Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/51643
ne Food Meat the Best Six local meat pies worth a try. 1. Harrows Chicken Pies, 126 Main St., Reading, 781-944-0410, or 352 Broadway, Saugus, 781- 231-7410, chickenpie.com. 2. Guinness-stewed beef and lamb at the Old Spot, 121 Essex St., Salem, 978-745-5656. 3. Take and bake your own chicken, turkey, or beef pot pies from Henry's, 588 Cabot St., Beverly, 978-922-388, henrysofbev- erly.com. 4. Lobster pie at the Causeway Res- taurant, 78 Essex Ave., Gloucester, 978-281-5256. 5. The Shepherd's Pie with lamb and gravy at The Port Tavern, 84 State St., Newburyport, 978- 465-1006, theporttavern.com. 6. Oven-ready chicken or turkey pies at Seven Acres Farm, 4 Concord St., North Reading, 978-664-2660. contenders: the venerable Harrows versus cheeky newcomer Ken's Kickin' Chicken. Both have a loyal following and claim to make their pies by hand using the freshest ingredients. Both offer only takeout. I brought home two ready-to-bake pies and told the "judges" (my eight- and 10-year-old stepkids, Ben and Maggie) we'd be doing a blind taste test. Intrigued, they clustered around the oven as I extracted the pies. Before I cut into either, we noted the distinct difference in appearance: The crust of Pie A (Harrows) was pale and uneven, while Pie B's (Ken's) puffed up to a golden brown with perfectly turned edges. On the plate, both pies oozed creamy Chicken's Thanksgiving chicken pie. prepared foods Pie Piper icy grip, we set out on a quest to find the most mouth- watering chicken pot pie. In the midst of winter's 22 nshoremag.com January/February 2012 there's something about pie that makes us smile. The American classic is a shell for all seasons' ingredients: asparagus in spring, blueberries in summer, apples in fall, and potatoes in winter. A perennial favorite, chicken pot pie is the ultimate cold-weather comfort. Tasked with finding the best chicken pot pie on the North Shore, it didn't take long for me to narrow the field to two Slice of Heaven Ken's Kickin' gravy, bits of veggies, and big chunks of tender chicken. Harrows's was filled with potatoes and carrots; Ken's with carrots, peas, and stuffing. Both pies were quite tasty, with the biggest difference in the texture of the crust—Harrows's was more traditional and flaky; Ken's had a thinner, crispier consistency with hints of butter. "If I had to eat any chicken pot pie, it would be Pie B," Maggie said. "Pie B is the best," echoed Ben. My husband just nod- ded and went back for seconds. So, no matter how you slice it (pun intended), Ken's Kickin' Chicken offers a delicious, family-friendly meal that tastes homemade. Ken's Kickin' Chicken, 130 North St., Salem, 978-825-0200, kenskickin chicken.net. —Brandy Rand photograph by kate kelley