U.P. North Sandwich and Pasty Co.

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I love authentic pasty salads.

U.P. North Sandwich and Pasty Co. tries to live up to its name as much as possible. The name is slightly odd since it should be UP without the periods as U.P. already refers to the north. Alas… Upper Peninsula North it is.

They get things kind of right from the yooper perspective (it helps that the owner is from Marquette) with trenary toast on the shelf and numerous pasty-ish postcards on the counter. The menu isn’t exactly U.P., but when you have a pasty shop in the middle of the mitten in Richland, you need other offerings like sandwiches and salads.

pasty, pasty review, pasties, pasty guy, UP North Sandwich & Pasty, richland, richland pastiesTheir pasty menu sticks to the basics like steak and chicken and the prices are pretty good for the L.P. I was immediately excited after seeing one as they look true U.P. pasties with a crimped crust overfilling with ingredients. Unsurprisingly, the crust was the best part. I don’t think they use lard, but they got the taste and flavor just about right with a decent amount of flake, albeit no egg wash for the final touch. Throw in an egg wash and they’ll get a little brown and crisp.pasty, pasty review, pasties, pasty guy, UP North Sandwich & Pasty, richland, richland pasties

I have questions about other things, though. I love a pasty that’s a full pound, but not when it’s full of potatoes. I’m not sure this pasty passes the ratio test, which is the main problem.

There was meat in mine, but most of my bites were full of potatoes and only potatoes. That’s seen in the pictures and there were times when I couldn’t see meat for my next bite. If they don’t want to put that much meat in their pasties, maybe make them smaller? The insides also didn’t have the same flavor of the crust with a lack of salt and that made the potatoes almost tasteless.pasty, pasty review, pasties, pasty guy, UP North Sandwich & Pasty, richland, richland pasties

These pasties were close, but then I got further in. If they want to be true U.P. pasties, they can’t slack on meat. Maybe I got a poorly mixed one, but that’s why The Pasty Guy exists. No one knows I’m coming.

Taste: 2.5 (out of 5)
Crust: 4 (out of 5)
Pasty Presentation: 2.5 (out of 5)
The Shop: 3 (out of 3)

Would I come back for Pasties?: 1.5 (out of 2)

Total Pasty Rating: 13.5 (of 20 points)

(Reviewed Summer 2019)

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