Chris's Restaurant

POLAND 🇵🇱

Besides the odd place or two, Polish restaurants in Brooklyn are quite rare when you go south of Greenpoint. Attracting stray Polish people down in this area though is an interesting outpost on 86th Street in Bensonhurst. Chris is actually Krzysztof, and runs this place that has been offering hearty meals and Zywiec on draft for the better part of a decade.

Some of these "strays" were sitting at the bar when we arrived for dinner, and were still there when we left, full of big laughs. The bar has a nice TV for weekend European football, and the white eagle coat of arms of the country. Wood and brick and some faux-stucco make the decor like a comfortable country home, a nice place to eat a warming meal in winter.

In that spirit, we ordered a cup of white borscht ($3.50, below) to begin the warming of our bones. This traditional Easter soup is generally eaten around the holiday, but can be found year round. Each ingredient signifies something from the basket that might be taken to church on Easter Sunday to be blessed. The "broth" is sharp and sour, with buttermilk, vinegar, and sugar mixed in with sour cream.

Whether white or red, any borscht will of course include Polish kielbasy, an ingredient that is also on the appetizer Polish platter ($14, below), which gives you the chance to sample a lot of the classics. In addition to the sausage, three pierogi topped with caramelized onions, a nice portion of sauerkraut, and a stuffed cabbage also populate the plate. It is all executed very well.

In the mood for seafood, an order of the filet of bass ($16, below) was also decided on to finish off the meal. These grilled filets are served on top of sauteed onions, mushrooms, and zucchini, and comes with a choice of side.

Barely visible in the background are the two available sauces, mushroom and dill. The darker mushroom was a favorite, and could be slathered over the fish or any other dish on the table.

 With half liters of draft or bottled Polish beer only running $6, this is the type of place that is really comfortable to come and spend some time in for food and drinks without breaking the bank.

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BENSONHURST Brooklyn

1866 86th Street