By Stanley Miller
If you’re looking for an amazing taste of history Pouch Pies is the place to be! This amazing restaurant offers amazing service and delicious food. It primarily serves meat pies which is considered a British tradition. The décor also compliments the menu by giving it an English flare. The owners of the restaurant are of South African, Scottish and Maltese descent and sought to bring their heritage to Athens by opening the restaurant.
As someone with West Indian roots I was drawn to the Mumbai Pie while looking at the menu being it contains curry lamb. I ordered this with a side of beer-battered fries, macaroni and cheese and a glass of sweet tea. As the waitress brought the plate to me the aroma hit me immediately, sparking an excitement to taste the food. As I bit into the crispy, light brown pie I tasted the savory crust. The crust was of a texture similar to that of an apple pie but not as sweet. While biting more into the crust the spicy curry sauce busted into my mouth giving me a taste of the chewy lamb which was seasoned to perfection.
The crispy, beer-battered fries were fried to perfection which gave it a golden appearance. The potatoes used were obviously fresh. I dipped the fries into the creamy, dark-brown gravy and was amazed by its rich and savory flavor. On the other hand, the macaroni and cheese was sub-par. Being from The Bahamas, macaroni and cheese is a staple dish. Therefore, my standards are different. Real macaroni and cheese to me is baked, cheesy and thick. Their macaroni and cheese did not meet this for me. The macaroni and cheese they served was pale, loose and kind of fresh. Therefore, based on the macaroni and cheese available to me in Athens, it got the job done but was not impressive.
Overall, the meal was definitely one to come back for. I will return to try some of the other pies on the menu. Beyond the food, I must say the service was incredible. The staff was friendly and served the food in a timely manner. While waiting on the food I discussed with the waitress their heritage, the history of the food and how this family business was started. She said that they may consider expanding the restaurant by opening other locations. She also said that her family was inspired to open the restaurant in Athens because her brother attended the University of Georgia. They thought it would be great to bring something different to Athens as it relates to food. For this reason, I would recommend anyone tired of the same old fast food, dining hall food or other typical college-life food to go to Pouch Pies. This food is so good it will make you lick your fingers and maybe even bite them off!
Photo courtesy of Yelp.
EAThens 