Jonsey's D&D is a pop-up in the Charleston-Huntington area that specializes in pierogies. You'll have to keep updated on his Facebook to see where he's going to be next; I was excited when I finally caught him in Huntington last weekend.
Let's start with the basics: What is a pierogi? It is a filled dumpling "made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe."
Being that I'm from the Northern Panhandle, I was familiar with pierogies because of my proximity to Pittsburgh. The city has a large Polish/Ukranian population; they even have the pierogi races at home Pittsburgh Pirates games. You might be familiar with the frozen Mrs. T's pierogies at your grocery store.
To know pierogies is to love them. Think of a dense dumpling dough stuffed with potato or onion or cheddar or garlic or all of the above. In Huntington, Jonsey had potato & cheddar, as well as mushroom & potato. I just tried the former this trip, which were three delightfully plump dumplings filled with a tasty, unctuous filling. A nice little crisp on the exterior gives way to a pillowy center. And, sour cream makes everything better. My only regret is not trying the other flavor. Maybe sampler options will be on the way in the future.
Grade: A
