Paul’s Pel’meni puts a twist on Russian cuisine in Madison
The restaurant’s menu made a name for itself with one item: dumplings. Photo by Rachel Hale.
By Rachel Hale
Paul’s Pelmeni makes one thing, and they make them well: Russian dumplings. Though the restaurant’s local fame comes from its one-item menu, late-night dumpling connoisseurs may not be aware that owner Paul Schwoerer’s recipe originated 2,907 miles from Madison in Jeaneau, Alaska.
“People are always surprised when they come in. They’re like, ‘oh, do you guys speak Russian?” said Paul’s employee Antonio Winters. “Traditionally in Russia, they just add butter and sour cream. But then Paul came up with these toppings.”
Described by some as “the heart of Russian cuisine,” traditional Pelmeni dumplings are usually stuffed with a minced meat like pork or beef and seasoned simply with salt, pepper and garlic. But at Paul’s, Winters said Schwoerer’s recipe puts an “asian fusion” spin on the classic, topping dumplings with what they call “the works”: butter, sprinkled yellow curry powder, sweet chili sauce, a smattering of cilantro and a spoonful of sour cream.
Photo by Rachel Hale.
Raised in Madison, Schwoerer moved to Tenakee Springs, Alaska, as a senior in high school. It was once he moved to Juneau, where he started working for a friend’s dad making traditional Russian dumplings by hand, that he learned the recipe, reported Madison Magazine. After three years of learning the trade, he was able to bring the craft back with him when he returned home.
The team that helps the restaurant run is primarily composed of University of Wisconsin-Madison students, according to Winters. For the nine years Winters has been on staff, he said Schwoerer has always been hands-on in the restaurant.
“Paul, you may think he’d be somewhere on the beach smoking cigars, eating steak and relaxing. He’s working just as hard as any other employee here. He was just here actually making dumplings,” Winters said.
The restaurant has been located at 414 W Gilman St. since 2017, but its journey started nearly 20 years ago. Schwoerer originally opened up a Pel’meni shop at a State Street location in 2003 with a different business partner. The pair split, but Schwoerer later continued to serve the dumplings at luch times while working at Oasis Cafe in Fitchburg. In 2013, he opened a new location at 201 W. Gorham St., but with just six tables and a spike in rent prices, he sought out a larger space, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
“It’s always been a UW favorite. We still have people that say, ‘oh, my brother, my sister used to love it here. So it’s a generational thing. It’s always good to see that,” Winters said.
Walking into the restaurant on a weekday afternoon, the space feels unassuming. Customers sit at one of the main room’s wooden tables or take a seat at the bar as Norah Jones’s “Come Away with Me” revererates out of the speakers. Photos on the wall pay homage to Schowerer’s time spent in Alaska, and the state flag is painted on an accented ceiling tile on the side of the main room.
Photos by Rachel Hale.
Madison locals have watched Paul’s grow from each location. Shia Fisher, an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who grew up in the area, called the restaurant “a staple.”
“My friends and I, we would always go for the dumplings because they were quite large, very filling and the atmosphere was really nice. They played these vinyl records and I still remember the orange walls and you know you walk in and just have the aroma immediately. That’s the Paul’s that I remember,” Fisher said.
Photos by Rachel Hale.
Loyal customers have followed the dumplings’ journey on, Yelp reviews where the restaurant has raked up 609 reviews and a 4.5 star rating.
“Best pelmeni I’ve had! This is a small place right by the Capitol and campus that is open until the wee hours of the morning so you can get your fix after a night out,” wrote Vivian C. on June 1. “I liked these so much that I came back later that day to order 2 more full orders for later in the week!”
“Love this place. They keep it simple with only a couple options on the menu. Solid, affordable, and unique,” another reviewer wrote.
What’s the secret to a recipe that’s remained a staple for so long? Keeping it simple, says Winters. “Everything’s homemade with local ingredients. We make it right here in the building we’re in, and just keeping up with that itself is already hard to do.”
“When students go to their favorite restaurant, they most likely order the same thing. And you get overwhelmed with 30 options even though people like it differently but with us, the reason why people like us is because we get orders in and out right away. We have two kinds of dumplings and dumplings only,” Winters said.
For Madisonians who have watched the city change, seeing the restaurant’s menu stay the same is a nice constant.
“Madison has had a lot a lot of changes. In some respects, it’s nice that you still have the same business owners running some of this,” Fisher said.
Photos by Rachel Hale.