Guest Review - Wagga & Gundagai

I've finally caved in to the avalanche of requests that I've received from everyone, and sent my roving reporter Toddy The Tipster forth from Pie Towers armed with the black Amex into rural NSW to scrounge up some meaty goodness. Of course, as you'd expect, he inevitably found a country race meeting, and ended up in Wagga. Or Wagga Wagga, if you're a tourist.

This is what he found:

As a regular fan of The Pieologist, I have been inspired in recent years to sample the odd pie or two.  In fact, it's fair to say, my obsession is growing, if I spot a bakery, I'm always happy to sample the menu.  

Earlier this month, I found myself in the town of Wagga Wagga, on a punting sojourn for their two day Wagga Cup Carnival.  Before heading out to the track on day one, it was time to find a bakery and see how they go.  It was time well spent.  O'Briens Hot Bakery, 89A Morgan street was the venue in question.

I perused the menu, and decided that my old favourite the Pepper Steak was what I needed to fill the void prior to a day on the punt and also to take the final edge off the fact I was a bit dusty from the night before.  

The price of the pie wasn't what I would call cheap at $4.80 a pop, but once I took it out of the bag, I was happy with my purchase.  The pastry on top was browned and crisped just enough, the pastry for the casing though - more importantly - was removed of any soft doughiness, which in my mind is a fatal mistake with a number of pies.

The inside of the pie was top shelf.  Large chunks of tender steak, combined with enough gravy to keep things nice and juicy.  The final highlight of this very good pie was the generous pepper flavour evenly spread throughout.  There is nothing worse than getting a Pepper Steak pie and wondering the whole time you are eating it, whether they have accidentally given you the plain Steak pie.  I like a bit of spice, and that's what I got to top off this number.

Overall, I give this one an 9 out of 10, it is the best Pepper Steak pie I have sampled.

The following day, I of course returned, and decided to sample the Beef Curry Pie.  To say I was disappointed wouldn't quite describe my feelings, as it was a good pie, but overall, I'd say I could get the same product elsewhere.  

Ultimately, it was mincey and not chunky, but the saving grace once again was the amount of spice.  When a bakery promises a curry pie, I want it to be a curry pie, and this one did leave my mouth with that pleasant tingling feeling.  Again the casing and pastry was good quality, I'd have just liked this one to be equally chunky as the day before.  I'll score this one a 7.

Day three begins with much anticipation.  Wagga Wagga finds itself very close geographically to the towns of Junee and Gundagai.  We set off that morning to pay “Rabbs” Warren a visit in Junee.  Now of course, the real “Rabbs” wasn't a around, but these days he is immortalised in Bronze right in the centre of town – That's Gold!  

After a quick stop at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate factory, it's on the road to Gundagai.  Happily singing a tune something about a track winding back in anticipation of another great pie, at a venue recommended by none other than The Pieologist himself, you can imagine my disappointment when The Gundy Pie Cafe is closed on a Sunday morning.  What are these people doing? 

Good reviews abound online for the Gundy Bakery

The heartbreaking image of a closed pie shop

Toddy's mate bought this a couple of days later from the Gundy Pie Shop...

The base is a liiittle concerning, but it has a lot of potential anyway...

 I begrudgingly wind up a few doors down at the standard nameless Gundagai bakery, and revert back to my old favourite, The Pepper Steak, knowing that I am in for disappointment.

That's exactly what I got.  Pastry that wasn't cooked, and had that doughiness I mentioned early, a lack of crispiness on top, and a filling that comes with any standard frozen pie.  

The flavour itself wasn't terrible, so I generously move it to a 5 out of 10, but I could easily have been more harsh.  Ahh, well, it just wasn't to be in Gundagai, but I did manage a squeeze in a visit to The Dog On The Tuckerbox, so I guess the trip wasn't completely wasted.

To sum things up – On the odd chance you find yourself in Wagga Wagga – And I do recommend you plan yourself a trip to the racing carnival, make it your business to stop in at O'Briens Hot Bakery, head out to the track and wash it down with a few schooners and you'll set yourself up for a winning day!