(multiple locations)
2218 NW Market St
Seattle, WA

Website: https://www.piebar.com/
Hours: Weds to Sun 6:00pm to Midnight

DK: Every year, some local news outlet asks a 100-year-old lady, “What’s the secret to eternal life.” If the crew’s found an old coot that understands good TV, the answer back is always “whisky.” When my family asked my elderly aunt the same question, she said, “always eating dessert.” Well, call me Ponce de Leon, because on our Seattle trip I led Ed to Pie Bar to drink from the fountain of youth. Or to at least test old-lady wisdom.

ES: I’m glad we didn’t emerge out of that establishment visit with whipped cream beards on our way out. We had to look clean and shaven, with many years taken out, since added facial hair is an indicator. Although we hit this establishment late at night, I must say the more operations that exist till midnight are perfect for the drinking crowd. 

After all that mead I had from Skål Beer hall, I still wanted something savoury and perhaps also sweet too. Thankfully Don knew the area and suggested this operation which is nearly everywhere in most of Seattle. They offer a great variety and I could’ve gone for the Australian Curry Pot Pie, since the meal I had prior wasn’t all that filling. But instead, I settled on the classic banana cream pie! They serve them big and thick here, and did I gain a few pounds? Probably.

DK: I went for the Ballard Bumble Berry Crumble—a mixture of granny smith apples, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries—and wasn’t disappointed. Pie Bar manages to avoid the cardinal sin of thickening their pie filling into a gelatinous mess. Points for that. Points deducted for using shortening in their crust; my preference being butter (I am fairly confident saying Pie Bar uses shortening in their crust. Flavour, texture, and a 14-year-old Seattle Weekly story about founder Lyss Lewis’ old joint, Seattle Pie Company, make me pretty certain). 

That leaves just the crumble topping to critique. The worst crumble dissolves into a filling like a gummy mess. The best rides on top and provides a chewy, crunchy textural counter-balance to the filling. The Pie Bar crumble is, well… Honestly I don’t have much to say about it. Which I guess makes it fine, but forgettable?

ES: Perhaps each Pie Bar location is different. I still have fond memories of what I ate from the Pie Bar’s Capitol Hill Location. This one in North Seattle may have similar decor, and the only difference is that they have singing servers! We were treated to a little show since they got into the music playing on the radio. 

Aside from that, what’s delicious in one joint may not necessarily be the same at another. At least, I’ll follow my nose wherever Shaggy Rogers (from Scooby-Doo) goes. The fact they’re all open till late night (2am on Friday and Saturday) is good enough for ghost hunters like me.

4 Blokes out of 5