Ottawa Foodies

Last autumn, my daughter and I discovered that we could walk to Lakomka and Beryozka, and this became a favourite, relaxing weekend activity for us. One Sunday as the weather began to turn colder, the friendly lady in Lakomka told us that her mother and father were planning to open up a Perohy take out next door. I was very happy to hear about the Ukrainian community making its presence more known in our town. Throughout the long, harsh winter we were unable to make the walk, and when the sidewalks were finally cleared and we had a milder day, we returned to see that the windows were still papered up. We were assured that Perohy was coming soon, and wondered what it looked like inside.

At last came spring, and we made our weekend walks to Perohy. It was a fun treat for my daughter to go ‘out’ to Perohy for supper, as we have never gone out to restaurants often. As we spoke with the family there and got to know them a bit, I began to think at home about the acquaintance and the nature of their business. In particular I was impressed with the Mama of this establishment, with thoughts to the husband/father and their daughters as well. I realised that this is not at all like any restaurant. I promised the family that I would post my comments on their Perohy take out.

What is special about Perohy is that its foundation is love. It is a business that feeds their family; but it is created out of love and with a mandate to share that love. This mother works to feed the community as she works at home for her family. She puts the love of her hands into the perohy or pirojki or holubtsi that you buy, as she has done for many years at home and has passed this on to her family. Go to the restaurant at College Square and see if you find love in a greasy pizza or frozen veggie burger. When I haven’t our own perohy at hand, or as a treat for my daughter, a bit of a tradition for a weekend lunch, I am comfortable that she is eating good quality food with the love of honest people that I would create for her at home. I am happy to support their family’s business.

As well, it must be noted that this mother is worthy of honour as a woman who has balanced life for her large family and shares with the community. In health research women’s paid and unpaid work are now given serious attention as societal determinants of health. The father and husband is a gentleman who has put his heart and determination into his family, and the daughters are kind.

We enjoy and fully appreciate our visits to Perohy and the efforts that the family puts into this remarkable, pleasant place.

Found out the hard way that they close at 5 on Mondays, and 8 every other weeknight :(

I was so happy to find this place today when I visited the Russian store Lakoma. It is right next door.I tried the cabbage rolls, cabbage salad, blines, salad oliver and of course perogies and everything was delicious! I thought the cabbage rolls and perogies tasted familiar and I read below that it is the same woman from the Ukranian Orthodox Church who did the cooking! This made sense as I went every year to the bazaar just for her food. The food is even better then the ones I tried in Europe. The staff was very pleasant and helpful. I am thrilled that I no longer have to try so hard to make it myself (which never turns out) and can buy it there.
My daughter loves it too and it makes a nice healthy alternative to all those hamburger fast food places.

I ordered a variety of their perogies last night and brought them home to have for dinner with the family. Everyone was impressed with the size and quality of them. My fav. was the potato and cheddar cheese, but my boyfriend swears by the pork ones.

We will definitely be back...soon!

WOW! those are A+ perogies!
Mine never look like that. They're sealed so pretty!!
It's odd that they wouldn't have the original cottage cheese and potato ones. That's the only one's I've made.
I'm def going to have to try these beautiful works of art now. Thanks for the pic!

I can asure you all that these pierogis are not only made of food, but love as well.

Not only can you taste the love, but you can see the Rudenesque Polish ladies fingers in the sealing dimples.

I bet they would be open to the idea of making dry cottage cheese/potato ones. No harm in asking. They have an email address.

perogiestakeout@hotmail.com

Tks for the menu, I went to their website to check it out...disappointed that they don't make the Ukranian favorite, which is dry cottage cheese/potato mixture. If anyone notices them there let me know. Grocery store perogies are pretty awful and the 'elders' are getting too much arthritis to make them...and it's too big a job to do them myself. (hours and hours and hours, it sucks!!)

You can't eat in here (there are no tables/chairs as space is limited in their shop), it's only take out. They serve hot and cold food to go, and frozen food to go as well.

K. this might be a stupid question...

can you eat in? do they have tables and the sort?
I know my Mom would love something like this but she doesn't like take-out that much.

Here is there flyer.

Just finished my supper of these potato and cheese perogies, with a ton of fried onions, double smoked bacon bits (made from Brhant(?) Double smoked bacon from the European deli on Merivale), and modified HP sauce.

I know, sour cream should to be on this plate. But I like my modifired HP sauce with them instead. Something I learned from the cafateria at Bakehead University in Blunder Bay ( or is that Lakehead University in Thunder bay).

Were's my couch ?

Forget the couch, I'm off to blow my blues harps (harmonicas) at the Emdale Tavern.

Hope that the walk there gets me thirsty for some Beau's Lug Tread Lagered Ale.

www.beaus.ca/index.html

Tried all the varieties on sale the day we went in....pork, potato, sauerkraut. Pork is so far my favorite but all were very good.

Handformed, fresh dough, and a variety of fillings (potato cheese, potato mushroom, meat, potato liver, potato cabbage), you can get them fresh or frozen (12 per package). They are slightly more expensive than what you'd find at the grocery store, but the quality more than makes up for the difference in price. Highly recommended. These are the same that were sold at the Ukrainian Orthodox church on Byron.

After seeing the comments here last week, my husband and I had to try out the eats. I agree that the perogies are great but I was not overwhelmed by the cabbage rolls. I guess it is the usual problem that I grew up with a mom who made them and everything gets compared to that. She made them quite small and they were stuffed with rice, onions and bacon....yum! She put lots of tomato sauce on it and cooked it until it was fairly thick...I actually prefer it that way.

This is the first time I have found cabbage rolls without pork in them, which I prefer...so I definitely give them credit for that, and they are the best store/takeout ones I have had ....now if i could just get mom to sell hers.

I've had both the rice & mushroom and rice & meat (contains pork), and they were both delicious. The sauce is the most authentic I've found. Most cabbage rolls from grocery stores have a tomato sauce that is too thick, and sweet.

Agree on the borscht...very yummy. Never seen beans before, but yummy none the less.

You can get frozen or hot borscht, in various sizes. This is the first borscht I've had that's contained beans (!), but it was delicious nonetheless!

I've had the cabbage, jam, and cherry filled pirojki (pronounced pee-ro-shkee). All make for a delicious snack, and for $1.99, it's a good cheap eat!

I had a stuffed pepper and it was FILLING. Lots of rice and meat in these, and lots of sauce in there. My SO was not a fan, as she doesn't enjoy ground meats or green peppers very much. All the more for me to enjoy!