Four Stars: Easy as (Pot) Pie

Seasonal inspirations and a diverse protein collection transform pot pie--a classic comfort food--into a contemporary menu hit.

By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 10/1/2007

Garlic Bread Vegetarian Pot Pie
Parc 55 Hotel, San Francisco. Seasonal ingredients such as zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes and fennel help Executive Chef Brian Healy adapt his recipe to menus year-round. At service, the crust is trimmed from the pot and topped with vegetables and silky velouté sauce highlighted by coriander and truffle oil.

Garlic Bread Chicken Pot Pie
Tiff’s Casual Grill & Bar, multiple locations. Crumbled cornbread topping differentiates the otherwise traditional preparation of this pie, a best-selling weekly feature for the Pine Brook, N.Y.-based casual-dining chain. The subtly sweet topping complements savory components underneath: diced chicken breast, carrots, onions, leeks and celery in a simple velouté sauce.

Garlic Bread Steak and Potato Pot Pie
Auntie Em’s Kitchen, Los Angeles. At her casual cafe, bakery and catering company, Chef-owner Terri Wahl’s hearty recipe calls on the deep, satisfying flavor of braised beef in place of chicken or turkey. Pulled rib meat is tucked into a large ramekin beneath a flaky crust, alongside traditional vegetables in cognac-laced beef gravy.

Garlic Bread Lobster Pot Pie
Saltwater, Detroit. Tableside presentation in copper pots lends elegance to Chef-owner Michael Mina’s signature shellfish rendition at his first Midwest restaurant, inside the new MGM Grand Detroit. Rich lobster cream blankets pearl onions, mushrooms, baby carrots, red potatoes, squash and zucchini, while shaved black truffles add extra opulence in season.

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