Pies @ The Pie Hole, Shirogane, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka

 

This is post 550! An incredible feat, if I do say so myself. Thanks everyone for following me in my eating journey. So for this momentous occasion, lets try something somewhat different. As a guy who likes baked goods, I have been wanting to try this place called the Pie Hole which is located in the Shirogane area. And as the name suggests, this "hole" sells pies. There are some bakeries who sell a few varieties of the good stuff like chicken pot pie or an apple fold-over, which is a form of pie I guess? But a full fledge one, now that is a rare thing. 

Special wares on full display!

 The Pie Hole is a Los Angeles inspired pie and coffee shop that opened its Fukuoka branch in June 2023. It’s the only Pie Hole in Kyushu, and it’s become a bit of a neighborhood favorite. I became very interested in visiting when this establishment came to my attention. So after carving some time out on a weekend, I made the arduous journey to Shirogane. Ok it is not like some petrified forest in the middle of nowhere, it is a bit of a distance from the main city center where I live.

Lunch is ready

You might think that having pies for lunch sounds a bit odd and you may be right. However, their lunch sets would help you change your mind. For a modest 1200 yen, you get a savoury pie, a slice of quiche and a side salad. There were so many to choose from but the one that spoke to me at the time was the salmon pie. It was a petite little thing and it looked very cute with another small slice of quiche and the kale greens. However, it was actually pretty good. 

Glorious

The crust itself was quite substantial. Buttery, flaky, yet had some density to it, it really provided a good starting experience. Th filling was also pretty good. The salmon was flavourful as it was coated in a simple cream sauce, probably spiked with a lot of garlic and chives. It reminded me of fish pie back in the UK. However, unlike the UK which has a mash potato top, this crusty shell provided a different texture, which I like. There are other selections too, like Sheppard's pie and mac and cheese (which sounded like carb loaded beast).

Sleeper hit. Wish I had more

The quiche itself was also quite nice. The butter crust worked very well with the onion and egg filling that went alongside it. The flavours were simple but still, they work. I really enjoyed it. The kale greens was also nice, especially the dressing. I have no idea what form of dressing that they used, but its like a type of chilli mayo with other aromatics. it make eating leaves so much more interesting. 

Time for the good stuff. 

However, being a pie place, it is only natural you get apple pie. So I got myself a separate order of the pie which stood at a hefty 780 yen a slice. Everything is on point and I like that you can see layers of apple stacking on top of each other in the pie. There were hints of cinnamon, a standard ingredient but a bit faint. That is to be expected since local patrons might not want something too punchy. The crust seems  a bit different compared to the salmon pie I had. Then again, this was a big pie which came in slices as compared to the pot-pie stye that the salmon version came in. The surface area and time of baking will change the profile of the dishes somewhat. Speaking of texture, the crumble topping was such a nice touch. Really enjoyable.

Another peep inside.

Speaking of enjoyable, I really liked the interior of this place. It reminds me of an classic American diner with its decor and layout. It makes you feel like you have been warped into a retro urbanscape in the middle of Americana. It did not feel like Japan one bit, well except when the prices were labelled in yen. Whitewash with various art pieces, wooden countertops, they have it all. The artistic element was clearly on point. 

A closer look at the other goodies. 

In any event, I really liked my lunch excursion here. Everything was quite tasty and I would definitely come here more often if it was a bit closer to my house in the city center. I would definitely want to try the other stuff in store. The pecan pie was speaking to me, but I had such take care of the calories as spring is coming and I have to prepare myself for the summer. So if you want to try what I had just now, the pecan pie that I wish to try, or any of their amazing goodies, the address of this Hole is as follows:

〒810-0012 Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Shirogane, 2 Chome−11−20 パセオ平尾 1F

With such a sign, it is hard to miss!