They've Got These Pies...

Last week, I stopped into the Down Under Bakery, on Prospect Park West for a taste of Antipodean cuisine. The cornerstone of DUB's menu is the New Zealand pie, which also seems to be a cornerstone of New Zealand cuisine.

Down Under Bakery does a brisk takeout business, and provides pies for other venues (I had my first DUB pie, a Thai curry pie, at The Bell House in Gowanus). The storefront operation has a small, spare dining room- strictly no frills here. Service was good, but I was the only customer on the premises at the time. The steak and cheese pie was good, a well-prepared, simple item- I imagine it would be a perfect complement to a nice, fat pint of beer (I had to settle for a delicious ginger tea). A spinach and feta roll was a good chaser for the pie. Foolishly, I decided to forgo dessert, though reading a description of the Lamington makes me regret my folly. Next time, this mistake will not be repeated.

All told, Down Under Bakery makes for an interesting snack/light meal alternative, though I must confess that it won't knock the local pizzeria off it's premier position in the "quick but good" food pantheon.

Note: The breakfast pie featured on the DUB menu seems to be a nod to American tastes- I have been led to believe that the traditional breakfast in New Zealand consists of black pudding and akvavit.