Quest

Hot Potatoes

In search of the city's best pierogies By Jenny Koniuk

A peasant staple through much of eastern Europe, pierogies first appeared in Canada on the tables of Ukrainian immigrants settling the prairies in the 1890s. Called “varenyky” or “pyrohy” in Ukrainian, the Polish “pierogi” has long been the name used here. The dumplings are traditionally stuffed with sauerkraut, beef, cabbage or mushrooms (and even sugared cherries), though mashed potatoes and cheese (either cheddar or dry pressed cottage, called farmer’s cheese) have become Canadian favourites. Here are four of the best.

The Place	The Package	The Presentation	The Judgment
Amber European 2372 Bloor St. W., 416-763-6164, five for $6.50	Beautifully thin, tender dough folded around quality ingredients: earthy potatoes and flavourful farmer's cheese	Almost too pretty to eat: flecked with fresh dill, sweet fried onions and bacon bits, and elegantly sided with a wee dollop of sour cream	Even prairie-born, pierogi-fed dumpling snobs can't deny it: these are the real deal
Granowska's 175 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-533-7755, six for $5.25.	Dumplings are wider and thinner than the average, with thickish, tender dough enveloping flavourful potato and cheese	Everything does go better with butter. Pierogies are topped with butter-soaked toasted bread crumbs and a smidge of dried parsley and sided with sour cream	The most stick-to-your-ribskis of the bunch, though butter-phobes should steer clear
Chopin Restaurant 165 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-536-6228, 10 for $7.95	Ultra-soft, pillowy dumplings, clearly made by hand. Potato and cheddar filling has a satisfying tang	Fried onion topping is a little too sparse	Cumulus-light, but somehow doughy, as well
European Delight St. Lawrence Market, lower level 416-365-9010, $4 per dozen	Probably the closest to a homemade dough. Soft, smooth filling with the nip of cheddar	Beautifully browned fried onions and a dollop of sour cream	Ignore the ugly styrofoam container; pierogies don't get much better than this