and so are those potato pancakes. Really good that is.
Sawa's Old Warsaw Restaurant
9200 W Cermak Rd
Broadview, IL 60155
(708) 343-9040
Website
