Culina Highlands is only a couple of minutes from our home, which is very convenient on those nights or Sunday mornings when neither Kasia or I want to cook. It is a charming little restaurant that serves wholesome, hearty food made with as many local ingredients as possible. The Highlands location has a slightly more Eastern European slant than the other location in Millcreek, and offers items like borcht and perogys on its daily menu. Of course there are always more “Canadian” dishes as well, along with an always tempting daily special.
We stopped by last weekend for their Perogy dinner, which is held on the evening of the second Sunday of each month (they are normally closed Sunday evenings), for something a little different. With a simplified and very Ukrainian menu, your choice of what to have is straightforward. Your options for starters are either a cup of borcht or the pickled herring and beet salad. I know that some people turn up their noses at the very mention of pickled herring, but these were very mild and had a very nice texture. I’m not sure I could eat it everyday, but it was definitely something different on a Sunday night.
Of course, the main attraction here is the perogy and garlic sausage plate. With all the components made locally, it is a rustic and tasty dish. You do, however, need to ask for more than the little bit of sour cream they provide on the plate if you’re like Kasia and drown your perogies in it.
And for desert, what seems to be the international go-to dessert, whether you’re in Mexico or the Ukraine. I’m talking about deep-fried pastry dough sprinkled with icing sugar, of course.
It’s not gourmet, but it is definitely is tasty and reasonably priced. If that sounds like your thing, make sure you mark your calenders for next month and make your reservation now.
One last note: There was one thing that spoiled things for us a little at the end of the night. After the meal we were provided with some Eastern European candies, one of which contained a nut filling that included peanuts. Of course, this did not mix well with Kasia’s peanut allergy. Luckily, she did not swallow it, but it really put a damper on a night that had otherwise been very good.
The offending candy was the one wrapped in the innocuous lobster wrapper. I’m still not sure what the shellfish or the flames had to do with its contents (it wasn’t spicy).
dustonthebottle 