Ronnie's Bakery Cafe (Tirau) Steak & Cheese Pie Review

Eager for morning tea during a road trip. Stopped into Ronnie's Bakery Cafe (Tirau) for a bite to eat. Went for a steak and cheese pie as usual although it was tempting to try the offering of a Lamb and Kumara Pie. Nevertheless, the status quo prevailed, my peckish-ness was cured and my criticing continues... 

First Impressions
Normal sized oval pie that is a bit greasy to hold. Quite soft to handle and smelled delicious. Easy to bite into, although lid was a little crumby on the top and crumbs were left throughout the establishment. Too hot to scoff but cool enough that it could be eaten straight away.

The Analysis 

Nothing stood out for the pastry, it wasn't bad or good so overall I'll say it was OK. Just a bit greasy and crumbly but the softness and taste makes up for those discretions.
Filling had a few steak chunks, which were soft, generous and delicious. Once again very little cheese was found so once again I'm left disappointed. Gravy consistency was average as it contained too much thickener and not enough substance. Hardly any mince was used in the gravy and was quite tasteless. Filling temperature was good and hot; I felt that there was some risk of lip and throat burning if you were in a hurry but it was an excellent temperture for a pie that would be eaten for enjoyment.

In the end...

For the $3.90 I paid my opinion is that it was OK but I've had better. Highlight was the big chunks of steak; the gravy and measure of cheese were shocking whilst everything else was just OK. The presence of little cheese is a major flaw. Given the choice, for the cost versus the quality recieved, I would possibly choose a steak and cheese pie from Ronnie's Bakery Cafe again.

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Fast and Fresh Bakery Cafe: Steak and Cheese Pie Review

With a window brandished with "pie awards winner"...expectations were naturally quite high. The particular pie I had was OK. Not the best and but thankfully not the worst either.I had to have a steak and cheese pie to keep consistency but I was left wondering whether I would have enjoyed my lunch more had I gone for the silver award winning steak and vegetable pie. 

First Impressions
Standard sized pie, easy to bite into and scoff down with soft pastry - distinctly yellow in colour but not too extreme. Perfect temperature although rather greasy, I distinctly remember the pie had managed to penetrate the white paper bag before I'd got my wallet out to pay for it.I was hungry, so satisfied.

The Analysis 

Texture and taste of pastry was perfect, slightly crispy on the surface yet soft inside, not dry or crumby on the surface so a crumbly mess was averted. However, it was let down by being greasy and overly yellow in colour. Filling had a few steak chunks, which were full of gristle and tasted like they were from the same place that those terrible frozen pie makers get their meat from. Needless to say, the steak chunks were more of a turn off rather than an exciting salivating moment.  Very little cheese was found so not a great cheesy taste was experienced - definite disappointment here. Gravy consistency was great, there were no risks of burnt mouth/lips from a napalm-like gravy. Taste of the gravy was OK there was just too much of it.

In the end...

For the $3.90 I paid my opinion is I could have got better. Highlights were the pastry and gravy but the steak was terrible. Proportions of steak:gravy:cheese were all wrong and made for an OK tasting pie that was not cheesy at all. At the end of the day, I was hungry and my stomach was satisfied but given the choice, for the cost versus the quality recieved, I would not choose a steak and cheese pie from Fast and Fresh Bakery Cafe again.


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Turangi Bakery and Cafe Steak and Cheese Pie Review

This pie was pretty tasty. I polished it off surprisingly quickly and it is no wonder this shop wins prizes for its pies. I had to have a steak and cheese pie to keep consistency but golly did they have a range of flavours. If not for a steak and cheese pie, Turangi Bakery and Cafe is must visit just to see the choices they've come up with.

First Impressions
Standard sized pie, soft pastry, thin crispy outer layer with a chuck of steak in the very first bite..great! Perfect amount of cheese, filling temperature was hot enough to keep tasty and scoff down in less than 5 minutes. Delicious.

