KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Butter. Flour. Water. That’s all you need to make a pie crust but strangely, there were so few worthy versions in the Klang Valley until Magpie Cafe opened its doors.
Tucked into the back section of Ativo Plaza, near HeroMarket, it’s well worth seeking out this place for pies-on-the-go or eating them on the spot at their small seating area.
Peek through the glass window for a view of their pie-making process which will tempt you to indulge your pie cravings.
The menu offers 10 options with familiar flavours like the Chicken Pot Pie, Beef Steak and Cheese or Mushroom and Sicilian Vegetarian. There’s also a Smoked Duck Quiche too.
It’s not just safe flavours as they also offer a new way to enjoy your butter chicken or beef rendang, covered with pastry.
Each pie has a shortcrust pastry bottom, topped with puff pastry or a shortcrust pastry lid, with the exception of the Apple & Cranberry Pie that is covered with crumble.
The crust is said to be crafted from 100 per cent New Zealand butter where it’s got more flavour and thankfully none of that artificial smell from the use of shortening.
What’s interesting is there’s an option to add a side salad or mushy peas for an extra RM4.50, reminiscent of how the British enjoy their pies, without any mint as the owner isn’t particularly fond of that flavour pairing.
The texture for the mushy peas is more like a sauce, which works better as you tuck into the pie.
On its own, the mushy peas have a slight sweetness that can be balanced with the savoury gravy (chicken or beef) served in small pots.
Beef Steak & Cheese (RM17.90) is a classic with a generous filling of Australia-sourced beef stewed till tender together with carrots, onions and herbs that works well with the flaky puff pastry lid.
On the same classic flavours line-up, the Chicken Pot Pie (RM12.90) comes with chicken thigh meat cut into cubes, cooked till tender and accompanied with peas, carrots, mushrooms and sweet corn, in a cream sauce.
Both pies have a meaty bite, making it substantial enough for lunch or a light dinner.
The only sweet option on the menu was the Apple & Cranberry Pie (RM12.90) that came missing its crumble topping, which we didn’t notice until much later.
Perhaps it would have made it better but the star of the show were the stewed apple slices with pops of cranberries tumbling out once we cut through the shortcrust pastry.
Cooked to perfection, not too mushy but tender, the apples had a lovely natural sweetness, making the whole pie my number one favourite here.
Apparently there are plans to add another sweet pie using cream cheese studded with chunks of pineapple, coconut and blueberries, so let’s cross our fingers that it’s on par with the apple version.
Magpie Cafe
B-G-01, AP 01,
Block B, Ativo Plaza,
No.1, Jalan PJU 9/1,
Damansara Avenue,
Bandar Sri Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012-3761518
Open: 9am to 7pm. Closed on Monday.
Instagram: @magpie_pies
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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