Dining Pick of the Week: Cornish Pasty Co.

Cornish Pasty Co.

Commercial Center, 953 E. Sahara Ave., 702-862-4538

It’s not often you walk into a restaurant in Commercial Center and wonder if you’ve mistakenly wandered through a portal to England. But that’s the feeling you’ll likely have after walking into the Cornish Pasty Co. Situated among an island of vacant storefronts in the middle of the eclectic shopping center, Cornish Pasty Co. welcomes its patrons with a dark wood-enhanced, English pub-like setting. The center of the space is dominated by a seat-lined bar (no uncomfortable bar stools here) where you can settle in for a pint of Guinness, order one of the tasty pasties and shoot the breeze with a friendly bartender. You’ll also have a front-row seat to watch the signature menu item being made by hand. For those unfamiliar, a pasty is a baked pastry typically filled with meat and vegetables. It is traditionally associated with Cornwall, England. The menu here starts with Signature Pasties, including The Oggie, a traditional pasty filled with steak, potatoes, onion and rutabaga, served with red wine gravy or ketchup. Other varieties include lamb and mint, pork, chicken and Italian meats. The popular Royale with Cheese is filled with hamburger, french fries, grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon and a cheddar/Swiss blend, served with ranch, Thousand Island dressing, ketchup or barbecue sauce. The Premium Pasties menu includes Lovely Bit a Salmon, filled with marinated salmon, asparagus, roasted tomatoes, spinach and roasted red potatoes, served with white wine and cream dill sauce. Vegetarians will find plenty of pasties, ranging from Eggplant Parmesan to the slightly spicy Veggie Chicken Tikka Masala (Red Curry), filled with marinated Quorn brand vegetarian chicken, tikka masala sauce, green peppers and curried potatoes, served with mint-yogurt dressing or tahini. Vegan options also are available. Besides the pasties, you’ll find soups, salads and appetizers such as oven chips and curried potatoes. If you are able to save room for dessert, try the Banoffee Pie ($6), thick homemade caramel settled between a graham cracker crust and a topping of fresh whipped cream and sliced bananas. The Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding ($6) features homemade bread baked in chocolate brandy sauce. If you haven’t had your fill of pasties yet, try the Apple Caramel Pasty or the Peanut Butter and Jelly Pasty. Entree pasties range from about $6 to $10, and pasties to take and bake are available. Cornish Pasty Co. is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit cornishpastyco.com.