Photo by Richard Maack Waldemar Okula

BACK OF THE HOUSE

Polish immigrants Waldemar and Margaret Okula met in the early 1990s in New York City, where Waldemar worked in an Italian restaurant; as a butcher, sausage maker and manager at a deli; and in catering. But after September 11, 2001, they traded the Big Apple for Arizona and, in 2003, opened A Touch of European Café in downtown Glendale. The cozy BYOB in the quaint, tree-lined Caitlin Court historic district seats about 18 people inside and 22 outside. It’s a favorite of many folks of Eastern European descent – Poles, Germans, Lithuanians, Romanians and Russians – who like hearty home-cooked fare like pierogis, stuffed cabbage and hunter’s stew.

Margaret is the bubbly, smiling presence in the front of the house, attending to guests as if they were family, and their daughter, Victoria, 13, is often on hand to chat with regulars as well. Waldemar, meanwhile, cooks Polish and other Eastern European specialties and is renowned for his aromatic soups. He offers cooking classes monthly, usually on the last Tuesday.

How did you learn to cook?
My father. Whatever he put in the pot came out excellent. I was always watching him and he wasn’t afraid to put me in charge.

Why is the restaurant called A Touch of European Café when most of the food is Polish?
I try to adopt different kinds of (ethnic food) in my kitchen. I try to cook lamb and other types of meats you don’t see in Poland – even beef. The specials include different types of food. Today’s going to be chicken paprikash, for instance, which is a Hungarian dish. I like to exercise my ability in the kitchen so I don’t get bored.

How do you maintain an authentic Polish taste?
Definitely everything has to be from scratch, so you have to get the best ingredients. I make fresh kielbasa with no preservatives. For cabbage rolls, I grind the meat. I never buy ground meat, because I worked at a deli and I saw people sometimes took leftovers and ground them up. I get good, fresh produce. I hand-select cuts of meat and even produce.

Making pierogis is incredibly time- and labor-intensive. Do you make them yourself?
We have helpers. We can’t do everything…. It’s a husband and wife. We tell them what type of pierogis we want, what type of filling, and they deliver the standard.

And you import sauerkraut from Poland, right?
Yes. I used to make my own sauerkraut with my father back in Poland. It stinks up your whole house.

Which wines pair well with Polish food?
Pinot noir, merlot, cabernet – any type of red.

You went to Poland for three-and-a-half weeks this summer. How was the food?
I looked for good bread and I couldn’t find it. There are big commercial bakers (now). The bread’s OK, but not “wow.” Pierogis, they were nothing special. I was looking for new recipes. Pretty much, I wasn’t impressed.

Waldemar Okula
Co-owner, A Touch of European Café
7146 N. 57th Drive, Glendale
623-847-7119