Episode Eleven/week two-The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop

mmm-yoso is on vacation.  The part Usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. Sometimes I *need* to eat food using chop sticks.  Sometimes I *need* to eat food with some type of red, spicy sauce. Sometimes, it has to remind me of my childhood.

The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop has been around since 1938, moving from location to location but with the food remaining consistent....a kind of cross between school cafeteria food and what my mom used to make.  Simple, hearty, tasty and economical.

When we went here in 1988, with my dad, the "Pie Dinner" was $3.10 and included the beverage...now it is $5.50 and does not include a beverage.  My, how times have changed...but the food tastes exactly the same....and that is all that matters.

The top menu is the sit down restaurant one and the bottom menu is for the take out.

As part of my stating the obvious, the name is the Chicken Pie Shop. Get the chicken pie.  The "Pie Dinner" at $5.50 is the best deal. We also opted for a cup of pea soup ($1.25)and a bowl of the  "soup of the day"- Oriental Chicken-which was the regular in store made chicken soup with rice in it. ($1.50)( please...I said school cafeteria already...)

The chicken soup has celery, carrots, a bit of onion and bay leaf as seasoning in it.  It seems to be a bit creamy, but that could be because of the added rice.

I really like the pea soup- chicken stock based with carrots added to the peas.  It is quite unique, thick and flavorful.  No ham.

So here it is- the pie dinner:

You get a hearty, chewy fresh made dinner roll, some really nice, finely chopped, fresh made basic cole slaw ( I usually add pepper to it), the pie, institutional mashed potatoes, some lovely congealing gravy and the vegetable of the day, in this case..mixed, previously frozen.

Is that, like, a Swanson's frozen pot pie you ask...NO!

Look at the innards. Its chicken and gravy, no vegetables...oh and that crust is made fresh also...and the pie is kind of really large...

and also included in this $5.50 price tag is dessert...a slice of in store made pie....oh the shortening crust...!

There is a "cream pie" of the day, in this case it was banana...I know on Tuesdays it is coconut cream other days have chocolate cream and pineapple cream....which is topped with yet more industrial "whipped topping"...and the "usual" pies of the day are two crusted (with sugar sprinkled on top) and fruit filled- The one the Mister chose was rhubarb, but they also have cherry and peach and I have seen pumpkin and lemon on occasion.

This restaurant takes cash ONLY, no credit cards, no ATM, no checks. 

It is good, basic food, served quickly (if you order the chicken pie and then get up to go to the restroom, the food will be on the table by the time you get back) (the chicken liver meal takes the longest to cook and I do order it on occasion).

San Diego Chicken Pie Shop 2633 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego 92104 (619) 295-0156 fax in an order (619) 295-0216

10 a.m. -8 p.m. 7 days

Comments

[Ted]

Great post. I typed this place into Chowhound, and it is mentioned in many threads as a very quintessential SD establishment. I can't wait to go!

[RONW]

I never had pea soup (split pea) until I was on the mainland U.S., and often the soup was all I could afford for lunch. Still probably more than people ate the entire day during the dust bowl. Can't say I like it. But pea soup is hearty. I might even have myself a bowl of pea soup today.

[cathy]

Hi Ted...Its not fancy, that is for sure...but it is familiar...

Ron-Pea soup is so good...and I always make some after the holidays using the leftovers from a great ham I buy-meat from the side of the road- now that is a story....

[elmomonster]

This is just like the La Palma Chicken Pie Shop in Anaheim. Been there for ages. The waitresses are the same people who worked there from the beginning. I guess every county needs one of these types of joints!

[dave]

$5.50?! i swear it was $4.75 just a couple months ago...

i crave chicken pie shop every once in awhile, but then i think about how kinda gross i feel after eating it and i don't go. 1 out of 10 times that i get the urge i make it there. my wife ordered the chicken fried steak once. it was like a big old chick mcnugget. not recommended.

[nhbilly]

Good Lord, the gravy is oozing all over, Yummmmmmm. Boy do I really need to swing by La Palma Chicken Pie Shop since San Diego is SOooO far. ;-) Menu looks so simple, perfect.

[toisan]

I remember when the CPS was located at 5th and Robinson, where the Starbucks is now. (Next to L & L). I have never eaten a CPS, always opting to "take out." I'm always impressed by the cross section of clientele.

[Jim]

I've eaten there a couple of times and thought the food was good. And for families on a budget...the place is great!

[cathy]

Hi Elmo...its not even a need...it IS the old fashioned diner that never got modern...no ATM or credit cards or checks...still.

Ah, dave, you haven't gone in a while...it was $5.15 at the end of last year....oh yes, the chicken fried chicken...the menu does say it is breast meat...but they don't do fried very well here...again, not over quality...but farily decent food...I do crave the pie, dinner roll, coleslaw and dessert....

Hello nhbilly....yes its a simple menu...not all outstanding...shortcuts taken...but it is satisfying...

Toisan you are right. That was the location I went to with my dad in 1988. I do think there was another one before that though...and the take out is great...you can get the pies cooked or frozen...and you can get a quart of soup for $4.95...but those rolls...I can eat those all
day and night.

Hello Brunchmaster!...it is good food...not great, not over quality or high end...but it is always fresh and proudly served...and it just feels like home.

[dave]

you mention the speed of the delivery of the food. last time i was there i actually timed it.

90 seconds between placing the order and receiving my meal. no joke.

[Andy 食神]

wow... that sounds sooooooooo good. it's so much food for so little money... how do they stay open?

[noromdiam]

Ooooh, rhubarb pie, they hardly EVER have rhubarb pie at the Chicken Pie Shop. LUCKY!

[cathy]

Hi again dave....I knew I was supposed to use the stopwatch option of my mobile for something....

Andy...its been around since 1938 and hasn't bothered to "modernize" or follow the Pencil Pushers' recommendations of 'how to run an efficient business'...therefore, it works...old fashioned recipes, shortcuts and *no* fancy schmancy stuff.
Actually, I have noticed the more modern gadgets we have that are supposed to make our lives easier, the more complex it becomes...have a power outage- go find those booklets for each appliance/toy in the house to reset the clocks...and we won't talk about Daylight Savings Time...I do know that I have gotten to the point where I just have to do math in my head for half a year rather than change the clock in the car....

Welcome norom...oooh we are lucky! Time to go buy a Lotto ticket!

[Didi]

I love this place. Whenever, there is an inkling for pot pie this is the place to go.
Also, when it gets a bit colder around here, nothing like the Pie Dinner to sit down and eat to.

Thanks, Cathy. And you are doing great filling in for Kirk. I'm curious to try the recipes you've posted.

[cathy]

Thank you for the kind words, Didi. I love this place, especially the coconut cream pie...

I can give you all kinds of simple, good recipes...I just did a couple of basics for now...In the photo of the oven pancake...that brown stuff is the burned butter....