IN the burned out wreckage that continues to be the very heart of Civic following the Sydney Building fire there is at least a new sign of life.

Croissant D’or has emerged from liquidation via a management buy out so the best cakes and pastries in town have been returned to us.

But perhaps more importantly for the luncheoner on the cheap one can pop in for a pie.

Today I had the lamb and rosemary pie and a sausage roll for a total of $9.50.

The sausage roll was just fine.

But let us linger a moment on the pie.

Removed from its foil base it remains a coherent, consistent, free standing whole.

The pastry is light and rich without being oily.

The filling is that rarest of beasts, a meat pie made largely from chunks of rich, tender, recognisable meat.

The pie, like Croissant D’or, is an absolute gem.

[This article is the nineteenth in a series on cheap lunches to be found in and around the city. If you have any suggestions leave them in the comments or email them to john@citynews.com.au . The complete series can be found on our cheap lunches tag]