17002 Ayers Rd, Brooksville, FL 34604
We visited the restaurant on a Friday. Peachy Pie’s closes at 2 pm, and we were a bit worried that we would not have enough time to eat as we arrived at about 1:15 but were pleasantly surprised that they were more than happy to serve us! Service was terrific, prompt, and courteous. I ordered a Roast Beef on Weck and asked if the horseradish was on the side (yes); if I could get the beef medium rare (yes); if it included a pickle (yes); and if the roll was toasted(yes).
I then was faced with a reviewer’s dilemma—I had a choice of sides way beyond the usual chips or fries. I chose a watermelon salad to see if it would go with my sandwich.
When I got the sandwich, the plating exceeded the usual plastic basket. The au jus was in a big bowl instead of the usual tiny plastic cup. The roast beef was pink and gorgeous. It turns out that this restaurant roasts and slices its beef top round. They bake the roll in-house, grind their horseradish, and make their pickles in-house!
The Sandwich:
The roast beef was perfectly seasoned and tender. It was dipped in Au Jus to warm it and placed on a roll that came out of the oven an hour earlier. The combination of beef and roll melted in my mouth and had me harkening back to my formative years in Buffalo. I might have wanted more salt and caraway, but I did not miss it after the first bite.
The horse radish was amazing. Ground coarsely, it had a different flavor profile than typical. (remember, this is Florida, and most of the local horseradish is nasty.) It had not only the bite and spiciness you would expect but had an umami earthiness that made it wonderful.
If you follow this blog, you know I have a fixation with the pickle. In my youth, we always got a pickle. They served a house-made pickle spear drenched in subtle flavor and crispy texture. It was so good that I considered writing a pickle blog!
Then we come to the Au Jus. Florida has consistently shocked me with bizarre versions of Au Jus – from a watery, slightly yellow, flavorless glob to a fresh can of food service gravy. This Au Jus was different. It was wonderful! It had the perfect (to me at least) consistency, marvelous flavor, and enough to dunk my sandwich in. (If you hear that I drank what was left out of the bowl – I’ll deny it.)Overall, the Sandwich has a rating of 10/10
The Side:
OK – I hear the purists saying, “That’s not fries!” When faced with a vast list, I often take the road less traveled. I had grilled asparagus with my B.O.W. at the NY Beer Project. Their watermelon salad is served with a light dressing with feta cheese, blueberries, and mint. One of the criteria for rating the side is that the side should be complementary to the sandwich. (I hear the purists yelling at me) In my opinion, the balance of flavors in this salad was perfect for the B.O.W. The horseradish and the feta worked well, the dressing balanced the sweetness of the watermelon, and the mint did wonderful things to the beef. The side dish rating was 10/10
The Restaurant:
First, some background. This restaurant is located in a strip plaza in Brooksville, Florida, at the intersection of US 41 and Ayers Road. The plaza is on one corner, and nothing is on the other three. If you look up and down US 41, you will see trees. It could be the definition of being in the middle of nowhere.
We had no idea what to expect as our trip was mostly two lane country roads. Upon entering, we were delighted! Clean, had decor (other than old posters and beer signs – not that there is anything wrong with that), and excellent service. We were greeted upon entry and shown to a table. Drinks arrived within a few minutes, and our server was courteous and helpful. As an example, I asked for the beef to be medium rare. After placing the order, she returned to the table to explain that the au jus was hot and the beef would be slightly more cooked because of it. That level of customer care is amazing to me – Typically, I ask for medium rare and get an “it all comes the same way” answer. Fantastic service and care for the customer. My wife ordered a salad plate with three house-made salads – potato, chicken, and tuna. It was terrific!
robert hilferding
Rating in an A+This was a wonderful experience and a delightful meal. I strongly recommend Peachy Pie’s as the Best B.O.W. in Florida!