I love pie mash so I feel compelled to try every place that serves it because it seems to be going out of fashion especially jellied eels as well.
So far I have tried a few but not in East London where it all began.
Ironically when I was in East London in my earlier years I didn't try it back then when it was popular.
Anyway, in the heart of Chrisp Street, you will find two pie mash shop, one called Maureen's and the other called East Enders, both have been here for quite some time!
As soon as I stepped inside Maureen's I felt at home because the fixtures and setting was like your usual basic cafe!
On the first visit, I tried the pie mash and on the second visit I had salt beef with gravy and just a pie with liquor.
To summarize, the pie mash is probably the best I have ever had because Maureen's liquor is full of flavour especially the parsley, you can taste the grassiness as well as this interesting seaweed taste to it even though it does not have seaweed.
The pie itself was perfectly baked with rich minced beef filling inside with gravy.
Adding chilli vinegar to it made it even moresh.
The hot salt beef was a bit too salty but not bad and reminds me of this place in Kent that also serves both pie mash and beef bagels.
I also got myself some chilli vinegar for 1.50.
It was nice but somehow the chilli kick wasn't as strong as the restaurant version.
Returned for some stew eels which were really nice but they were a bit fishy and the fine bones were difficult to handle.
Revisited again and had a mini pie mash and jellied eels.
Again, it was consistently good.
The mash is tasty which I forgot to mention before and the jellied eels can't go wrong for me except for the bones which take time to remove.
Overall, a must visit if you are in the area.
Rating: 4/5