Slice of the Week: Bubby's

A while back, I attended a birthday party where Bubby's pies were being served. I know this because I have a fuzzy memory of chowing down on a slice of pie and asking, "ohmygod where is this from?!?" and hearing someone shriek, "Bubby's, where else?!?" I'm still not sure why no one is able to speak in clear tones at the parties I attend, but that's a project for another time.

Naturally, this place made it on my list of Pies To Try. But even though it's in Manhattan, I'd never had the opportunity to eat there until the other day when I had both the afternoon off and some serious clothing shopping to accomplish. I knew that if I was going to be braving the SoHo tourists, there's nothing like a hearty slice of pie to get you ready to do battle for the last $12 striped sweater dress at H&M (that dress became mine!!!)

 Located in TriBeCa, Bubby's is a 24-hour diner with a casual feel and fancy prices. My single slice of pie and cup of coffe, with tax and tip, cost almost $15. I overheard the couple next to me as they perused the lunch menu exclaim "$17 for a ham and cheese sandwich!" That being said, the restaurant is located in an expensive part of an expensive borough, so plan accordingly.

The pie. I ordered a slice of Michigan Sour Cherry. My waitress did not ask if I wanted it heated up or not, but it arrived warm, so I was content. The cherries certainly lived up to their sour description, so much that I actually had to supplement each bite with a small helping from the mound of fluffy whipped cream that stood adjacent to the pie - and I'm really not a fan of whipped cream. They were fresh and tart though, with soft undertones of vanilla. What I could find of the top crust was sweet and flaky, but there could have been more of it since the holes between the latticework created a noticeable void atop my pie. When I finally got a good bite of crust at the end of the pie, I found chewy and overcooked crust that clogged up the tines of my fork - a bit disappointing.

Atmospherically however, Bubby's is fantastic. The tables are appropriately natural wood, the coffee mugs are huge and branded, the food is rustic and hearty, and the entire experience seems to be bathed in a soft Toaster filter. I'm just not sure it's all worth the price. Granted, this is coming from a starving artist who goes head to head with an unassuming tourist for the last $12 sweater dress at H&M, but still, Bubby's is an expensive diner even by New York standards.