The chicken pot pie game in the Twin Cities just got even hotter. With the arrival of the new St. Paul bakery Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit comes what is now one of our favorite chicken pot pies around town.

The 6-inch individual serving size buttery crust is melt in your mouth. And the filling is right on too. It doesn’t hurt that the hand-pulled chicken has been brined in a sugar salt solution to retain its moisture and make it juicy. Then there are the veggies of peas and freshly cut carrots and celery that swim in a savory gravy with a tinge of white wine vinegar to brighten it up. And for those who like their pot pie salty, it’s well-seasoned in this regard, too.

But don’t stop at ordering at just the pot pie. Owner Tara Coleman has worked in kitchens that include critically acclaimed Girl and the Goat in Chicago and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in France and that is reflected in other dishes here.

Coleman said she learned to make biscuits from Greg Wade, James Beard Award winning chef in the Outstanding Baker category, when he was head baker at Girl and the Goat, and then she tweaked the recipe to make it her own. The one here has a slightly different flour to sugar ratio and the addition of some vinegar in the dough to give it a little tang. The result is buttery, flaky, flavorful goodness. You can’t go wrong with any of the five biscuit varieties offered at Hot Hands, but the breakfast sandwich with your choice of sausage or bacon, melty cheese and egg is a top seller. There are also things like cinnamon rolls, scones and turnovers on the menu as well.

Pies that can be purchased by the slice or whole are available too. From apple and pumpkin to caramelized peanut butter and cookie pies, it was hard to zoom in on what to order. But we took our chances on the Toasted Vanilla at the recommendation of a staff member who said that was his favorite, and it didn’t leave us wanting. While familiar and nostalgic enough, it wasn’t your everyday vanilla cream pie. Coleman amps the vanilla custard filling up with details such as lightly toasted malt powder for a slightly nutty taste and tops it off with an indulgent mascarpone cream piped around the edges. And then there was the Nilla wafer crust that was the bee’s knees.

It’s worth mentioning that coffee here from local outfit Bootstrap Coffee is also top notch. It was the perfect drink pairing to wash down those biscuits and that pie with.

Small Bites are first glances — not intended as definitive reviews — of new or changed restaurants.

HOT HANDS PIE & BISCUIT

Where: 272 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul

272 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul Info: 651-300-1503; hothandspie.com

651-300-1503; hothandspie.com Prices: Pastries, $4; biscuit sandwiches and pot pies, $5 to $12; sweet pies, $5 single serving, $28 whole

Small Bites are first glances — not intended as definitive reviews — of new or changed restaurants.