A Hideaway Worth Seeking and Finding

The approach of Oktoberfest, along with the fall weather that has woven itself through the hot stretches of this month, invariably bring to mind images of steaming sausages, plates of sauerbraten and potato dumplings and other hearty staples of German cooking.

The Germans do not, however, entirely own the claim on filling, savory, old-fashioned fare, which in many ways is so much more satisfying than many of the new and “nouvelle” dishes presented by contemporary-style restaurants. The Poles also like meat, potatoes and gravy, and, although this county does not abound in Polish restaurants any more than it does in German establishments, there happens to be a very good one, Stella’s Hideaway, quite truthfully hidden away in the farthest corner of a Rancho Penasquitos shopping center.

This column has looked at Stella’s previously, but the season does seem right for another taste of the piquant dill pickle soup--far more delicate than might be supposed, of creamed broth and shredded vegetables accented with sour snippets of pickle--and the ravioli-like pierogi , stuffed variously with meat, or potatoes and cheese, or sauerkraut and mushrooms, but always dressed with melted butter and crumbled bacon.

Most menu listings are followed by the Polish name of the dish, but attempts at pronunciation generally defeat the English tongue; the Polish-born staff that works for chef-proprietor Stella Zenkner will gladly sound out these twisters on request. One of the happier offerings is easily enough pronounced. This is the combination plate, which includes a healthy length of garlicky and moderately spicy homemade kielbasa sausage; a succulent cabbage roll, stuffed with a minced meat filling and nearly drowned in tomato sauce (a Polish favorite that always seems unlikely so far North in Europe); several pierogi ; smooth mashed potatoes and tart but mild sauerkraut.

Simpler dishes include boneless chicken breast or pork loin, both breaded and sauteed; cheese blintzes, finished with a sour cream sauce; steak Warsaw style, a marinated beef filet topped with mushrooms and onions; pan-fried liver with onions, and potato pancakes, flavored with onion and served with sour cream and applesauce. However, this last, unless you are searching out a vegetarian option, is preferable in the role it plays in the beef paprikash , offered as a special from Monday through Thursday (Friday through Saturday, the special is chicken paprikash , served with dumplings and carrots).

The beef paprikash , a rather pleasant stew lightly flavored with the spice that names it, arrives sandwiched between two wide, crisp potato cakes; a scoop of sour cream slowly glides across the top as it melts. This is a fine dish, made even better by the smoothly piquant salad of sauerkraut and shredded carrots that fills out the plate.

The beef Stroganoff, while similar in style to the paprikash , came off less well, perhaps because it seemed more a stew than a saute; the meat in this dish should be tender, but not to the point of shredding. The menu specified noodles as a bed for the Stroganoff, but the actual product seemed a sort of spaetzle , or dumpling, and was quite likable.

Bigos , or hunter’s stew, one of the great classics of Polish cooking, combines sauerkraut with assorted meats and sausage, and rather naturally is sided by a mound of mashed potatoes.

Other entree choices include the flanken , or boiled beef with horseradish sauce, a fine old-fashioned dish of the sort that has become virtually impossible to find; a chicken breast stuffed with Swiss cheese and sorrel; apple-stuffed roast duck, and a rather unlikely named item that, although the menu does not specify, seems aimed at the diet-conscious crowd; this is called “Turkey D’Lite,” and consists of boned meat braised in its own juices.

Portions are large, and so are the meals, which include not only the usual choice of soup or salad (there generally is an alternative to the pickle soup, which definitely should be attempted by doubters), but a homemade dessert as well. The best by far among these is the chocolate rum ball, a rich, racy sweet, followed by the Polish-style fried cookies. Stella’s pies, if homemade, are rather fluffy and disappointing, but they are light, a point in their favor given the size of the meals.

Service is perfunctory but polite and efficient. The decor is sentimental and filled with keepsakes from the Old World, and the sound system obliges with polkas and other traditional tunes.

Stella’s Hideaway

14323 Penasquitos Drive, Rancho Penasquitos

Calls: 672-3604

Hours: Dinner nightly

Cost: Entrees $9.25 to $15.95; dinner for two with an imported Polish beer each, tax and tip, about $30 to $45.