The Rustic Pie Co: Move Over Mrs Mac's

The pie is an Australian icon and everyone has their own special way of eating them. After about 15 years of experimentation with party pies, Mrs Mac's pies etc I have found my favourite method is to take a bite, pull off the top, chow that down with whatever sauce is available and then I eat the rest - usually with one hand! Yum.

I headed to Top Ryde which has undergone renovations and now has great restaurants on the La Strada level, one of these being The Rustic Pie Co.

Or should I say The Rusti Pie C 

The combos are well priced as you can see with $2 increases for every extra side:

My boyfriend and I both bought Combo 2 each which was our choice of a pie, a side, gravy and a drink for $9.90. The sides available were Sweet Potato Mash, Mashed Pea, Mash Potato, Fries and Curly Fries. For my drink I chose Lemon, Lime & Bitters which usually isn't included in combos at other cafes so I was a happy chappy. Meanwhile my boyfriend ordered a Chocolate Milkshake. Both drinks were delicious!

Lemon, Lime and Bitters, Chocolate Milkshake: Because every drink tastes better in a jar apparently

Now onto the pies. I was a little disappointed to see that the pies sit in a warmer like at bakeries but I didn't let that dampen my mood because the range of pies were huge!

My boyfriend got the Pie Special which was a Thai Chicken Pie and his side was Pea Mash. The pie was average and the pea mash looked like guacamole and needed some salt. The gravy was watery and a little bland.

Thai Chicken Pie and Mashed Peas: Who needs a knife and fork when eating pies? Roll up your
sleeves and use your hands!

For my pie I ordered the Red Wine Beef and my side was Curly Fries. I really enjoyed the curly fries - they were crispy and delicious. My beef pie was good and I was happy to see some chunks of beef in it but there was no strong taste of red wine which was disappointing but then again perhaps a good turn of events as I was driving.

Red Wine Beef Pie and Curly Fries: Curly fries aren't only for kids

Overall, I thought The Rustic Pie Co is great value for your money and it has a very warm environment. The service was great and I would return to enjoy the other pies.

Rating: 7/10