Sweet of the Week: Key Lime Pie at Fish Bar

In The Mood For A Little Key lime Pie?

In the epic battle between cake and pie, I whole-heartedly believe pie is superior. Let's be real, NO ONE needs that much buttercream frosting. After a few bites, it starts to hurt my teeth and make me want to die a little. Why not just strap yourself up to a simple syrup I.V.? Pie, on the other hand, even when indulgent and rich is mercifully balanced and fairly delicate. It's the kind of Americana dessert you can enjoy even at the end of a heavy meal. See: Thanksgiving. Or: lunch on any given day for me. Case in point: key lime pie at the apex of a meal at Fish Bar. It's the perfect exclamatory punctuation mark at the finale of a sensational seafood smorgasbord, especially considering how tartly wonderful the version at Fish Bar is. 

(Key lime pie at Fish Bar)

As an ardent pie-lover, it's hard for me to narrow down my favorite varieties. JK it's super easy: blueberry, coconut cream, and key lime. These are the best, no debate. Unlike blueberry and coconut cream, which feel more seasonally tied to me (I only eat blueberry pie when blueberries are in season in summer and coconut cream is a heavy indulgence reserved for the blubberiest of months), key lime pie is something I enjoy year-round. With gusto. While I've had many renditions, few can touch the glory that is Fish Bar's key lime pie. Starting with the all-important crust, Fish Bar crafts a buttery, sturdy, and slightly sweet graham cracker foundation, which is heaped with a generous but not overwrought portion of key lime pie filling. Made with REAL key limes, you can taste the difference and you will scoff at the places using faux key limes for their poser pies. The silken custard is quite tart and tangy, making my cheeks nearly implode with deliciousness. It's mellowed out by the inclusion of condensed milk, but I appreciate that the pie isn't too treacly. It's also sliced into small-ish portions, which makes it super easy to enjoy a slice after a meal. There's a dollop of fresh whipped cream on the side; again, a nice touch. Don't force me to eat whipped cream with every bite, give me that option. Thank you Fish Bar.

- Matt Kirouac