The Polish Nose

The Polish Nose is a new pierogi cart that operated for the first time at Independents' Day. Proprietor Brandon Wilburn prepares Polish dumplings in traditional and not-so-traditional flavor combinations with a variety of condiments served on the side.

Wilburn said that his great grandfather was Polish, and that he has fond memories of eating pierogi as a child. He figures that since pierogi are a versatile dumpling, it provides a nice palette on which to experiment with flavors. 

Experiments aside, the Old Faithful is, of course, a traditional potato and cheese dumpling flecked with garlic and served with a side of caramelized onions and sour cream or Greek yogurt. The dumplings are fried on the griddle to give them the traditional texture and flavor. The filling was soft, and the potatoes and cheese were sweetened slightly by the roasted garlic.

The Pumpkin Poser was a sweet potato pie pierogi. While dessert pierogi are common in Polish restaurants, this puts a Southern fried spin on the category. It is somewhat reminiscent of pumpkin pie. It is served with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbles.

Wilburn plans to operate the Polish Nose at a few bars and events in the future on a limited basis, possibly even preparing pierogi for a kitchen to sell. He said a brick-and-mortar location might be in the cards for the future, but for now, he'll operate a food cart and keep his full-time job. Updates on the cart's location can be found on Facebook.

These two pierogi are acceptable for vegetarians to eat. There was a third pierogi on the menu that contained meat that was prepared on the same griddle. Wilburn said that he had experimented with vegan pierogi dough, and mentioned that he might consider making vegan dough in the future, but he had to test the recipes.