Pie Rating, It’s Not A Game!

O'Neills Game, Port & Blackberry Pie Review

We take Pierateering very seriously. We don’t just make these reviews up as we go along. They are carefully researched, written, verified, cross-referenced to other pies and then a few puns are taken from the Big Book of Pie Puns for good measure. One thing is for sure, it is not a game! Although O’Neills pub chain seem to not being taking things seriously enough with their Game, Port & Blackberry pie. What an unacceptable and peculiar flavour! I had to order one just so I could be outraged at how lackadaisical their pie making attempts could be. My initial impressions were confirmed when I was served what can only be described as a squashed pie. By that I mean the pie had been squashed and did not resemble the true pie form as truly as it might have done at the beginning of its life if it was not for the aforementioned squashing. I delighted in taking some score off for the Condition of this pie. My suspicions that O’Neill’s weren’t taking things seriously were further confirmed by the fact that this pie was square. I have nothing against this in principle but in practice I am judgmental and hold it against them for trying to not be ‘square’ by ironically making their pies square. The pie was also a bit beyond golden brown so was a bit burnt for my liking.

What most annoyed me about this pie however was that it was really quite good. At £8.99 for a pub pie meal it was decent value. Despite having lost marks for its condition the full on flavour more than made up for this. It had a delicious meatiness and the game was lovely and tender. The pastry was nice and gooey and soft. It was all false advertising really as I couldn’t taste the port or blackberry particularly, but I’m not sure I really wanted to. What you really need to know is would I be game for another one? Fortunately for O’Neills they have won this particular mind game with me. Their game pie is set to match their competitors.

Game, Port & Blackberry – O’Neills Pubs 
5.27/7

SJL