The Analysis 

Easy to hold and bite into. Pastry was very tasty. Filling had heaps of steak chunks and the amount of cheese gave a great cheesy taste that was not overpowering. Gravy content must have been perfect because, I do not recall any fears of: drippings into my lap, mouth scolding or lack of tastiness. Its only downfall was that the scoring on the pastry lid of the pie made pieces flake off into the paper bag when I bit into it so is a little messy to eat.

In the end...

Great amount of steak and cheese. Delicious to eat. Was a bit messy to eat but not ridiculously. Loved the pie, would love another!

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Wild Bean Cafe Classic Steak & Cheese Pie Review

Not exactly in the top grade as far as pies go, it was good enough to finish but I wouldn't go out of my way to get another. However, one should not complain too much when it's someone else's shout as I'm about to do!

 

(Wild Bean Cafe situated just outside of Taupo was were this pie was purchased)

First Impressions
A round pie that seemed slightly larger than a standard pie. Not too bad for a Wild Bean Cafe pie, it was soft and easy to bite into albeit a bit cool for my liking. I think their pie warmers should be turned up a tad. Oversized paper bag was good and made it easy to envelope and handle the pie.

The Analysis 

For a service station cafe I wasn't expecting star quality so there were no surprises when I found that it was a mainly mincey pie with little steak or cheese. That bad aromatic taste that makes me think I'm eating off-meat struck after the third bite but at least it was not overpowering and it certainly wasn't enough to abandon finishing my free lunch.

The pastry was a wee bit thick for my liking, it made the pie a little dry but its softness was perfect. Casing bottom was short pastry and think the the top was too, or it was a very cheap and stiff kind of flakey pastry.

Gravy consistency was excellent, not too thick or too runny, just perfect to hold the filling together and keep it moist.

Not exactly the tastiest pie, but my hunger was sated at the end of devouring it.

In the end...

The pie was sold for $3.90 and what I got was more like a mince pie with a drop of melted cheese. Not really a good buy but if you're on the go, and this is convieniently on offer, then it'll do to cure any hunger pains otherwise try elsewhere for a steak and cheese pie. I think if Wild Bean Cafe (Wairakei) is my only option I'll try their Angus Steak and Cheese pie instead and hope for a better result

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Beaut Bakery Steak and Cheese pie review

This pie was pretty good. Overall Beut Bakery's Steak and Cheese pie was pretty tasty and I think the awards they've won in the past for their pies are probably well deserved.

First Impressions
 Standard sized New Zealand one serve pie.
I was having it for lunch so I have no qualms about it being served up in a white paper bag. However, not too impressed that the bottom of the bag was oil soaked and left a layer of grease on my fingers when I picked it off the passenger seat after a 5 minute drive down the road back to work.

First bite was quite enjoyable, in fact delicious. I encountered a slightly crisp and soft pastry encasing a filling at a temperature that was perfect and not at risk of being scolded for burning my mouth.

The Analysis 

Definitely a flaky pastry top with what I think was a short pastry bottom. Pastry was noticeably yellow in colour - this was neither a put off or an attraction. Pie casing had a thin crispy layer incasing soft tasty layers inside and of course the gravy centre. For me the pastry's texture and taste was perfect, the look was okay. No overly oily feeling left on my lips afterwards, which is fantastic.

The filling was yum, even the gravy! But if I go down to the nitty gritty...I counted two ~1 cm cubes of steak and limited cheese unfortunately. Another 2 cubes of meat and double the cheese and I would have higher praise. The gravy, was slightly too runny. I needed to plan my bites so that I didn't squeeze gravy out the sides of my lips and burn my cheeks!

As a whole, this pie is one of the tastiest pies I've had.

In The End...Given the price, I think I paid NZ$3.50 for this pie, and how good it was to eat, I definitely recommend a steak and cheese pie from Beaut Bakery.  

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