Anna's Polish Restaurant

Here goes my first blog… As we were sitting in this restaurant, the idea for the blog popped into my head.  

            My husband and I decided to try a restaurant that we have passed a million times, but never stopped at.   Located on Aloma Avenue near Forsyth Road in Orlando, is a quaint little place called “Anna’s Polish Restaurant.”  You can see it in the shopping center from the road if you are paying attention, but it is set back slightly, that you may never know it was there unless someone pointed it out.  This establishment re-creates old world eastern European cuisine that is hearty and satisfying.  When we walked in we noticed that it was a tiny place, and there were only about 10-15 tables, but it didn’t feel cramped in the slightest.  We were quickly greeted and seated by a friendly waitress who promptly took our drink orders.  Looking through the menu, there is a large selection of traditional dishes…stuffed cabbage, peirogis, schnitzel, and goulash, just to name a few.  There is also a nice selection of Polish beers and a small wine selection.  We decided to start with the Polish Trio Dish appetizer, which included two peirogi, two potato pancakes, and a polish sausage.  Additionally, there was homemade applesauce and sour cream for topping the potato pancakes brought out.  The perogi’s were boiled and topped with caramelized onion.  I had never had this before and LOVED it.  I was surprised about how the potato pancakes looked.  I guess I’m used to “Toojays” where they are thick, shredded, and deep-fried.  Anna’s were more like mashed potatoes that were formed into circles and pan fried, and they were delectable.  The last part of the appetizer was a Polish sausage that had a crispy skin on the outside and was tender on the inside.  I usually do not like sausage, but I was surprised at how flavorful this was!  Now, onto the main course!  My husband ordered Pork Schnitzel with roasted red potatoes.  It was a large piece of pork cutlet, breaded and pan fried with a slightly crispy crust.  The potatoes were diced, seasoned well, and cooked with little pieces of crumbled bacon.  I couldn’t help but steal a taste and then almost stole the entire plate!  I ordered the Beef Goulash which included homemade finger dumplings with a side of mashed potatoes.  It was very tender, slightly salty, and VERY filling.  The potatoes were mashed with butter and little rich for me, but my husband really enjoyed them.  My favorite part of the dish was the dumplings!  We were so full from the appetizer that we only enjoyed a few bites before asking for to-go boxes.  The waitress was very attentive with drinks and bread throughout the meal and offered dessert.  Unfortunately, at that point I felt as though I would have to be rolled out the door from the heavy food, so I will try the traditional desserts including Apple Strudel next time! 

            My overall experience:

            -Cuisine Type: Polish

            -Food: Very heavy and filling, but wonderfully traditional and flavorful comfort food!

            -Ambiance: Small interior, Old school European music and style, booths and tables inside, a few tables outside. 

            -Staff: Attentive and friendly

            -Guests:  Great for families and for a nice date night

            -Price: Appetizers $3-$11, Entrees $9-$16, Lunches $8.59, Desserts $4-$8, Kids Menu $5.79

            -Returning:  Definitely! 

“Anna’s Polish Restaurant” located at 3586 Aloma Ave. Suite 7, Winter Park, FL 32792; (407) 657-0020

Hours: Tues-Thurs 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sunday 12pm-8pm, Monday Closed

Unfortunately, the idea to take a picture of my food didn’t pop into my head until after we left…Pictures of leftovers are below!