pie versus cake

We’ve been drooling over this pie since it was featured on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” In fact, our post on it has caused fights to break out in the comments room.

For ages I tried to figure out how we could get one shipped, but Ritz doesn’t do mail order (I’m guessing the whipped cream is way tricky to keep fresh/intact). Eventually we realized the only way we’d try this was to make the holy pilgrimage. So go we did, even if that pilgrimage led us to a strip mall in Voorhies, NJ.

A bit of background for those who haven’t seen the episode. There’s coconut incorporated into the filling, topping, AND crust (which is made with coconut water plus coconut rum, for extra flakiness). How could you go wrong? This is what it looks like in real life, not a beauty shot. It comes out with these big, gorgeous white chocolate shavings. But the real clinchers are the freshly toasted, crunchy coconut pieces and the salty crust.

This is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, crunchy and creamy. It makes me feel like I’m spooning coconut clouds into my mouth. If I have one critique for Chef Dan, Ritz Seafood’s pastry dude, it’s that the whipped cream doesn’t need that much sugar. And that I’d like twice as many coconut crisps, please.

These lobsters at Ritz would request coconut cream pie for their last meal, if they could.

While it wasn’t surprising that this is amazing pie, it is surprising that it’s from a Korean seafood restaurant. I guess good pastry happens anywhere, even at places with live fish tanks.

For those wondering whether the non-desserts are any good, the food was solid but overpriced ($12 appetizers), and I wouldn’t drive through 3 states for it. Go for the pie, and for the homemade ginseng-date-litchi tea.

Lots of Yelpers complained about the decor and ambiance here. Didn't bother us--we were too distracted by the pie.

Of course, we’ll need to hear from Pie to get her take on whether this lives up to the hype. Pie review from resident pie expert to follow.