Back in London and Feasting at Pieminister

Currently back in London for work, there are plenty of fun culinary finds to explore, including in Camden, the neighborhood where I'm currently residing.  For those of you who've been to Camden, you can liken it to a funky, alternative neighborhood such as the East Village in NYC where there's never of shortage of something different and interesting.

On our first night here, my friend and colleague Rebekah and I stumbled upon a pie and mash pop-up shop called Pieminister.  I didn't put two and two together that night since it was late in the evening already, but it turns out I've already tried it this summer at Borough Market .  This was more than OK with me, as they have tons of fun varieties of meat pies to choose from, so this gave me yet another opportunity to do that.

Atmosphere:
Situated just a few short blocks from the Camden Market food stalls on Chalk Farm Road, the Pieminister pop-up shop is easy to spot, as it's still very much on that main drag.  The facade takes your attention right away, as its adorned with a large "Cattle Market" sign with bright pop art of cows and pies in the window.  I didn't actually notice the Pieminister branding until I came inside, and shortly after recalled this place from when I visited Borough Market back in August.

The inside is spacious and comfortable with plenty of communal seating in two separate dining areas.  Loving the playfully colorful decor, there's a lot of bright reds, yellows and overall fun pop-ey design that makes the atmosphere cheerfully playful.  I stopped in during lunchtime and was happy to see that it wasn't overly crowded, allowing me to have a pretty peaceful respite.

Meat Pies:
Since I tried a beef based pie last time, I wanted something lighter and went with the Chicken of Aragon.  Filled with free range British chicken, smoked bacon and tarragon it was oh so flavorful and comforting.  The crust was well done and golden on top, and at the last minute, I decided to pour the whole thing over with some meaty gravy.  The latter totally did the trick and enhanced the pie overall, as I remember the one I had this summer being tasty but a tad bit dry.  I'd highly recommend this particular pie, as it's not too heavy, and the portion was a good one for lunch - no sides needed.

Service and Cost:
The staff here is really friendly and attentive.  After ordering my pie and leisurely sitting down at one of the big tables, my food was brought to me in a mere 5 minutes.  My pie was beautiful, fresh and piping hot.

Each pie will set you back 4.50 pounds (or $6.50).  If you add another 50 pence on to that, you'll get the gravy too, so for about $8, you'll get yourself a very tasty and satisfying lunch.

3 Mmmms

Pieminister Pop-Up Shop - 21-22 Chalk Farm Road, Camden London NW1 8AG
07582390124
Northern Line Tube to Camden Town
www.pieminister.co.uk