HeavenScent Food Co. Port Wine, Beef and Blue Cheese Pie

I had heard there would be another pop-up seaside market at Bell Block school. Having gone to the first one and been suitably impressed with the variety of stall and atmosphere, I coaxed my partner to come with me this time. Unfortunately, the weather and probably the clashing with another market, kept at least half the stall holders and many of the patrons away. However, we did spot the HeavenScent Food Co stall selling what they called handmade artisan pies - being the pie connoisseur that I think I am, I was tempted; spying the Port wine, beef and blue cheese pie I couldn't resist.


First Impressions
Strange. a small hand sized pie in a foil dish served with a wooden fork. Nice crust on the lid, it looked delicious. Quite a small pie, and quite pricey, but surely for $9 this had to be good and instant high expectations from the excellent steak and blue cheese pie from Inglewood's Oscars Kiwi Cafe begun. I was unfortunately highly disappointed...

The Analysis

Pastry was soggy, I guess that's why they gave me a fork. There was no way to eat this using my hand, it would have fallen apart and made an annoying mess. I enjoyed eating the lid, it had a nice crust and was tasty but that was the only upside on an otherwise crap pie.

The filling had a few chunks of steak and were OK, too much gravy/mince and although there was the right amount of cheese it was a sad excuse for a blue cheese. I got very little if any of that distinctive blue cheese taste, in fact, I was searching for it to try and give this pie a bit of credit for having blue cheese in it - but it just wasn't there. On top of that, the first bite tasted like an el cheapo frozen supermarket pie; but combining with pastry, cheese a bit of beef and gravy it was altogether OK.

It's quite small for a $9 pie. I was left hungry and disappointed with the build quality of the pie and it's overall taste - I actually can't believe they sell these things for $10 in their cafe in Auckland.

My honest thoughts are that they came to Bell Block market with sub-standard pies to what they usually sell in the cafe. Probably frozen in Auckland and reheated for the market. However, there is no excuse for selling that kind of pie for that kind of price and at the end of the day I can only judge them on what they serve me and what I got was crap.

Also, it came complete with poor service. I arrived at a stall with no one in attendance. A 'dude' then came towards us and I realised that the 3 guys being blokes standing by a ute setback 5m behind the stall were the stall holders. I got a surly reception with a definite feeling of "annoying customer interrupted my 'boy talk.'" I ordered two pies, paid the 'dude' some money and then he promptly resumed his 'boy talk' by the ute.

In the end...

The pie cost $9! Majority of pastry was soggy, filling was disappointing and the only highlight was a good-looking pie lid that was actually tasty. I think we were ripped off with crap service just to top off the experience.

After going to Oscars Kiwi Cafe I was left thinking there should be more places making steak and blue cheese pies but HeavenScent Food Co. should stop or at least go away and stay in Auckland.

I give you the location of their Auckland Cafe if you want to give them a go...