A trip to Pieminister

A Matador pie at Pieminister yum!

So, there was me thinking that to find a decent “pie n mash” shop you ‘ad to go darn the East end o’Landan. It was, I suppose, only a matter of time before somebody brought this classic English dish from the streets of London to the masses. Indeed, Pieminister did not originate from the East end, but down the M4 in Bristol when it was founded by two friends in 2003. Their business has now expanded, with establishments sprouting up around the country, one of which has now found its way up the M1 to Leeds.

This is where Samantha and I found ourselves on a cloudy Sunday lunchtime. We wanted to judge for ourselves that building such a restaurant on the site of the old Oxfam shop, opposite “Reds” was not such a “pie in the sky” idea.

On entering the first thing that hits you is the food counter with the kitchen behind. Sat on top of it true to form was a pie smothered in mushy peas waiting to be delivered to a table. Not really the first thing you expect to see on first entering a restaurant. Fear not readers, or pie fans this is not going to descend into a Five Guys style rant!

We were shown to a table for two by a pleasant waitress and so our Pieminister experience was to begin.

The staff, all of them very young, were to put it bluntly just a little bit too keen.

We had barely sat down and taken our coats off she was busily telling us what they had run out of. Uh oh! – then asked virtually straight away what drinks we would like. Err hang on not even thought about that one yet love.. This also happened to another couple on the table next to us.

However, once these had been cleared up and drinks quickly ordered there was still plenty to choose from the food menu.

This was clearly laid out and I think very reasonably priced. The most expensive pie was around the £5.50 mark, plus sides, the list of which consisted of the inevitable minted mushy peas, fries (skin on ones), sweet potato fries, slaw and other accompaniments priced at £2.00 each. Not bad.

Sam and I both opted for the matador pie, which contained steak, chorizo, olives and butter beans. (Wow, olives in a pie!) My accompaniments were mash potato and garden peas with chilli.

The food came in under ten minutes and it was a very nice treat, with well cooked steak mixed with the aforementioned olives and chorizo. The peas and chilli were also a very good idea. Sam’s sweet potato fries were very good too and better than ones I’d tasted in other “trendy” eateries.

 That was it. As easy as pie! You sit, order, eat within ten minutes of arrival and then (unless you order a dessert) you pay and you go. Next!

You see, Pieminister is a bit like a conveyer belt. Customer comes in, sits down, orders drinks, orders food, eat, go. Don’t expect to stay there too long. Some may call it efficient and yes that is a valid way of describing it, but on the other hand you barely stay there long enough to think, and could be disappointed if you wished for a more prolonged eating experience. However, I would most certainly return and try another one of their delicious pies and if you have a spare few minutes in town should do too.