The brainchild of owners Ken Friedman and chef April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig fits the subcategory of “gastro-pub,” where it fuses English/Irish cuisine with Italian undertones. The result is noticeable appreciation for fresh ingredients on a menu that is not typical bar fare. The pick of many professional critics, the establishment is clearly an atypical dining experience. This wouldn’t be the place for the chowhound to carry out gluttonous behavior, but the portion sizes are considerably larger than your upscale eatery.
Joined by three others, we sat at the bar in the recently renovated second floor, which increases the capacity to 100 seats.
For our appetizers, we ordered deviled eggs ($3), pork cheeks, and Shibumi oysters ($36); I’ve never heard of them either.
The deviled eggs were excellent. The implausible price was explained when an order consists of only two. Covered in chives, the eggs were well seasoned, creamy and delicious.
Pork Cheek (gone before the camera made it out)
Served with dandelion greens, pork cheeks are the type of dish that rewards you for taking culinary risks. These divine jowls fell apart at the touch of the fork. The fattiness of the dish caused it to melt in your mouth. The dandelion greens kept bitterness and bite that flawlessly contrasted the meat. Split three ways, this completely unhealthy but utterly irresistible appetizer was magnificent.
We could have ordered six oysters for $18, but that’s just impractical. It was for two people. Perish the thought. The raw oysters were brought on the clichéd tray of ice with lemon juice and mignonette (shallot, cracked pepper and vinegar sauce) accompaniment. Each mollusk was perfectly shucked and cleaned. The sauce provided a depth of flavor to the smooth natural consistency while the minced shallots added a mild crunch to the dish. I was afraid of an acid redundancy with the lemon juice and vinegar from the mignonette, but was pleased when it did not. Without restraint, however, you could easily overpower it with too much of either. When my half was complete, I realized I could easily have slurped down a whole order.
For my entrée, I ordered the Cubano sandwich with mixed baby lettuces ($17). I am a huge fan of Cubans and have had many including making them myself. Classically, the sandwich has glazed ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard on Cuban bread. Some versions will mistakenly use mayonnaise. Chef April Bloomfield’s interpretation might upset traditionalists with the additions of chopped jalapenos and diced cornichons. While I can appreciate Bloomfield’s efforts to be unique, the jalapenos were excessive. The sandwich also utilized a gruyere cheese, a commonly used and emphatic upgrade to Swiss. It is nuttier and more savory. This added distinct intensity to the sandwich. Overall, the sandwich was very good. The side dish was not actually mixed baby lettuce but an arugula salad. It was extraordinarily fresh, but perhaps just slightly overdressed with its lemon juice and oil. The acid seemed overkill as an unconventional palate cleanser. Perhaps it would have not felt that way had I eaten some between bites of the Cubano.
My brother and friends all ordered the Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese and Shoestring potatoes ($17). One was rare, one was medium and the last was a sacrilegious medium well.
Two of the three burgers were topped with Roquefort. This French cheese is sharper but softer than its similar British counterpart Stilton. In terms of cooking comparisons, you could easily substitute it with American Maytag Blue and achieve the same flavor profile. I prefer much milder bleu cheeses than the pungency of the French one. The burgers were perfectly plump and cooked precisely to order. The buns had prominent grill marks, making ideal presentation. The meat was very good, but not over-the-top spectacular. The Roquefort is really what makes the burger, the burger.
Maybe shoestring fries make you feel less guilty about eating large quantities. They are light, crispy and fun to eat. Conversely, there are its downsides, which I suspect my friend dislikes about them. They get cold very quickly, and do not have much substance to them. It is also conceivable that they go much quicker.
The classic burger and fries combo works here as it does in most cases. The chef’s personality is evident here too. But again, without the cheese it is just good.
We sampled some of their beers too. Pork Slap Beer (a pale ale) was available in the can only. You could take it or leave it. On draught was Spotted Pig Bitter. After much finagling by the bartender, the beer taps worked and it was flowing. This was more enjoyable than the Pork Slap, but not write-home-about-it impressive.
I was incredibly surprised at the co-ed bathroom. I saw both sexes enter and exit at the same time. That certainly might throw some unsuspecting patrons for a loop. Don't know if it's trendy or what, but I don't think that's very popular.
All told, with drinks included, the bill was $171 before tip. The cost was steep, but taking into consideration the cost of alcohol in the city, it price isn't that far fetched. The Spotted Pig is a great hole-in-the-wall you would never expect has the reputation it does from the outside. But I was satisfied with the meal overall.
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