What’s Your Pie Face?
It seems like Manila has become a darling of foreign franchises. We’ve got international ramen and tonkatsu joints opening left and right, and coffee chains like Costa Coffee intending to establish its presence in the country. In the sea of these new faces, Pie Face, an Australian bakery chain, intends to stand out through its fresh-baked handcrafted, addicting creations.
Pie Face originated in Australia, but it has already gained following in Singapore, Dubai, and Bangkok. In the Philippines, two branches have already been put up by the team of Michelle Chan (CEO) and Alfred Lay (COO): its pioneer branch being situated in MOA, and its newest 24/7 branch in Eastwood.
At first glance, Pie Face may seem like your typical coffee shop with the same old espresso selections. However, within seconds, your eyes will surely be drawn to the rows of sweet and savory pies that welcome you upon entering the shop.
Pie Face prides on the fact that no two of its pies are exactly alike; primarily because each is handcrafted by its professionally trained bakers. Interesting flavors such as the Lamb Pot Pie, Philly Cheese Steak, and the Spicy Chili con Carne will surely catch your attention! The recipes of the pie fillings are sourced from different Pie Face branches all over the world. Alfred Lay shares that the company places a premium in assuring that their pies maintain the same quality standard Pie Face is known for; thus, most of their ingredients are imported, and specifically sourced. They only use 100% Australian beef for all their steak fillings; and butter sourced specifically from France.
PHILLY CHEESE STEAK (P49)
Each flavor bears a particular smiley face to serve as an indicator of the pie filling. The company uses short crust as the base for all its pies; and tops each savory pie with a delicious and delicately made puff pastry. I’m currently obsessed with its Philly Cheese Steak pie, which features succulent chunks of beef, and melted cheese that wonderfully oozes out of the pie. However, if you’re really looking for a taste of Australia, the Classic Aussie Mince is the way to go. An insider tip that Alfred shared with us is to pair the pies with Heinz Ketchup. Yep, you read that right, ketchup. I’m far from a fan of ketchup, but the tanginess of the ketchup marries well with the salty filling. Trust me, this is a match made in heaven!
If you fancy something for your sweet tooth, Pie Face also has an interesting selection of sweet pies in its line-up. It has classic flavors such as Chocolate and Butterscotch, but it also has interesting flavors such as its Key Lime Pie and PB&J. Similar to its savory pies, Pie Face lends the same level of attention to detail to its sweet pies.
Each pie cup may look like a mouthful; but one is enough to fill you up. Its Chocolate variant is made from lusciously thick Belgian dark chocolate that’s too indulgent for one person; while the Key Lime Pie and Lemon flavors did not shy away from showcasing their tartness. My personal favorite would have to be the PB&J, as it’s topped with a peanut buttery-dome encasing the sweet jelly which guiltily oozes out in every bite.
CARAMEL MACCHIATO (P99)
Although pies are at the heart of Pie Face (for obvious reasons); it’s not the only thing worth talking about. Pie Face partners with 2012-2014 Golden Bean Award Winner, Di Bella Coffee for its coffee selections. What makes me crazy about it is that a cup only costs P99! It's slightly sweeter than Starbucks'; but the price point definitely won me over.
Pie Face’s pies are definitely topnotch (try it out yourself to believe); but what makes it standout is its extreme value for money. Its small pies are priced under P50; while its bigger-sized pies peak at P130. They also offer unit discounts when buying it in bulk (and yes, I guarantee that a box of 12 would be finished within an hour)!
From time to time, Pie Face would feature seasonal variants from different Pie Faces around the world; but the local franchise holder also intends to launch its own local line. Alfred shared to us that Adobo, Kare Kare, and Menudo are some of the fillings lined up in its pipeline. If that doesn’t excite you enough, well Pie Face will try to sneak in three more branches before we bid goodbye in 2015. Watch out for it in SM Fairview, BGC, and SM Megamall soon!
Pie Face
GF, Techno Plaza 2, Eastwood City
Date of Visit: September 15, 2015 (with Mina Tionloc)
The article above is a feature, as the writer was invited to a Bloggers’ event conducted by Pie Face.
