Aim for the pie

Mushroom stroganoff pie

Food: Good
Packaging: Dissatisfactory
Hygiene: Great
Cost: Fair
Verdict: 4/5

The concept of a pie is as English as pronouncing the word ‘proper' as ‘pro-pah' is. Think of how they use the idiom ‘as easy as apple pie' and you'll know what we mean. But these flaky pastries with meat, veggies or sweet fillings haven't quite caught on in Mumbai, or India for that matter. Till now, that is. Pie & Co is a new delivery venture with a menu that features only pies, and nothing else. We order lunch from there on a weekday and, having tasted stuff like steak and kidney pies in the Ol' Blighty before, we wait to find out how close the fare is to the real deal.

Goan chorizo pie

The three items we ask for are the mushroom stroganoff (R345), bacon sunny-side up (R180), and Goan chorizo (R450). The bacon sunny-side up is a smaller, breakfast option and unfortunately, it is the only one intact when the order arrives. The other two have crumbled like the hopes that Mumbaikars had of having a curfew-free 2021. But we put the blame for this on the Swiggy employee ferrying the dishes on his bike from Santacruz to Versova, who probably drove thinking that the order consisted of hakka noodles or mutton biryani. The eatery can be excused for this mishap. After all, the proof of the pudding - or pie in this case - lies in the eating.

Bacon sunny-side-up pie

So, we try the breakfast pie first and the good news is that it has a generous portion of bacon that permeates every bite. The Goan chorizo option is a variation that you'd be hard-pressed to find in England. But we can still imagine a Britisher who's tried it saying, "By Jove, that's jolly good!" But the best of the lot - and this is coming from a person who swears by meat - is the mushroom stroganoff pie. It's so creamy and delectable that for a second, we forget that stroganoff is a Russian dish that's originally made with beef. Let us thus hope that Mumbaikars take to Pie & Co like the English have taken to curry houses. It's a no-nonsense joint that is trying to expand the city's palate. And just for that, we give the place a royal salute.

Time 9 am to 12 pm, all days
At Bir Sagar, 17th Road, Santacruz West.
Call 7208755043

4/5 Exceptional, 3/5 Excellent, 2/5 very Good, 1/5 Good, 0.5 Average. Pie & Co didn't know we had ordered. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals