Oliver H.
Yelp
What an exceptional find! A real gem of a place hidden away.
I was on a road trip with my best friend (both of his parents are the children of Polish immigrants) and he suggested this place based on some research while driving East along route 80.
Do not be fooled by the exterior of this restaurant and market, it is a diamond in the rough. I live more than 500 miles away, and am already trying to find a long weekend to drive back just to eat here.
The food is excellent! We were there for a late lunch, and there was only one other table with people at it. We got to speak to the chef and co-owner (Oleg Makhayev); he is a wonderful, warm and kind human being. He is the kind of business owner that you want to support.
We both ordered the three pierogi lunch. After talking with Oleg, we switched from the potato/cheese pierogi to the pork and onion. We both added kielbasa. I also added sauerkraut and my friend added a potato pancake.
We grabbed a table and waited for our food.
Then Oleg brought out our plates, but there were three of them and only two of us. Oleg told us he added a potato and cheese pierogi for us to try on the house. How awesome is that??!?
His food was fantastic. The pork and onion pierogi were the best I have ever had. The flavor was off the charts. The wrapper was perfectly cooked. I am veteran food professional, and I have never had pierogi this good. The Bavarian style sauerkraut was a new experience for me, and I am glad that I got to have it. The slight sweetness with the caraway seeds was fantastic.
After eating we talked with the Oleg some more; he was so clearly deeply passionate about the food that he made, and so appreciative of how much we loved the experience.
My only regret, as I sit here writing this review, is that my friend and I did not immediately go and find local a source for dry ice and coolers and fill them up with frozen pierogi to take back East with us. We will probably call Oleg in the near future to see if we can get him to ship pierogi to us.
As a former chef, this is the kind of truly authentic food experience that I crave. Oleg clearly took real pride in his craft and is an exceptional person and host. In a world where so much has been lost for the sake of convenience and speed, it was so amazing to get to share a meal that is made from the heart and the soul. This is the kind of food that tells a story and takes you to the nation of origin.
Again, I live more than 500 miles (eight hours in a car) away and I cannot wait to find an excuse to come back. If you live closer than I do, what are you waiting for??!??
Support the kind of local food that deserves to thrive and grow in America. Let's put an end to the generic, soulless food that is ruining our nation.
Go to Parma Heights. Meet Oleg. Bring a cooler and lots of dry ice. You will not be sorry.