Danny’s Pie and Mash

Any self respecting Londoner has to have tried Pie and Mash at least once. More if you come from the East End! I had it at a traditional eatery on the North End Road whilst working at Olympia Exhibition Centre but that was many years ago. So when I saw it on the menu at Catch Bar & Restaurant I asked Danny, their international chef, and a true East Ender, where his favourite Pie and Mash place was. Quick as a wink he said “Eel & Pie House in Leytonstone”. So I checked them out online. Their social media declares “It’s been nearly a century since we first opened our doors and all our pies are still handmade daily using our traditional family recipe which dates back four generations.”

However, if you’re not planning a trip to Leytonstone any time soon, and you want to try this iconic British dish closer to home then you can get amazing Pie and Mash from Danny at Hookers Fishing resort in Huay Yai. I had to try it. But before doing so, I needed to ask about the infamous “Liquor” traditionally served with pie and mash. I think when I was in the North End Road I “chickened out” and just had gravy. I was put off by a rumour that it contained ground-up fish heads. Not true, Danny informed me. It was traditionally made with water in which stewed eels were cooked but in order to thicken the sauce gelatin had to be added. Danny prefers to make a parsley sauce from scratch with a roux that let me tell you tastes delicious, as does the creamy, buttery mash. Also, the homemade pie with mince beef and onion coated in delicious beef gravy is lip smacking good Try it for yourselves, and if you go on a Wednesday you’ll also be treated to a Free Large Beer to wet your whistle!

Catch Bar & Resturant 

By Gloria Jones