DINING OUT: Galicia Restaurant
Restaurant in Rochester’s South Wedge neighborhood serves an impressively long menu of Ukrainian classics
By Jacob Pucci
From empanadas and potstickers to ravioli and pierogi, just about every cuisine in the world has some form of dumpling.
In Ukraine, they’re called varenyky and they’re among the specialties at Galicia Restaurant, a tiny restaurant in Rochester’s South Wedge neighborhood serving an impressively long menu of Ukrainian classics.
Having grown up on my family’s recipes for Polish dishes like pierogi and golumpki, which served as my point of reference for my foray into Ukrainian cuisine, which while it does bear a strong resemblance to the cuisine of its bordering Eastern European nation, is distinct enough to make it stand out.
Take the sauerkraut served in the Savoring Ukrainian combination plate ($23), which was a cool cabbage salad with a bite of red onion — a far departure from the usual warm, vinegary sauerkraut dolloped atop a hot dog or braised with bacon and served as a hot side dish.
The crisp cabbage slaw was a welcome contrast to the rest of the hearty platter that also included trios of stuffed cabbage rolls and potato pancakes, five of the aforementioned varenyky, topped with caramelized onions and small bowls of sour cream and mushroom gravy.
Whether you call them golumpki (Polish) or holubtsi (Ukrainian), stuffed cabbage rolls come in many forms, though follow a similar formula — meat and rice filling wrapped in cabbage leaves and cooked until tender. You’ll often see them almost stewed in a pool of vinegar-laced tomato sauce, but at Galicia, the rolls are only lightly coated in sauce and at first glance, look pan-fried, with a thinner layer of cabbage clinging tightly around the beef, chicken and rice filling. These were so good that I might have to tweak my family recipe.
The same goes for the potato pancakes, accompanied by a smooth, rich mushroom gravy. There are two fatal flaws to avoid when it comes to potato pancakes — soggy, oil-soaked exteriors and raw, dense, bitter-tasting interiors and while it might sound obvious, even a proficient cook can fall victim to these cardinal cooking sins. But these, thankfully, were neither, with the outside lightly crisp and the inside tender and flavorful.
I can only dream of making dumplings as well as Galicia’s varenyky. The fillings vary — Galicia serves both sweet and savory versions, filled with combinations of potato, mushroom, sauerkraut and for the sweet versions, farmer’s cheese. These varenyky were tender, but with just a bit of chew and texture that stands up to the soft potato filling.
It may seem like a small thing, but I couldn’t help but be impressed by the perfectly woven crimped edge sealing the varenyky, a sign, to me, of the attention to detail paid to the food, a demonstration of the Galicia team’s skill, and a reminder that my rustic (to put it nicely) pierogi making skills have a long way to go.
The Ukrainian Home Duo ($24) includes two Ukrainian sausages, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, pickles and grilled bread. Both platters came with a small plum tomato that at first glance seems like a throwaway garnish, but are actually wonderfully ripe tomatoes pickled in-house for several months for a light tang that, like the sauerkraut, adds some zip and contrast to the other, heavier foods.
The sausages, flavored with fennel and garlic, were similar to a familiar Italian sausage. The links appeared deep-fried, which resulted in a lovely snap, but were a bit overcooked and not as juicy as they could have been. The potatoes, boosted by a generous amount of melted butter, were excellent.
Dessert options include homemade tiramisu, a variety of cakes imported directly from Kyiv, Ukraine; syrnyky, a fried cheesecake made with farmer’s cheese, and sweet crepes filled with a variety of fruits and cheese.
Twenty may seem steep for dessert, but the Sweet Ukrainian Pancakes is a dessert built for at least two people, with three large cheese-filled crepes topped with seasonal fruit — in this case, strawberries and blueberries — and finished with a drizzle of caramel and sweetened condensed milk. The farmer’s cheese keeps the crepes from being too sweet, making the dish feel lighter and assuring you that even after a meal full of varenyky, you’ll still have room for dessert.
The staff at Galicia know that Ukrainian cuisine is new for many diners and were more than happy to explain dishes, offer suggestions and guide diners through their meal. It feels like dining in somebody’s home — both because of the comforting food and because there are only three tables. Because of that, reservations are recommended, especially during busier meal times. The reservation page on the restaurant’s website reads “Reserve your table now and become part of our extended family!”
That’s exactly how dining at Galicia feels.
Galicia Restaurant
489 South Ave., Rochester, NY 14620
Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
585-355-4998
Reservations: Yes, encouraged. Available online at galiciarestaurant.com