Since the day Famous Town Pie Shop opened its doors in Mahone Bay last year, I’ve been holding open these doors and yelling at strangers to eat here. My arms are awfully tired, and the staff said something about a ridiculous heating bill, so I’ve set my mind to the written word, hoping to set your mouth on some pies. With the season’s new menu, the Shop has new options with smaller and inexpensive snack-sized pies for omnivores and veggies alike, and a hefty assortment of affordable meal-sized pies that includes an outstanding vegan option.
As one of those aforementioned omnivores, I’ve found myself returning to the Ginger Beef and Moroccan Chickpea pies. Both amply meal-sized, these pies balance sweet and savoury at a level beyond comfort food. The Ginger Beef holds a generous portion of garlicky-ground beef balanced by chunks of potato. I generally avoid ground meat, finding the texture overpowering, but this pie was pure joy! Snuggled between the all-butter pastry and meat is a marvelous mango chutney. The chutney’s sweetness absolutely sings through this savoury pie.
The vegan Moroccan Chickpea holds its own against the meat pies. I’ve eaten it several times and commented at its constant textural consistency: how the heck do they bake it to flaky perfection while keeping the cauliflower’s crunch? Yum! The spices commune well through the curry components including tender sweet potato, tomato, and chickpeas. Sweet dates add accent to the pie, reminding me of the role of the pickles in the Shop’s previous vegan option. A hot pickled carrot would be right at home cuddled next to the Chickpea’s cauliflower.
Famous Town’s updated seasonal menu is a must-try, with the Ginger Beef and Moroccan Chickpea pies scoring five out of five ladles this month. But seeing as you can’t survive on ladles alone, I’m topping this perfect score off with a frozen Vegan Cheeseburger pie from their first seasonal menu.
