A mention of “fast food” typically conjures thoughts of drive-thru windows, jumbo-sized drinks and greasy bags of fries. But at least one Grandview Heights eatery is on a mission to change that.
Owner John Wagner opened Yogi Perogi, which serves variations on the Polish pierogi, in April 2012.
Wagner has a history of investigating food; he holds a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition from Cornell University and master’s degrees in cultural anthropology and human ecology from the University of Missouri and the University of New Mexico, respectively. While in graduate school, Wagner became fixated on the direct connection between nutrition and health.
“As I was researching (nutritional ecology), I got into all the different aspects of food distribution and production, and all of the insanity of processed foods and how that tied in with health,” says Wagner.
Wagner set out to promote the message that eating better can lead to feeling better. After working at North Market Polish deli, Hania’s Olde World Cuisine, Wagner decided to create a restaurant that focused on a quintessentially Polish delicacy: the pierogi, dumplings made with unleavened dough and filled with various ingredients.
“I saw the excitement people had for them,” says Wagner. “It seemed like a really versatile food because you can combine so many foods together.”
Wagner has created a variety of pierogi options, and he changes these offerings with the seasons to ensure customers experience the benefits of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables.
The pierogies are made entirely from whole ingredients, and there are no preservatives, chemicals or food colorings in any of Wagner’s menu items. Wagner says this sets his restaurant apart from the typical fast food destination.
“That’s really not ‘the secret’ but that’s what makes it taste so much better – because your body recognizes those things,” says Wagner.
Roughly 80 percent of Wagner’s ingredients are sourced directly from Ohio.
Among Wagner’s always-available varieties is The Original – a pierogi filled with potato and cheese, topped with grilled onions and sour cream. Wagner classifies it as “comfort food,” but says this doesn’t mean it’s an unhealthy option.
“People think that stuff’s not healthy, but as long as those ingredients are real, it’s not necessarily bad for you,” says Wagner.
Other flavors include The Traditional (mushroom and swiss topped with grilled sauerkraut and white pepper cream sauce), The Greek (spinach and feta with tzatziki) and The Reuben (corned beef, swiss and sauerkraut topped with homemade Thousand Island dressing).
Each pierogi sells for $2 to $2.50, and two to three would be enough to make a meal for most people.
The menu also offers healthy salads and soups, including Wagner’s Greek-inspired Avgolemono Soup, which features chicken, lemon and orzo.
Wagner praises the health properties of ingredients such as garlic, which can function as an antibiotic, and sauerkraut, a food known for its power as a digestive aid. Wagner even uses water filtered through reverse osmosis in his cooking to eliminate unwanted chemicals and toxins that may be found in tap water.
Although Wagner works hard to promote healthful eating, he recognizes that it can be difficult to find pure foods, no matter where one looks.
“Even at the grocery store, it’s a challenge,” says Wagner.
In addition to the small dining room and take-out operation at Grandview Center, Wagner offers frozen pierogies for customers to take and cook at home, and he is working to expand to grocery store freezers.
By getting the word out about the healthfulness of his ingredients, Wagner hopes people can feel that they’re buying quality foods when they purchase his products.
Rose Davidson is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Avgolemono Soup
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, raw 1 onion, halved 3 eggs 3-4 lemons 10 peppercorns 3-4 bay leaves 1 lb. orzo 1 Tbsp. oregano 2 Tbsp. sea salt
Instructions:
Fill a large pot with one gallon of water, chicken breasts, onion, peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, whip eggs into a froth, then slowly add lemon juice to the mixture.
Remove chicken from the pot and let cool. Strain the broth and set aside roughly two cups of hot broth and slowly add it to the egg/lemon juice mixture while beating.
Add orzo to the remainder of the strained broth and do not bring the mixture back to a boil. Instead, stir while simmering until orzo is soft but not fully cooked, then add in the egg/lemon/broth mixture.
Pull and dice the chicken into small bits and return to soup. Add oregano and salt to taste.
