Eat This Now: Chicken pot pie at Westport’s Pot Pie
Pot Pie // Photo by Sarah Sipple
While this Westport restaurant is a beloved local favorite year-round, cooler weather is when it truly shines. Pot Pie has been serving up savory pot pies and other homey dishes at the 40-seat dining room for over 20 years now, fostering a level of familiarity and consistency that is a true achievement in the restaurant world.
On a cool Tuesday afternoon, I met friends for lunch. We chose a sun-soaked table in the front window that faced the large chalkboard menu and kitchen. We were handed paper menus, but we knew what we had come for and all ordered the same thing: the $16 lunch portion of a scratch-made chicken pot pie and house salad. Well, one friend ordered theirs with seasonal veggies.
Pot Pie // Photo by Sarah Sipple
The crust was soft and beyond buttery, while the large chunks of chicken were savory and not overly salty in the hearty soup. Creamy soup, tender veggies, and more of that precious crust…True coziness in each bite.
Unlike the $1 grocery store chicken pot pies from Banquet (which I do buy… I’m so much of a chicken pot pie fan that I have no level of snobbery but know a great one when I try it), there is no mystery chicken; no risk of icky pieces. At Pot Pie, the meat is in large chunks that require a couple of bites and offer a perfect roasted texture.
The included side salad is a perfect pairing for the decadent pot pie. Tossed with a vinaigrette, the simple greens add a little bite to the savory plate. The acidic balance made it easy to eat my veggies. In fact, I completely cleared my plate.
The richness of the buttery crust is satisfying enough that I’m glad it wasn’t any larger, but I could have gone in an infinite loop of salad to pot pie if it were available that way.
Pot Pie // Photo by Sarah Sipple
I did not strategically save room for dessert, but the lunch was such an impressive start that I wanted to see what was next. We shared apple hand pies and chocolate chip bread pudding. Bread pudding is an old-school dessert, and a niche one at that. Therefore, if a restaurant or bakery allows it a spot on the menu, they must be quite confident that people will like it. So I always try it.
This one continued to prove my theory. Order it.
Friends of mine and online commenters recommend other dishes here, but on one’s first visit to a restaurant named Pot Pie, it’s best to try the pot pie.
Pot Pie is at 904 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111.
