I love when new pasty shops open. Sure, it gives me another pasty to review, but it’s also a good sign that in 2020, new shops can open. Unfortunately, Great Lakes Pot Pies had to deal with the coronavirus pandemic for their official store opening, yet to my knowledge, they got plenty of business.
I’m not sure if their store hours will change, but Monday through Friday, it’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., which means you’ll likely have to order before you normally eat dinner. It’s not the easiest way to enjoy a hot pasty, but hey, if they have success and can be home at a reasonable time, more power to them. On my visit, they didn’t have a ton of hot pasties available so I suggest calling ahead to make sure they have what you want unless you’re fine with frozen. If you live in the Royal Oak area, they also sell at local Farmers Markets.
As seen in the name, Great Lakes Pot Pies focuses more so on pot pies. They have your regular chicken and beef, but they also do almost everything gluten-free (including cookies) and even have naked pot pies aka dairy-free versions. They kind of do something for everyone, which is pretty cool.
Of course, my first venture was the Pasty Hand Pie. I’m not sure why that’s the name because a pasty and hand pie are basically the same thing. Since they’re located in Michigan, it’s important to note that these aren’t regular pasties you find around the state. It’s seven dollars for one, but it’s probably about half the size of a regular pasty, which left me a tad hungry after I had one for dinner. Some pasties can weigh up to 16 ounces, while these are listed at 4.9 ounces.
Given the size, it’s hard to grade this pasty on a true scale, but I can grade the taste. The crust was a simple pie crust, which they likely use for their pot pies. That kind of made it fragile to eat with my hand halfway through, though that was likely due to the beef stock used.
Again, these pasties are more Cornish rather than like others in Michigan, at least in taste. The beef stock was a nice touch with the sage and thyme. If that’s not something you’ve experienced, I suggest trying these. Maybe not for dinner, but a snack will do because you can get frozen ones and pop them in the microwave (I put mine in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350).
In addition to the flavor, there was a ton of beef in mine. I’m not sure if that’s how all of them are, but every bite I had was full of beef with maybe a potato or rutabaga or onion. It’s likely if they made full size pasties, the meat-to-veggie ratio would be smaller.
If these were true pasties with a true pasty crust, they’d be onto something. Even though they aren’t, I still think they’re worth coming back for. If you want a hot one, I’d call early in the day so they make one for you because they’re always whipping up batches for the Farmers Markets. Oh, and make sure to get a cookie.
Taste: 4 (out of 5)
Crust: 3 (out of 5)
Pasty Presentation: 3 (out of 5)
The Shop: 2.5 (out of 3)
Would I come back for Pasties?: 1.5 (out of 2)
Total Pasty Rating: 14 (of 20 points)
Reviewed Summer 2020
