Popular Polish Restaurant is closing; CURSES!

[jackie5275]

Never understood why people think that the Polish Village is better than Polonia. IMHO Polinia is definitely better.

I always like Holbrook Cafe the best. Although they closed about 3 yrs ago & has been transformed into an Arabic market. I usually don't have time to eat a meal out at lunch, so if I get in the mood for Polish food, I'll go to the hot food bar at Bozek's Market. They usually carry the standard Polish fare for $4.99/lb.

[Eastburn]

Alot of the original recipes in the restaurant came from my Aunts first husband Daniel who died i beleive somewhere in the early to mid 90s, although they were divorced [[because Daniel was gay) they remained close friends till the end. Before Under the Eagle Daniel owned a moderately upscale polish restaurant right near Indian Village, which i dont kno too many details about. After handing the Under the Eagle to Teresa, shortly before his unexpected death he planned on building a new upscale Polish restaurant on property he owned in downtown royal oak at the time. Unfortunately due to politics, no one inherited this plot of land nor did anyone pull through with his restaurant idea, and thats when fine Polish dining in the Detroit area died for good. Till this date Polish food remains more humble and never reached the same level of sophistication as Italian or even Middle Eastern cuisine. Not that theres anything wrong with being humble, but as a Pole i wouldnt mind seeing moderately upscale Polish restaurants and Polish-fusion restaurants like the ones u'd find in downtown Warsaw or Krakow.

Wasn't the Indian Village place also called "Under the Eagle"? Ate there once and enjoyed it a great deal. Had some kind of roast stuffed with dill pickles.

[mtm49269]

Detronic,

I was around/family when Danny/Daniel was new with the Eagle. He was notorious for going to Poland to bring back imports including wait staff, for whom he often tried to find American spouses so they could get citizenship. When he imported your Ciocia Terenia to be his wife, about 1973, he, personally, embroidered her traditional wedding dress [[guess that was a hint for his orientation). They had 20[[!!) couples standing up to the wedding, all in traditional garb, who were transported to church in old country horse-drawn hay carts.

Danny/Daniel later DID open a second restaurant in Indian Village which, I believe, was called the Royal Eagle. It didn't last very long but he later opened an up-scale NON-Polish restaurant in Southfield called Daniel's. After that, the last I knew before his death, he was still an importer and a florist.

[Detronic]

thank you mtm for this info daniel has been kept a sort of enigma in my family so he is refered to only as a sort of legend, but if it wasn't for his "importing of Polish women" i would've never been born lmao

[Detronic]

although i must admit im not too keen on using the word "import", i understand for a lack of a better word its the only way to phrase it but something about it makes it sounds negative when it was really more of a positive thing bringing a better life to women who had very little oppurtunity in a communist country

[mtm49269]

although i must admit im not too keen on using the word "import", i understand for a lack of a better word its the only way to phrase it but something about it makes it sounds negative when it was really more of a positive thing bringing a better life to women who had very little oppurtunity in a communist country

Detronic,

Glad I could help with some background info. I was only 13 at the time but it was a sight that iIwill never forget. Two large horse cards stacked with hay, topped with many young revelers in traditional attire as they headed to church through the regular streets of Detroit.

Actually, Danny was mostly importing artwork for the restaurant to resell. There were just some young women and young men who came over to work in the restaurant as a chance to get started in the states. I think many of them lived above the restaurant. But I DO remember hearing something about a party for the young people where alcohol flowed freely and one guy woke up the next morning engaged [[with a contract).

[Detronic]

hah thats awsome wish i was alive i have vague memories of the parties that went on upstairs but i mustve been 5 to 7 yrs old at the most

[szla]

I absolutely loved the restaurant in Indian Village "the Royal Eagle". It was like being in Warsaw in 1936 though wasn't there then. It was in a grand ballroom. The first time I went was in the late 70s as I wasn't married to my wife yet. I think they were open a few years before then. They had real wall sconces with live candles burning when they first opened. We thought it was too cool but thought it was insane as it was in a 20 story apartment hotel. The next time we went the sconces were electrified. My family used to go there every Christmas. They has strolling violin players playing carols. I used to love the veal Lwow. It was kind of a cutlet lightly sauted with a creamy caper sauce. The szczaw [[sorrel soup) was excellent. I think they also had it at Under the Eagle. They had another thing which I loved which was a filet mignon in a pancake with a sauce. Hungarian pancake? The tortes were to die for. It was a casualty of the fireworks debacle which stopped a lot of people going downtown and a lot of restarants to close. Try Sabina's in Melvindale [[Oakwood and Allan Road). It's like my grandmother used to cook.

[Danny]

The Polish owner got tired of cooking. Since the owner has NO one to pass on its family secret cooking, it have to close. That's what happen to most mom and pop businesses. Adieu, UNDER THE EAGLE! Thanks for 37 years of service.

[DetroitPlanner]

Never made it to the Royal Eagle or Under the Eagle but I did make it to Amadeus in AA. Not too impressed by the place. It wasn't bad though but seemed odd and out of place. I prefer the diner style places like 3 Brother's Steve's or Sabina's. I also like Polonia and Zosia's Polish Village Cafe.

[terryh]

The Polish combination plate had a hearty down home appeal and was filling.I had a nice conversation with the owner of Showtime who happened to be dining in the place, but other than that I found the atmosphere stuffy, uptight and impersonal.

[Detroitej72]

I hate to see another Polish landmark close down, it diminishes the visibility of Poles in Hamtown. At least my daughter and I have many fond memories of dinning there Sunday afternoon after we came home from mass at Sweetest Heart of Mary.