A new restaurant in Algonquin, Illinois, has caught the attention of myself and several other restaurant seeking friends. Crystal Duck has good, solid, and nostalgically tasty Polish fare, also sharing some of the other eastern European dishes so many of us find reminiscent of "grandma's" cooking. I, for one, have a little Polish blood (yes, from my Grandmother), and speak none of the language, which makes ordering from the half polish, half English menu quite fun and adventurous. The food is moderately priced between $10 and $20 for entrées (check with the restaurant, I don't remember exactly), and is excellently prepared.
My endearment for this place lies with the wonderful and personal staff. The owner seems to always be there, if behind the scenes, and the servers come from Poland and share a lot of excitement in sharing their heritage and flavors. On one visit, some of the chef's kids even came by for a chat - it was very refreshing when two young boys came by to share their favorite meals.
When in Algonquin, there are several good and even trendy restaurants to choose from, but this gem outdoes them all if you simply want good food and a place to talk with friends.
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