Did you go to the Pie Hole after Hook & Plow?

Yup. Had parked on Vista Del Mar. Two turns later - there was The Pie Hole. And, since it was open and we were right there, I ducked in for some pie to take home plus an iced coffee. Helps that they have a loading zone right in front.

Also, just realized that it must have opened fairly recently because when we'd gone by a few weeks back, it was still not ready for business.

David

yes, recent. You are the only one who I know has been so whatdja think? I was going to meet friend last week but she had been exposed to covid and a slice of expensive pie didn't seem worth it to me.

Soft diet



Basque burnt cheesecake , Brera .. Espresso Frappuccino
The � amuse bouch� �



Pumpkin soup


Papaya and plum , waffles with kaya ( gave up after a bite )


Coffee ice cream , Les Amis

I got pissed off. I’m still pissed off. But we don’t discuss such things here or I’ll be sent to timeout.

Made gyros out of leftovers. Excellent application of leftover lamb although it was a pain slicing it that thin. No pictures. We were starved.

Thanks for the great idea! I have half of my lamb shank leftover...maybe more. I will pick up some pita tomorrow and make gyros!!
Don't you have an electric knife--perfect for slicing meats really thin.

Easter:
Lugano Swiss bistro, carmel CA:
jager schnitzel (pork with mushroom sauce) with spaetzle und rotkohl
shared salad & fondue
shared chocolate fondue

tonight:
CPK, monterey CA:
shared wedge salad
mushroom / pepperoni / sausage pizza

cold stone creamery, monterey CA:
strawberry with golden Oreos mix-in

Well, we've only had one slice of pie so far. There's still one more slice in the fridge that I want to try before I give you a verdict.

But then, I'm a pie guy so remember that when I post.

David

p.s. WRT when the place opened, Google Maps is showing review from their soft opening 3 weeks ago, so, yes, recent.

Duh. I sure do. But it�s in a cabinet. Out of sight. Instead I contemplated how to fit the lamb into the little hole in the food processor which appears to have a blade for thin slicing. I still have enough for another set of gyros. Which should now be easier to prepare. Thanks, Corky.

Everyone has a 25 year old electric knife stashed away somewhere! It is the perfect holiday tool...great for slicing turkey at thanksgiving and prime rib at Christmas and lamb or ham at Easter. The rest of the year it can stay out of sight. I am trying to imagine trying to squish the lamb into the feed tube of a processor. If the lamb was very cold a mandoline might work.

For asians, it's a large meat cleaver. That said, there are two more kitchen utensils I want/need.... one I can use regularly, the other one would be a waste of resources...

1) 2)
Tell me you don't want either.

I just want one.

Abuelita's Chocolate Pie, The Pie Hole, Redondo Beach, CA:



My wife's first comment: Wow. That's good.

My comments: Definitely a superior pie. Fairly dense/rich with cinnamon and orange spices and flavors to accentuate the rich chocolate. As the Mrs. pointed out, it's hard to mess up a Graham cracker crust but it was also a superior crust as well.

Going back to the Coconut cream slice posted earlier, while it was fresh, it didn't have the same pop of flavor that the chocolate one had. And the crust was inferior since it had been overworked and wasn't flakey at all.

So more sampling required...and let corky go have her own way with a slice or two of her own choosing. And, yes it wasn't cheap but that's Riviera Village for you.

David

I used to want a meat slicer. I still do, but between my other seldom-used tools and Mrs BV’s decorative nonsense cluttering the counters, there’s simply no room. And the cabinets are all overflowing with things I can’t recall until after I need them so don’t bother suggesting that.

As far as the kebab meat spit, I was surprised at how many gyro recipes called for making a meatloaf out of ground lamb and ground beef. Further proof that I don’t need this tool. God forbid I should buy one after the wife has seen those same recipes.

I own a cleaver. Mrs BV counts my fingers every time after I put it back in the drawer. I really shouldn’t be trusted with it.

Lol. A meat slicer I need. I just don't have a big enough area for it (maybe after I actually pull the trigger and do a reno). Whole chunks of meat are a lot cheaper.... I find if I want to do hotpot for example, the pre-sliced stuff is double the price. And my knifing skills aren't that good as a meat slicer. But I know the slicer will earn it's cost back especially during the winter.

As for the spit, it really depends on what you're making. Gyro is in effect, a grilled meatloaf. You can kinda get away with using a broiler if you really have to. But if you're doing shawarma or donair (same thing really), you need some sort of rotisserie. Cutting both up can be done the same way with the same tools. But a vertical spit allows for a different cooking process Just taking chopped up meat chunks and stir frying them isn't the same. Broiling is also different I was actually discussing the difference between BBQ chicken vs. fried chicken with a colleague earlier today. Different flavour/texture profile.