Finding variety in dining opportunities in a rural town can prove a challenge, so a new restaurant in Meaford has added some new flavour to your dining possibilities.
Whether you are looking for a quick lunch to take back to the office, or for an after-work meal for the family, Alex Bogacki and Rebecca Weller are hoping you'll stop in to their recently opened Perogie Palace.
The couple opened the doors to their new restaurant in late December, and they are enjoying sharing some old family recipes with their patrons.
In addition to a wide range of perogies, the establishment also serves other Slavic delights such as Borsch, Cabbage Rolls, and even Schnitzel.
“I've always wanted to cook, and I love perogies because that is my background, I'm Polish. So I figured why not open a restaurant called the Perogie Palace?” Bogacki told The Independent.
Many of the selections offered at Perogie Palace are the same dishes that Bogacki grew up enjoying. The menu at Perogie palace is filled with recipes handed down to him from his mother and grandmother.
“I wanted to give people another option, and this is basically old school, European cooking mixed with some Canadianized cooking,” offered Bogacki.
The couple has decorated their new restaurant with some less than typical personal touches such as the motorcycle in the front window – something that as a motorcycle enthusiast, Bogacki sees as more than a machine intended for transportation, to him motorcycles are like a piece of art.
“I just get to ride my art,” says Bogacki with a smile.
It is also a creative way to attract the attention of those passing by, many of whom peek in the windows to see what is happening.
Bogacki is hoping that a new sign for the awning outside of the business will attract as much attention as the motorcycle, and he has approached the high school in hopes of holding a contest for GBSS students to come up with the design.
“We've had a great response to the food,” said Bogaski who said that the biggest challenge has been drawing people in, but he is confident that positive word-of-mouth will see more and more customers seeking out their ethnic dishes.
“A lot of the foods we make have earthy flavours. I like to call my cabbage rolls 'Deep and Dark' because I use smoked sausages and smoked pepper to have that deep flavour. I use a lot of mushrooms of different varieties as well.”
Perogie Palace is located at 36 Sykes Street South (beside the Video Library), and they are open from 11 am until 8 pm every day with the exception of Mondays when they are closed.
