FORGET burgers and chips – pie, mash and liquor looks like a new favourite in Billericay.
Since January 2012, close friends Erika King and Nicola Flanagan have been serving the traditional London meal from a mobile kitchen in Radford Crescent between 4pm and 9pm every Friday.
As reported in the Gazette last week, Kerina Boshell has just launched pie, mash and liquor night at her High Street cafe Deli37 – but Mrs King is nevertheless confident that punters will keep coming back for her pies.
The 35-year-old mum of two, who co-owns Simply Pie and Mash with Hornchurch-raised Mrs Flanagan, said: "We can't stop competition but Nicola and I firmly believe that we serve the best pie and mash and that we give the best service.
"People travel from far and wide for the pies that we do and the feedback from customers in Billericay has been excellent."
She added: "When we first started up we handed out leaflets at the station and one guy told us we wouldn't be successful because it's too posh an area.
"However, there are a lot of Londoners who have moved out into the suburbs and they love our pie and mash."
Mrs King, who lives in Broome Road, Billericay with her husband Michael, 39, and their children Etienne, five, and Remi, six, explained she sources her food from Goddard's, which has been making handmade pies since 1890.
She said: "The recipe for Goddard's is a closely-guarded secret and apparently even the Goddard brothers' wives don't know the recipe. The pies are all homemade with the finest ingredients – it is just the proper stuff."
Mrs King also believes that the fact she serves pie, mash and liquor from a trailer rather than a shop does not put off customers.
"We are not a dodgy burger van," she said.
"We have had people who have said 'We don't normally buy food from trailers but we have heard that your pie and mash is so good that we want to give it a try'."
She added: "People have said 'Why don't you do burgers, why don't you do this and that'? but we are specialists in pie and mash."
As well as meat pies, Simply Pie and Mash serves soya mince and cheese and onion pies, both suitable for vegetarians.
The liquor does not contain eel juice and thus is also suitable for those who don't eat meat or fish.
Besides Billericay, the firm serves up pie, mash and liquor between 8am and 4pm on Saturdays at North Weald Market and from 8am to 3pm on Sundays at Dagenham Market.
For more information, visit www.simplypieandmash.co.uk
