mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part Usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.
Hi. Sometimes I *need* to eat food using chop sticks. Sometimes I *need* to eat food with some type of red, spicy sauce. Sometimes, it has to remind me of my childhood.
The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop has been around since 1938, moving from location to location but with the food remaining consistent….a kind of cross between school cafeteria food and what my mom used to make. Simple, hearty, tasty and economical. 
When we went here in 1988, with my dad, the "Pie Dinner" was $3.10 and included the beverage…now it is $5.50 and does not include a beverage. My, how times have changed…but the food tastes exactly the same….and that is all that matters.
The top menu is the sit down restaurant one and the bottom menu is for the take out.
As part of my stating the obvious, the name is the Chicken Pie Shop
. Get the chicken pie. The "Pie Dinner" at $5.50 is the best deal. We also opted for a cup of pea soup ($1.25)and a bowl of the "soup of the day"- Oriental Chicken-which was the regular in store made chicken soup with rice in it. ($1.50)( please…I said school cafeteria already…)
The chicken soup has celery, carrots, a bit of onion and bay leaf as seasoning in it. It seems to be a bit creamy, but that could be because of the added rice.
I really like the pea soup- chicken stock based with carrots added to the peas. It is quite unique, thick and flavorful. No ham.
So here it is- the pie dinner:
You get a hearty, chewy fresh made dinner roll, some really nice, finely chopped, fresh made basic cole slaw ( I usually add pepper to it), the pie, institutional mashed potatoes, some lovely congealing gravy and the vegetable of the day, in this case..mixed, previously frozen.
Is that, like, a Swanson’s frozen pot pie you ask…NO!
Look at the innards. Its chicken and gravy, no vegetables…oh and that crust is made fresh also…and the pie is kind of really large…
and also included in this $5.50 price tag is dessert…a slice of in store made pie.
…oh the shortening crust…!
There is a "cream pie" of the day, in this case it was banana…I know on Tuesdays it is coconut cream other days have chocolate cream and pineapple cream….which is topped with yet more industrial "whipped topping"…and the "usual" pies of the day are two crusted (with sugar sprinkled on top) and fruit filled- The one the Mister chose was rhubarb, but they also have cherry and peach and I have seen pumpkin and lemon on occasion.
This restaurant takes cash ONLY, no credit cards, no ATM, no checks.
It is good, basic food, served quickly (if you order the chicken pie and then get up to go to the restroom, the food will be on the table by the time you get back) (the chicken liver meal takes the longest to cook and I do order it on occasion).
San Diego Chicken Pie Shop 2633 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego 92104 (619) 295-0156 fax in an order (619) 295-0216
10 a.m. -8 p.m. 7 days