“I’m not sure what I just ate.”
That was the first thing I asked myself after finishing the… ‘pasty’ from the Rocks for Fun Café Pastie Shop. Because their pasties are of a different breed, they call them Rockin-Pockets.
“Customers say they are better than pasties.”
But why put ‘Pastie Shop’ in the title?
Either way, the shop can be found off Route 45 in Tigerton, Wisconsin. My first experience with Wisconsin pasties wasn’t great (Reynold’s Pasty Shop) and this one wasn’t any better.
If you don’t like weird, quirky, older people that think they’re funny, this probably isn’t the place. If you go inside, expect to get a comedy routine with the many rocks inside. Not to say the shop isn’t run by nice people because it is a friendly, inviting environment.
Along with that, the owner talks down traditional pasties and claims that he took away the extra dough to make the perfect crust without “the handle” on it. Well, all I can say is that the crust is not perfect, nor fitting for a pasty.
I compared this crust to that of an Uncrustable, which is to say, not good at all for a pasty of any kind. The Rock Shop builds itself on having many flavors, but with a soft, mushy crust, does it really matter what’s inside?
The 21 spices, which are in most of their pasties, adds a nice flavor to the inside, but again that doesn’t really make anything better. Everything is diced small, while the potatoes are sliced hash-brown style, and that was a nice touch. However, in the Rutabaga version, there weren’t many fillings. And in the end, that left me without a full stomach.
If you want a pasty, this probably isn’t the place to go. If you want to try something different, more similar to a calzone (according to The Pasty Dad), try something from the Rock Shop. Otherwise, move along to the Upper Peninsula to get a real pasty.
Taste: 1 (out of 5)
Crust: .5 (out of 5)
Pasty Presentation: 1.5 (out of 5)
The Shop: 1 (out of 3)
Would I come back for Pasties?: 0 (out of 2)
Total Pasty Ranking: 4 (of 20 points)
(Reviewed Spring 2016)
I think you should re-review this place. The pasties are amazing, and the guy that runs the store is hilarious.
Have been there once, Quirky sums it up. Pasties here are similar to Australian Meat Pies. Thus it is more like Puff Pastry. Haven’t had an U.P. Pasty.
We love this place and the pasties. My son-in-law is a Upper and loves the variety and flavors. The owner is hilarious and is not necessarily “talking down “ other pasties but is pitching his with the story of pasties. Go for the fun and take some pasties with you.
these pasties are the best. We drive from Milwaukee to get them
For 40+ years we have vacationed Up North every summer and winter, thus driving right past “Rocks For Fun” four times annually. We love a good pasty. We have stopped here once. I agree with The Pasty Guy’s review, for the most part. I’d have to qualify the “friendly environment” statement. Maybe the quirky older guy was having a bad day, but the one time my daughter’s family dropped in, he hovered over the two grandkids, constantly berating them not to touch his rock creations. Since they hadn’t touched them, and didn’t seem inclined to do so, my daughter became so annoyed they left without buying any pasties.