Baked Goods
The Pie Shack
"Listen, I'm a pie man," says Tim McConvey, owner of the new Pie Shack in the Beaches. "Me with no pie is like an Esso with no gas." He looks at my friends and me with an expression bordering hysterical excitement and deep regret. There is no meat pie for us to try today at Pie Shack (regretfully), because less than a week after opening, the staff cannot keep up with insatiable customer demand (exciting, especially for a man pushing pie). "I have had to quadruple my order and it is still not enough!"
Tim is ordering from Erez and Keren Hadad, the husband and wife team gracing his shop with their pie making skills. They are "perfectionists," Tim reveals, citing the day last week when there was no rhubarb pie because Erez "went to the market and didn't like the looks of the rhubarb." This is the kind of story I like to hear. As disappointed as I was about the lack of savouries - the steak, mushroom and ale or the pork and caramelized onion pies - I scope out the sweet selection (apricot, pear, and peach the day that we went) and feel certain I'm in the good hands of some discerning bakers.
My people take a seat at one of the unfinished wood tables with three coffees (from Dark City) and a pot of earl grey tea for the caffeine adverse (bless ya, Johnnie, and your sensitive stomach). I take up the menu/info book and peruse the "fun facts" on the back of it - pie related statistics, like eighty-nine percent of Canadians have eaten pie in bed, and three in five people have eaten an entire pie by themselves. "Hm," I say, and "interesting." The pie man notices what I'm up to.
"Do you ever watch Letterman?" he asks. "He does this thing where he makes up stupid statistics. I was watching the show one night and I thought, 'I could do that!'" "Oh," I say, mildly disappointed. "So all of these are made up?" Tim beams. "One hundred percent."
The pie arrives at our table. We're offered vanilla ice cream on the side, and told to help ourselves to more coffee... because the refills are free! (I feel my life significantly improve at the mention of free refills, not just because I can have another cup today, but also because I suspect that this is becoming a trend all over the city.)
Each of our slices (we've ordered at least one each of apricot, peach and pear) contain fresh, gigantic pieces of fruit. And the crust is something else. It is amazingly flakey and light, fresh and buttery. "I usually don't like pie crust," quips Alyssa (that's right - she came along too). "But I like this."
And be sure it's sitting well in Johnnie's sensitive stomach.
The other half of Tim McConvey's team is Daniel James, and his energy somehow matches the pie man's. "I forced my way in here," he tells me of their partnership. "I knew this place was going to be big." The two of them tell me about their future plans: late nights in the summer (they're already open until midnight on some nights), an antique bike for deliveries (which Daniel has already dubbed "the slicer") and a liquor license (so they can make "pie-tinis"). Most notably, the pair have made plans to construct a mini pie shack (a dog house) out on the sidewalk, for a dog named Campbell who hangs out in the back alley. (And in this establishment, doggie bags go by the name "Campbell bags.")
We say our goodbyes and make promises to return for some savouries. The supply logistics will be worked out by then, we're promised. On the way out, Alyssa notices a fishing lure hanging from a shelf in the display case. She snaps some photos of it. "You like that?" says Tim. "I brought it here from home." He points out some photographs on the wall, the (communal) ipod dock, and the antique pie safe (where people used to put their pies, to keep them safe). "Everything here is from home. My place is completely empty right now."
Dude, that's one hundred percent commitment. Good luck to you (as if you need it).
Photos by Alyssa Bistonath
Discussion
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I can't wait to go in and try them out...I have been walking by daily and keep saying I am going to go in and try them...especially now that I know they meat pies, as well as desert pies!
pieshack.ca
Just what we need in The Beach. I recommend the sandwiches and salads as well, the grilled veg and the chicken mango sandwiches are to die for. Great food and great people!
I loved the decor and style of the place, very unique, and it suits the beach well.
Now onto the pies, I had a slice of their apple cinnamon and my husband had the peach pie with a scope of vanilla ice cream. My husband liked the peach pie, I thought the apple cinnamon was so-so. The apple cinnamon had slices of almonds in it which I didn't know before I ate it, didn't like the nuts in with the pie, thought the apples were a little dry, but I did love the pastry!
I think the Pie shack will do well, I did think the $4.50 a slice for a fruit pie was a little expensive, the prices have obviously gone up since they have opened. The price of a whole pie is $25.00, again a little steep in my opinion. The pies are not made there, which I did think was unfortunate, since the smell of pies cooking inside would have drawn more people inside in my opinion. The pies are baked off-site by two pastry chefs that I believe were trained @ The Cordon Bleu Cooking School.
I wish The Pie Shack the best of luck and hope they do well in the Beach.
The peach pie had one slice of peach in it. One. It was a fresh peach, but it was only a slice. The crust was great but I want fruit in my fruit pie.
Maybe the pie filling was a little off-centre, maybe the rest of the pie had fruit, but why serve a slice like that to a paying customer?
Shabby
An admirer from the old days. Annette
As for Tim, he is great. He wants to know your name and the second time I went in, he remembered who I was and remembered my name. On my first visit to pick up a pie, he walked me to the door and he held it open for me.
I have never really been a big fan of pies until I went to the Pie Shack. This place will no doubt be as strong a beach institution as Ed's. Places like these make the neighbourhood that much better.
It is interesting to read some of the negative reviews here! All I can say to those people is that this place is hopping busy! And there must be a reason for that!
Cute store concept though. Really.
Part of the reason I keep going back is Tim's warmth. I don't know him personally but he is always enthusiastic (a difficult trait to maintain in customer service). Keep up the great work!
Nonetheless, I do wish the owners best of luck. The service was good and friendly.
Absolutely amazing. Went there today and had Bumbleberry Pie with ice cream and coffee and it was soo good. I must say this place is amazing, and Tim was very friendly. Going back tomorrow to have more because to be honest i love pie and Tim's are the best I have had in a long time. Recommend this place to anyone and will frequent it often for sure!