Pickle soup. Roll de Volaille. Chicken Polonez. If you’re unfamiliar with these traditional Polish dishes, chances are you’ve never eaten at Andrzej Grill, a tiny establishment on Western Ave owned by husband and wife couple, Andrzej and Anna. He cooks, and she serves. The space is five tables large, and, with a view of the kitchen, you can literally watch as Andrzej prepares the food that you're about to eat.

Polish music echoes softly, and when it stops, it’s up to you to get it going again. Put a coin in the jukebox and pick from a selection of dozens of Polish musicians. Andrzej cooks from old family recipes. His specialty is the affordable and plentiful stuffed potato pancake. Also noteworthy are the breaded pork cutlets, and the pierogis, blintz-like dumplings filled with your choice of meat, blueberry, sweet cheese or sauerkraut. While regulars favor the veal goulash, the daily special depends both on Andrezj and the customers' preferences. You can depend on four kinds of soups as staples on the menu: Ukranian borscht, vegetable, bean and, of course, pickle, each a modest $1.75 for a piping hot bowl. Meals cost easily under ten bucks.

Centerstage Reviewer: Emily Fiffer