Owner Wojciech Rum has been wanting to bring Polish cuisine to the area for some time.
STAMFORD, Vt. — Longtime resident Wojciech Rum had enough of traveling great distances to get the quality cuisine of his homeland, so he brought a little slice of Poland to Stamford.
"I have been living here for some time and there are not many Polish food establishments here…I felt that we could open something here," Rum said. "It’s almost a personal thing. If you cannot get the food in the store than just bring in the store."
So Rum utilized some space in his property on 180 Main Road in which he runs his other business, Four Seasons Images Inc. The result is the 180 Polish Roadside Grill. (A detailed website and Facebook page with information are planned soon.)
"We thought why not open here we have room and I think it is a nice property that we have here," he said. "We basically at the spur of the moment just went for it."
Rum said he only opened two weeks ago and is still testing the waters. He referred to the current menu as "Polish 101" and folks can expect cornerstone Polish dishes like kapusta, golumpki and pierogi.
He plans to add different traditional Polish dishes as specials and if they become favorites, they may get a permanent place on the menu.
Much of the food is made in-house but what is brought in is only of the highest quality, he said.
"We did some research and got good contacts for good quality smoked meats from Chicago," Rum said. "In Chicago and near Wisconsin you have Polish farms that raise cattle and pork and then it is processed through Polish channels down to the store … they do it the old-fashioned way."
He hopes to change some peoples’ misconceptions about Polish food.
"People think of Polish food as basically heavy and lardy, which can be true, but there is a huge portion of Polish cuisine that is not only vegetarian but vegan," he said. "Like our sauerkraut mushroom pierogi. ...
"I travel a lot around the world and what I found out is that the simplest food is usually the best because it relies on ingenuity."
There is currently only outdoor seating with shaded areas if people want to sit and eat. The eatery does plan to be open year-round and Rum would like to have an indoor lounge area during the winter months.
Rum noted that there is a large Polish community in North County and although he is over the state line he believes they will make the trip.
"We are a little bit out of the way but if you build it they will come," he said. "Our slogan is: do a 180, get back to flavor."
Rum also hopes those who never had Polish cuisine will give it a shot.
"There are 15 or 16 pizza places in a five-mile radius from the center of North Adams (Mass.) and there are a few Mexican and oriental restaurants and I think people long for something different," he said. "This it is good, it is wholesome, it is down to earth, and flavorful.
"That is the reason why they should try it and they must."
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Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.
More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.
Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.
One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly.
"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."
Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.
Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.
One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly.
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