Desperation Bakehouse

Yay Shirt Pocket Pies! The Moroccan lamb one is my favorite, but they are all very tasty. Each one has distinct flavors and a flakey crust. They make good savory and sweet pies that are perfect for any time of day, warm or cold.

Recently, I went to the «Underground Food Market» which has a variety of food businesses inside. It was there that I came across the most mouthwatering pies. This palm-​sized pie’s name is «Shirt-​Pocket-​Pie,» but to me, it looks like a button on a shirt so I personally call it «Button Pie.» To begin, I was going to stroll around the whole place and then choose what to enjoy, but these tantalizing pies stopped me dead in my tracks once I started to walk. Of all the good qualities they possessed, their unique shape and size made them appetizing because they were fully decorated like normal size pies, but they were palm sized (as you may know, at pizza restaurants, somehow the whole pizza is more satisfying than just a piece. Am I alone, here?). So far, I have tasted three kinds of savory pies and one sweet pie. As I was used to the taste of sweet pies, I couldn’t help but be skeptical regarding these eye-​capturing pies. However, right after I took a bite of it, my doubts quickly disappeared. Unexpectedly, the crust and fillings in it were truly a harmonious combination! Above all, the generous amount of the fillings in them was quite impressive. As most people know, we are used to there being a difference between ads and reality but it was the same; amazingly!
Apricot Almond Pie: This was my first selection. It was fruity and tart. Its being neither too sweet nor too sour was a strong point. As a dessert, it’s very good. 5 stars!
Apple & Bacon Pie: The apple is my favorite fruit, and as the old saying goes «An apple a day keeps the doctor away.» The smokiness of the bacon created a new taste which I’d never experienced. But the moisture from the apple made the pie crumble in my hands. However, this issue is negligible. 4.5 stars.
Roasted carrot with Dill Pie: Finally, we have reached the time to talk about my favorite! As far as I know, most people don’t really like carrots (who does?). But I swear that it won’t be the case anymore because carrots in this pie were to die for. It was simply delicious! Moreover, I really loved the unique blend of carrots, dill, and garlic. It was a masterpiece of flavors. I didn’t expect that this pie would be so good, but it was sublime! In my opinion, maybe there were some spices that the chef added to the pie boosting the savory taste. If not, there is no other way to explain it! I don’t know what specific things made it scrumptious. I don’t think the chef would reveal its ingredients. Unquestionably, 5 stars!
Moroccan Lamb & Sweet potato Pie: I can say this is the most savory pie I have ever tried. It’s savory, somewhat spicy and a little bit sweet. Personally speaking, I am very familiar with the main spice, cinnamon. But in South Korea, we normally use the spice in a traditional drink, so for me, lamb with cinnamon didn’t mesh well together and tasted kind of awkward. For this reason, it’s hard for me to give it an objective score, so I will pass.
The price, possibly the most important thing, was $ 4.5 each or $ 12 for 3 pies.
Quite reasonably priced! It is worth it. Try them (good opportunity doesn’t come often)! Who knows? It could be a chance to discover a new taste. :-)

I should preface by noting that this is my first review, but I was so blown away by this place that I just had to put my two cents in. My wife and I stopped by the New Taste market last week and picked up the «pie kit», the three course trio with the corn custard, lamb tagine/​sweet potato, and strawberry lemon curd pies before our camping trip that weekend. With a bottle of red wine and some fresh grapes, we pulled out the pies for lunch on Sunday — one word: phenomenal! The pies individually were just the right size for a good snack, they kept well overnight in a not-​so-​cool cooler, and three pies to share between two people was a nice little meal. The price wasn’t bad either (10 bucks for «the kit») and the whole ‘three-​course’ thing actually works: the crust (which almost has a homemade, southern-​style biscuit texture) is able to balance the sweet and savory brilliantly. The corn custard and lamb tagine with sweet potato are fantastic, but the real treat is the strawberry lemon curd pie — tart, sweet, custardy, sublime, and a prefect end to a lovely picnic lunch.
I don’t know what market they will be at next or if they’ll have a storefront sometime soon, but I will definitely be there waiting «desperately» for my next pie :-)

I sampled the Desperation Bakehouse «shirt pocket pies» at the New Taste Marketplace, a monthly market held in a church in SF. Bought the special, 3 for $ 10, to take home. Warmed up the next day, they were fabulous! The crust is tender and delicious, the fillings even better. The Moroccan Lamb was slightly spicy, the Corn Custard tasted just like fresh corn, and the one with fruit filling hit the spot for a bit of dessert. Nice, distinctive packaging, too. I’ll go there again just to get these delicious little pies!

Desperation Bakehouse’s «Shirt Pocket Pies» will knock your socks off. They’re hand-​sized pies with various fillings in them, such as the moroccan lamb and sweet potato filling pie. Amazingly delicious. Completely unique. I’ve never tasted anything like it anywhere else. For the veggie pies, I’ve had both the sweet pea & spicy greens pie and the cream corn pie. Both are fantastic and very refreshingly unusual. And, the dessert pie I tried was the strawberry & lemon. The crust is lighter and flakier for this pie, and the filling is fruity and tangy. It’s great on it’s own, and super tasty with ice cream. The pies heat up well at home or office. Just put them in the oven for 10 minutes, and you got a tasty, convenient meal ready to go. Go out of your way to try these pies. Trust me. It’s worth it.

I love these guys. They don’t have a physical space yet, (someday, cross your fingers!) so you can only find them at various markets. I first tried them at the SF Underground Market. The menu that day was Snap Pea, Moroccan Lamb and Strawberry Lemon. All were great. Fresh, yummy fillings and delicious, buttery crusts. The way it works, the three pies together make a complete meal. So there’s a starter, a main course and a desert. It’s a great concept for pocket pies. I definitely have to buy something every time I see them around!

Desperation Bakehouse speciality is the «shirt pocket pie». not sure how this resembles the frozen pocket pie.
Menu: shirt pocket pies: corn pudding, moraccan lamb & sweet potato,
strawberry lemon. $ 4@ or 3/​$ 10
locale: new taste marketplace (⁷⁄₁₆)
sampling: moraccan lamb (4)
–nice, buttery, flakey crust with some lammie tasting goodness inside. not a lot of meat. sweetness comes from potato.
–strawberry lemon tasty fruity, not my thang
–corn pudding? passed. 3.5 stars
foodnotes:
–good for breakfast or whenever
–nice taste, simple
–fillings need refinement…