The Pig

There is a saying that you can eat a pig from its nose to its tail. I completely agree with this saying. It has become very chic for chefs today to use whole animals. That means chefs are using cuts like the cheeks, belly, liver, heart, feet, tails, and the whole heads of the pig. Across the nation these head to tail restaurants are exposing cuts of pork to many Americans that have never tried them before. My relationship with pork is complicated. I always feel a little guilty whenever I eat pork being Jewish. Even though I have a complicated relationship with pork, I still enjoy eating it. One of the best pork-centric dining experiences I have had was at The Pig in Logan Circle, Washington D.C. By its name you can tell that the menu focuses on preparations of pork. There is pork in most menu items so be prepared for the onslaught of porcine deliciousness. The meal that I had at The Pig with my sister was a display of the many ways in which pork can be prepared. To start there was a charcuterie board with cured ham, pate, salami, mustard, pickles and toasted bread. For the salad course there was an arugula salad with crispy pig ears. I had the crispy pork shank with green lentils, braised kale, and balsamic vinegar glaze. My sister had the pulled pork BBQ plate with mac and cheese. Everything that cross my lips was absolutely delicious. I love it when a restaurant features a charcuterie plate because of the unique flavors that comes from cured meat. Put salami or ham on a plate with some grilled bread and you will make me happy. There is an art to making delicious salami and ham, so if you are a fan of charcuterie check out The Pig's interpretations. The crispy pig ears in the salad were like crispy bacon bits. The pigs ears were crispy, crunchy, porky, and fatty delicious. The crispy pork shank was a taste of multiple textures with a crispy exterior juxtaposed against fall off the bone tender meat. The pulled pork was a great interpretation of classic southern barbecue. Besides the delicious dishes that I had the enjoyment in tasting, The Pig offers dishes that feature pork belly, pig tails, heart, bacon made from the face, and the cheeks. While The Pig focuses on pork, there are dishes that do not feature pork. There are even vegetarian friendly dishes if you decide to dine with a vegetarian at a restaurant called The Pig. If you are an adventurous eater and a lover of pork The Pig might just be your perfect pig out.