Piroshky Piroshky UPDATE - Seattle, WA

When I think of my Seattle trip all those years ago, PIroshky always comes to mind.  It was a whirlwind of Russian rolls, both savory and sweet, with such perfect pastry crusts and wrappers.

I jumped at the chance to pick them up from a Playa parking lot last week, hoping to revisit Seattle in my stomach. The nostalgia didn't disappoint, but the pies themselves sure did. The packing job was poor, some a little squished from the weight of the ice packs, flimsy paper bags failing covering pies getting soggy with melting condensation. 

They do heat up well enough, but the oven temp and time they give you leaves the center cold. It's a battle to calibrate, and I only have so many pies to mess with. 

My favorite is the seasonal Swedish Meatball. It has big, tender meatballs in every bite, and every bite is awesome. 

Smoked Salmon Pate was smoky, a flaky fish with a balanced cream cheese to stick it together, but not so much that it's cheesy.  

The Moscow Roll is unusual, in the best possible way. Cream of wheat adds texture and dilutes the bavarian cream. Makes it a little more interesting. 

Apple Cinnamon is one you'd recognize. A run-of-the-mill roll with Granny Smiths sticking out. I like the tart twist, and it's a lovely classic.

Beef & Cheese is a dense one, a savory starter if you're looking for a meal. It's a brick of ground beef, heavy on the onion. I like it, but not everybody would agree.

The Cinnamon Cardamom Braid tastes as pretty as it looks. Cardamom adds an earthy aroma and spices up the citrus. 

Chocolate Cream Hazelnut is so delicious, buttery-sweet like a pudding in solid form. 

I'm still a sucker for their Rhubarb. Sweet and tart like strawberry, it's hand pie with extra crust. 

Nothing is better than getting your piroshky hot and fresh, and delivery, especially the way they pack it, puts a real damper on these delicious things. I still love this place because I've seen what they can do under the right condition, but next time I get Piroshky, I'll do it in Seattle.

Piroshky Piroshky - Seattle

Off the cruise ship and onto the streets of Seattle. Not traditionally a food capital, but definitely rising in the ranks.

The food adventure begins at Pike Place Market because the first thing I want is something that isn't processed, mashed, or made into compote in a corporate, cruise-ship kitchen.

I would kill for a Fresh Rhubarb pie, and I can smell the dough baking from 20 feet away. No bloodshed required, but the line will try your patience at the ever-popular Piroshky Piroshky. The golden, baked-this-morning, hand-pie crusts are a sight for sore cruise-eyes, and this square of fresh rhubarb is to-die-for, with a filling of sweet cream accented by a pulpy tang.

Steam is still rising from the Potato and Cheese as I claw it open. The potato is soft and salty, a baked potato in a half-moon pastry; firm cheddar topped with a fresh breath of dill.

The best-selling Beef and Cheese is a baked bowl of salt n' pepper ground beef sprinkled with more yellow-melt. It's basically a beefaroni-cheeseburger, Russian style.

The Smoked Salmon Pate is oblong with a mid-line suture and a whimsical fishtail that barely holds back the ample belly of finely-chopped salmon flakes. The blend of woodsy smoked salmon with a modest cream cheese paste enriches the smoldering flavor and turns the flaky texture luxurious.

Piroshky Piroshky, small pies small pies, with crusts that leave a lingering impression and fillings that are hard to forget. So what if I didn't see Russia from anyone's Alaskan house; at least I got to taste Russia from Pike Place.