The 3 Food Groups: Pizza, Sausage & Beer

After a year of dining out with very few repeats, I have not exactly broadened my culinary horizons thus far in 2010. One of the reasons why: Crescent Pie & Sausage Company. The Folk Singer and I were there on opening night in November and have been back three times since. Everything is made in house, the prices are affordable, and the atmosphere is laid back. What's not to love? For more on Jesuit High School's newest neighbor, check out our review in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine.

Here are a few photos of my favorite dishes on the menu:

Meat pies. The crust on these babies is rich and flaky. Stuffings rotate on a daily basis and vary from crawfish to broccoli and cheese to eggplant parmesan. All are good, but the combination of duck confit, ricotta, and sauteed leeks is best.

The pies combine Jeff Baron's hand-tossed crust (thin, but more substantial than "cracker-like") with a wide arrange of ingredients. Interestingly, none of the pizzas use a traditional tomato sauce. The Chicken Marsala (pictured above) has a slightly sweetened taste, while the Mediterranean starts with a roasted red pepper sauce as a base.

Sausages run the gamut from bratwurst (above) to merguez made with lamb, as well as daily selections.

The Redneck Brisket Sandwich is not to be missed. Sliced thick and piled high, the "burnt ends" are coated with finger-licking good BBQ sauce. The accompanying side of thinly sliced dill chips are light and crisp.

Crescent Pie & Sausage Co. - Tap in Birdie fastly approaching Eagle territory