Bobak's Sausage Company - IL

[maggiethecat]

I'm a fan of Bobak's bacon, so I trekked down to their new Naperville store after reading a full-page ad in this week's Sun-Times food section. What a weird and encouraging trip: Bobak's occupies a defunct Jewel or Dominick's on 75th Street, right next to the Driver's Licence facility that flunked me twice before I got a state driving inspector who was drunk at 9:00 am.

They sell real food, 60 per cent of which is Polish. Sausage and pork. Great deli. Strange Polish vodkas that come in bottles blown to resemble semi-automatic assault weapons. Piles of kohlrabi and parsnips in the produce section, and an amazing assortment of sauerkrauet, mushrooms and cherries, both fresh and pickled. They make their own sausage and deli meats -- if I wanted to, I could buy honeycom tripe or veal "oxtails." Everything is, of course, immaculate and neat. The place was packed, both with Polish speakers and Naperville soccer moms buying Choice beef. The prices were better than fair.

It was fun. They also have a large buffet restaurant of the all you can eat for ten bucks variety. It was very, very busy. Heck, I'd happily pay ten bucks for all-I could-eat-pierogi.

[ronnie_suburban]

Very cool, Maggie!

I've been to their Archer Avenue location (I believe it's the original) and I see their products, cryovac'd, in 'fringe' markets all over town.

How long has this new location been there?

=R=

[bigbear]

..... and I see their products, cryovac'd, in 'fringe' markets all over town.

.....

The IGA supermarket in Copiague, Long Island, NY, carries some of their products.

[artisanbaker]

also in burr ridge (?!?)

i like this place

[ronnie_suburban]

I had lunch today at the Bobak's on Archer and it was a meat-fest beyond compare. I'd forgotten just how much I love Bobak's. Not only is their cafeteria filled with seriously delicious treats, but their massive grocery store is a food shopper's delight.

Here are just a few of the better items I sampled today:

Beef pierogi

Polish-style Hambuger in brown gravy with onions

Pork Rib Roast on the bone

Smoked Pork Butt

Lamb Roast

Fresh Polish Sausage

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Breaded Pork Loin

Apple Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

There was just an obscene amount and variety of food. I could go on and on. I ended up not finishing very much, just so I could try as many items as possible. When I left, I could barely stand. Price per person was about $8.00. If you're in the neighborhood (and even if you're not), I highly recommend Bobak's.

Bobak's Sausage Company

5275 S. Archer Avenue

Chicago, IL

(773) 735-5334

=R=

[khm99]

My husband is a big fan of their Blood Sausage with Barley on the Burr Ridge buffet. Do they have that on Archer? They seem to have it consistently at Burr Ridge.

I too love Bobak's when I find myself needing an infusion of pork products, which seems to be about three or four times a year for me.

I think their only weakness is their desserts, they always look good, but end up being either unpalatably dry or a combination that is strangely offputting (red jello layered with chocolate mousse and banana cake for instance). But who really needs dessert after all those entrees? Anyway, the Burr Ridge store has a really wonderful Danish bakery two doors down (Kirsten's Danish Bakery). Best pecan danish I've ever tasted. Mmm.

[ronnie_suburban]

My husband is a big fan of their Blood Sausage with Barley on the Burr Ridge buffet.  Do they have that on Archer?  They seem to have it consistently at Burr Ridge.

I too love Bobak's when I find myself needing an infusion of pork products, which seems to be about three or four times a year for me.

I think their only weakness is their desserts, they always look good, but end up being either unpalatably dry or a combination that is strangely offputting (red jello layered with chocolate mousse and banana cake for instance).  But who really needs dessert after all those entrees?  Anyway, the Burr Ridge store has a really wonderful Danish bakery two doors down (Kirsten's Danish Bakery).  Best pecan danish I've ever tasted.  Mmm.

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Yes, the blood sausage with barley was available and it was excellent. I simply forgot to mention it above (along with several other items, I'm sure). I also agree about the desserts. I probably could have found a few desserts that were to my liking but I almost always prefer savory to sweet so I didn't even bother.

I was bummed that I really wasn't able to do any shopping (came home without anything for dinner, in spite of a promise to my wife) because I was in a work situation and with other people. I would have felt bad asking them to wait around while I shopped. I considered doing so momentarily and then thought better of it.

Today's lunch, regardless of its source, will pale by comparison.

=R=

[maggiethecat]

8 dollars!!!!!!????? Good grief, that almost amounts to eating for free, given the quantity and quality. I got full just reading your post.

We were at the Naperville location last Saturday for meat shopping ---man, those 1.69 a pound pork chops and 1.99 rotisserie chix! And you know, the produce section is better than good; all the veg were bright, fresh and decently priced. And I never know when I might get a craving for kohlrabi.

[Anko]

Look's like a review of the Burr Ridge location is on this week on Check, Please!

[ronnie_suburban]

Look's like a review of the Burr Ridge location is on this week on Check, Please!

←

Thanks for the heads up, Anko.

It's been a while since I updated the Check, Please thread.

=R=

[maggiethecat]

Well, there wasn't Eagles or Simon and Garfunkel on the Muzak at Bobaks today. There was a high mass in Polish.

OK, twenty three bucks, including a can of tomatoes and some yellow peppers. The protien:

4 lb. fryer

1 lb Bobak's bacon

1 lb Mortadella

2 lbs ground veal

2 lbs grounf chuck

2 lbs amazingly gorgeous sirloin pork chops

2 Lbs Italian sausage

2 lbs andouille

Do the math.

For the guys: the women working the impeccable meat cases are knockout Polish supermodel 18 year-old blondes-- who were weeping and saying the mass. I love Chicago.

[wesza]

In "Seattle" we are fortunate that many Russian and Ukrainian Delis carry many of "Bobak" Products. My favorite Bacon for almost every type of Bacon related dish is Bobaks Double Smoked [completely cooked] Hunters Bacon. I buy it by the Slab and cut it to order. This Bacon makes the best BLT Sandwiches when cooked after slicing in the Oven at 325 degrees. The Double Smoked Flavor also goes well with Lentils, Beans or Mushrooms when diced and sautéed for Soups. Several years ago I toured their Smokehouse and Curing Rooms and was very impressed.

They also make a Small Very Lean Cut of Double Smoked Pork Butt that I prefer using in place of Smoked or Boiled Ham for Sandwiches or even with Eggs. It's naturally juicy, fully cooked sweet smoked flavor without any added water.

I really don't mind paying double or more then retail prices in Chicago for availability in Seattle. When I visit Chicago I sometimes send my Baggage Home by UPS and bring home 60 plus pounds of Bobaks goodies as my Baggage on the plane to Seattle saving me almost the price of my tickets. It's packed very nicely by Bobak and discounted 10% from Chicago retail prices.

Even there retail ad that used to be part of their internet site with it's reasonable, even low prices compared to anywhere on the West Coast has made me covet my visits to the Windy City.

Irwin