Now before you start, it’s nothing you need to be getting on the phone to health and safety about. It was a special which I tried for the Nottingham Post and not something I particularly wanted to repeat in a hurry. If you didn’t see the feature, rest assured, the crickets were not whole. It had a kind of meaty texture but a somewhat vinegary taste.
The Pie Minister story begins in 1867, when one William Gillard starts a family pie tradition by making sauces, pickles and pies in London. That tradition is carried through the family to Jon Simon, one of the founders of Pieminister. Jon comes to Nottingham in 1992 to study Furniture & Product Design and meets girlfriend, Romany. He persuades his tutors that he should go to Australia for inspiration, however it’s down under that he discovers Aussie pies are far better than the ones back home!
So, back to the evening in question and the menu – how does it work? Firstly you choose from a range of humorously named pies. The names are pretty self explanatory but the menu provides information on each. For example the ‘Moo’ is British beef steak & craft ale pie. Then there’s the Deer Stalker – wild British venison, bacon, red wine & green lentil pie, not forgetting the Kate & Sidney. This is what my Dad used to call steak & kidney when I was little. It was one of my favourite foods until I got old enough to realise what kidney was!
I loved the sound of the Saag Pie-Neer – Pea, paneer, spinach, potato, chilli & mango pie. Saag Paneer is one of my favourite Indian dishes, but I fancied something more traditional. With that in mind, I went for the Chicken of Aragon – Free range British chicken, dry cured bacon & tarragon pie. My dining companion, the Fungi Chicken – Free range British Chicken, portabello & chestnut mushroom pie.
Pie decided upon, it’s time to pick your pie meal. The classic meal is £7.50 and you get mash and gravy or Pieminister slaw with your pie. My companion went for this option and was not disappointed. For those slightly hungrier, the next step up is the Mothership at £9.00. You still get your mash and gravy, but you also get delicious minty mushy peas, cheddar cheese and crispy shallots. I went for this option. It was beautifully presented and the crispy shallots on top added another texture and flavour dimension.
For those with larger appetites you can go for The Feast. £10 gets you your pie and two sides and one stick (sticks being pigs in blankets, Halloumi or Onion Rings). If you really want to go for it, try the Stick Em Up. £11 gets you your pie, one side and three sticks.
My pie has a golden crust is generously filled and sits on a bed of mash, peas, cheese and the crispy shallots sit atop it with lovely thick gravy served separately.
Should you not want pie (why are you going to a pie restaurant??), Pieminister also offer a menu of skillets.
No meal is complete with a pudding, or maybe a pie! There’s a choice of three sweet pies to choose from, all priced at £5; Toffee Apple Ice Cream Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie and Glastonbury Mud Ice Cream Pie as well as a Sticky Toffee Pud and a Hot Chocolate Pud. I couldn’t resist the Glastonbury Mud Ice Cream Pie, which came with meringue, chocolate sauce and almonds.
It looked amazing and tasted great, but as a slight criticism it tasted like the whole thing had just been taken out of the freezer, rather than just made. I could be wrong.
