Somehow I always end up trying something new for my holiday meal. It’s kind of a tradition now, the trying-something-new. This year, I skipped the mock meaties, the un-this, roast-that and went with a humble pot pie. But not any ol’ pie, vegan ones from Pot Pie Paradise in Hayward, CA.
Tucked away in an industrial park, this no-frills deli isn’t just a slice of paradise but the whole pie. Focusing on healthy ingredients and creative fillings, they have a selection of homemade pot pies that changes daily, including a nice variety of vegan and vegetarian ones. I got three to try out:
Jerk Tempeh Vegan (pictured above)
Sometimes I’m a little wary of getting tempeh in restaurants (it can be bitter if not prepared properly) but the pie was delicious. Great jerk flavor, plenty of tempeh and veggies, nicely spiced.
Piccata Mushroom Vegan (not pictured)
Even though the directions say it can be microwaved. Don’t. It leaves the crust soggy. Reheating in the oven is way better, resulting in a beautiful crust, flaky and buttery as it’s meant to be. No photo as there’s no point in taking one of a soggy crust (or maybe I should have as an example of what not to do). The filling is a mushroom lover’s dream – shiitake, oyster, portobello, along with orzo and fresh herbs.
Sweet Potato Thai Curry Vegan (pictured above, fresh out of the oven)
Filled with vegetables and Thai curry flavor but it seemed a bit drier than the other two. I would have liked more sauce. It’s the only quibble really. Overall, it’s pretty good.
But there’s still other vegan flavors to try such as Tikka Masala or Tuscan Delight and there’s dessert pies too. Besides the buttery crust, I really liked their range of atypical fillings. I can see why they were on the pot pie episode of Travel Channel’s Food Paradise. If you’re ever in the area, it’s definitely a must try.
Posts of Christmas Past
A Very Crabby Holiday
Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y
Smoked Vegetarian Goose for the Holidays
oh my goodness these sound incredible! I wish i could try them all!
I would never have expected to find vegan options in a place like this, but they all sound amazing! I guess that’s California for you, huh? ;) Not that I’m the least bit jealous, oh no… Sheesh, that mushroom medley has got to be incredible!
The mushroom piccata pie sounds especially enticing, but all of them sound holiday-worthy. There’s something wonderfully homey about a steaming pot pie.
Oh man that crust looks perfect! And the fillings sound lovely!
Pot pies are one of my favorite comfort food! I just made myself a massive pot pie last week with local produces – leeks, mushrooms, brussels sprouts and other veggies! The Sweet Potato Thai Curry one sounds interesting to try and I prefer my fillings a bit creamy and saucy.
Hello From Volrecepten
We are a recipe search engine and I would like to invite you to join our site and make your recipes available to many people. If you liked it, you can join through the top blogs on the right of the page.
Please, contact me if you any question :)
Wow – great recommendation, thanks! Sounds totally worth driving over the bridge for. :)