Babushka's Kitchen - Polish Powerhouse

Having heard wonderful things about Babushka's Kitchen, I have been trying to eat there for quite a while. The fact that Babuska's is closed Sundays and Mondays, is not open till 1:00pm on Saturdays, and closes most days at 7:00pm (Fridays it closes at 8:00pm), have kept me from getting there up till now. But all that changed on St. Patrick's day; with the good weather I took off early from work and rode the motorcycle through the Cuyahoga Valley Park. On the way back, I figured that now was as good a time as any to try Babuska's which is located by the Northern end of the park. Babuska's is located at 9199 Olde Eight Rd, Northfield Center, Ohio. This is just South of Route 82 (East Aurora Road). It is set back a little from the road and has half of a little commercial building. Once inside you find a charming, little restaurant, decorated in bright colors and homey touches, the space feels cheery and welcoming. Adding to the atmosphere are the upbeat polkas; hearing Beer Barrel Polka and Who Stole the Kishka should get you ready for some real Polish food. Babuska's is a bit different then most restaurants, you go to the counter and place your order, they give you a number to put on your table and they bring the food to you. The servers are friendly and helpful to guide you through the menu (see here). With the menu dominated by meats, I figured that I might have the chance to get a fish meal since it is the time of year when fish specials pop up. While Babuska's does have special Lenten fish specials, they are only available on Fridays. So I was left to swallow my macho pride and order "Aunt Clara's Combo", a choice of any two pierogis and 2 side dishes. I chose the mushroom/swiss and the potato/cheddar pierogis and the cabbage & noodles and sauerkraut & dumplings sides. What came out was a heaping plate of some of the best scratch made food I have had in a long time. Lets start with the pierogis. Each of these wonderful pasta pockets were about the size of my fist, pan fried perfectly and topped with sauteed onions and a dollop of sour cream. The pasta itself was outstanding, with a rich taste and great texture. The mushroom/swiss was overloaded with swiss cheese melted perfectly and highlighted with sliced mushrooms. The potato cheddar was even better with the filling perfectly balanced and providing a nice textural counterpoint to the pasta. These were simply the best pierogi's I have had and elevate this food to the next level. The sides were excellent as well. The sauerkraut & dumplings were an interesting contrast to the pierogis, with the cabbage having a nice sour bite that was nicely offset by the slightly sweet homemade dumplings. The cabbage and noodles provided a nice buttery taste and a milder element to the plate. The food was all clearly scratch made and showed a devotion to keeping the standards high and the flavors simple and bright. Babushka's has gotten well deserved shining reviews. With food this good at reasonable prices and a friendly old world atmosphere, this is a place you should make an effort to try. I would especially like to hear what some of my carnivorous friends have to say about the meat dishes. Go and feel the love.