Check, Please!

Q: I would like to know of any good Polish restaurants around Denver.

A: If you’re willing to take a drive, Villa Tatra in Pinewood Springs (between Lyons and Estes Park on Highway 36, 303-823-6819) is the most authentic Polish restaurant in the state. A Polish architect designed the building, which includes a cute little Polish shop as well as an eatery that specializes in Slavic dishes such as pickle soup, cabbage rolls and stuffed trout. Another worthwhile drive takes you to the Old Prague Inn (7521 Ute Highway in Hygiene, 303-772-6374), which has a deservedly good reputation for upscale Eastern European fare — one of its specialties is Czech-style roast duck — and a very well-priced wine list.

Closer to Denver, the options get further from Poland. A couple of Eastern European places offer dishes with some Polish overlap, including the Little Russian Cafe, which closed its Boulder location but is still open in Denver (1424 Larimer Street, 303-595-8600). And while Budapest Bistro (1585 South Pearl Street, 303-744-2520) is Hungarian in focus, it’s very much Eastern bloc in terms of ingredients, portion size and that Polish ability to fill a belly for three days with one cabbage roll.