There are few things that trump our love for chocolate, as a matter of fact, there is only one thing: pumpkin pie.  In our formative years, our mother baked two pies - one for all to share and one for our personal consumption the day after the holiday meal.  The approach was nothing fancy: the Libby's canned pumpkin recipe with the ginger bumped up and the clove dialed down.  The result?  A perfectly seasoned wedge, with a pleasing firm custard that glistened upon cooling, best eaten at room temperature while watching morning cartoons as the family snored in the distance.

Perhaps that's why we take our pumpkin pie so seriously.  It precedes apple pie, and is therefore more American.  It symbolizes the holidays, family, nostalgia.  It's comfort food - best without frills yet has the potential for an elegant dessert.  It's also relatively easy to make.  So why was it so hard to find excellent pumpkin pie in Los Angeles?

We conducted an exhaustive search and learned some unexpected things.  For one, not everyone shares our love of the crusted squash, so fewer restaurants carry it than one would think.  Even more shocking - some of the restaurants who pride themselves on their pumpkin pie were major disappointments.  One highly-touted local establishment served a pie that could only be described as pumpkin-flavored egg souffle.  Another trumpeted Beverly Hills locale charged a fortune for a slice that had the taste and consistency of our Aerosole loafer.  Yet another Westside oldie well-known for another kind of pie makes a pumpkin pie that is overpriced and little more than a sugary orange wedge without a hint of spice.  Where's the shame?

Now for the good news.  There are some excellent pies out there, and we did find a top ten.  We judged on many factors - spiciness, texture, crust and the Oh My God factor.  Ingenuity wasn't necessarily a plus but a well-executed twist was appreciated.  And much like the Olympics, the top five were milliseconds apart, but since we're the Dessert Girl, we got to pick.

One last note: you may be wondering about the usage of the royal We.  That's because we sampled every single slice - sometimes the whole pie.  We have now become larger than One.  We are now We.  That's how seriously we take our job.  Somebody has to do it.

10 - Carrows (multiple locations)  The Carrows pumpkin pie is like that movie character Rudy: it's short and stubby, blue collar and at first you don't expect much from it but in the end it comes out a winner.  We tried the Carrow's pumpkin after a string of disappointments and pronounced it a decent slice of pie - with some spice and flaky-enough crust.  Let it sit at room temperature and skip the too-sweet whipped cream.  It's not as good as your mother's but you can do much, much worse.  Trust us.

  9 - Four 'n 20 (Studio City, Van Nuys)  The Four 'n 20 pumpkin pie has a delightful crust and texture, and we give owner David Burkin major props for going postal with the spices.  However he is a bit sugar-phobic and the pie flirts with bitterness.  But really, don't we all?  Add some fresh whipped cream and everything will be all right.

 8 - Portos (Glendale/Burbank)  Portos Bakery has quietly emerged as one of the preeminent pastry destinations in the Los Angeles area, which is obvious as soon as one enters the bustling Burbank location.  Their pumpkin pie is available by special order during the holiday season but Andy, the genial manager, graciously allowed us to sample a slice.  The crust is a marvel - flaky and crunchy from the first to last bite.  The filling was a creamy affair, and we detected notes of carrot and yam.  Our beef was the lack of spice.  One would have thought if anyone would have the cajones to pour it on, Portos would.  But overall, still an excellent piece of pie.

 7 - Marie Callender's (multiple locations)  Good old Marie.  She really knows how to make pie, and her pumpkin is absolutely solid.  It's got the right amount of spice, good crust, and a nice thick slab of custard.  We've hosted Thanksgiving dinner many times and are always pleased to see her white boxes enter the house, especially when attached to an invited guest.

 6  - Susie Cakes (multiple locations)  The most delightful and unexpected result of our research was discovering this gem of a bakery.  When we entered the whimsical Calabasas location we immediately were transported to our happy place by the pastel teal walls and the beautifully decorated cakes on display.  Susie's pumpkin pie is available by special order but the cheerful counter girl sold us an individual pumpkin tart that was immediately consumed in the parking lot.  The overall impression was light and melting - the crust delightfully crumbly, the custard at first seemingly underseasoned yet had a subtle kick in the aftertaste.  Added bonus: with a Botox boutique three doors down, you can get your pie on and wrinkles out in one fell swoop.

 Stay tuned for Top ten pumpkin pies in Los Angeles - Part Two!

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