The Spotted Pig

Can you believe I have never been to this restaurant?  Can you believe that I, a self-professed pork lover, took close to 30 years before dining at a restaurant called The Spotted Pig in my hometown?  Can you believe I have gone as far as Canada to enjoy pork and offal dishes and I never did it in one of the most famous NYC restaurants on the scene right now?  If you couldn’t tell, I hate myself.  In fact, I hate myself a lot for not coming to The Spotted Pig sooner.  It wasn’t always my fault, though.  As anyone who has ever been to this restaurant can tell you, it’s always packed.  There have been two times before where I have tried to get a table late in the night, but then turned away after hearing I would have to wait upwards to an hour.  Luckily, on this beautiful, sunny Saturday evening, I was able to score a table right when they opened at 5:30…err…5:45pm. 

I had to wait 15 minutes before they could seat me because “the kitchen wasn’t ready”.  Strangely enough, there were tons of patrons already seated around the establishment.  Although I waited for a few minutes the hostess then got my attention and brought me over to my table on the second floor.  She was very nice, never without a smile, and made small talk with me up while heading up the stairs.  This move immediately made me feel more welcome, because there’s nothing like being greeted with a warm smile when you start your experience. 

I sat down next to an older couple, and the female was pretty much bent over in pain.  It’s never a good sign when you sit down and the patron right next to you is holding her stomach.  “Ohhh my gaaawwd, I am sooo full!”  Now I love going to restaurants and getting your money’s worth, you want to leave feeling full.  But when you stuff yourself to the point of being incapacitated, especially when it’s only close to 6pm on a Saturday night, well your night is pretty much over.  That being said, be careful about how much you order here, because the portion sizes are fairly large, and very filling. 

As I sat down I immediately noticed the obvious differences between the dining room here and at The Breslin.  The Spotted Pig is a lot more colorful, with tons of windows allowing natural light, and a lot of memorabilia  of pigs and food paintings around the place just like The Breslin.  The restaurant also has the same tan paper-cloths, now covering white tablecloths on every table. 

I started the meal with three “small” plates.  Deviled eggs, devils on horseback, and the chicken liver toasts.  The deviled eggs were great.  Two halved eggs with perfectly cooked whites, creamy yolks, a touch of cayenne pepper, olive oil, and chives.  I popped the first one in and immediately closed my eyes and let the flavors speak to me.  The second, however, was kind of a disappointment.  As good as the first one was, the second was on the salty side, as I picked up huge chunks of undissolved muldon sea salt under the yolk.  It kinda threw me off.

Deviled Eggs

Devils on Horseback

Next I went into the devils on horseback.  They are sweet prunes, stuffed with chopped pickled pear, wrapped in salty bacon, drizzled with a touch of honey, with an essence of cayenne pepper, and broiled.  They arrive at the table attached to toothpicks.  After popping one of these little bundles of joy into your mouth you’re overcome with this sweet sensation that just leaves you smiling. 

Chicken Liver Toast

The chicken liver toast was the one that almost filled me up.  There was SO much chicken liver spread on two triangles of toast, but in a good way.  I love chicken liver, and I can handle eating a lot, and receiving these two pieces of liver on toast just indulged my senses and satisfied my cravings.  I did, however, pace myself through eating these so I could save room for the last course. 

Hellllooooo Spring.  Since the Spring season had started I had yet to try anything with ramps (wild leeks).  Ramp season is very short, and in just a month to two month’s period every chef in NY tries to get their hands on them.  You will see ramps all over their menus, sometimes in 7-8 dishes.  Although I just had a fried duck egg at The Breslin the night before, I decided to go for the duck egg with ramps and toast, on the menu at The Spotted Pig.  I have to mention one thing, though.  Sometimes it’s very easy to pick out a food blogger.  They’re usually the ones that order a lot who are seen then whipping out a camera and taking pictures of everything that arrives on their table (Yes I’m making fun of myself here).  As the runner dropped my last course on the table he said “It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?”  It was just such an odd thing for a runner to say when they deliver a plate.  Then I realized why.  This presentation was off.  It was so fussed with.  It looked like something a culinary student put together for their final kitchen exam.  I guess it was their way of poking fun of food bloggers.  I could be completely wrong, and April Bloomfield may have intended to present the plate this way, but if I’m right, it’s almost borderline offensive. 

Fried Duck Egg, Ramps, and Toast

Anyway, I do have to mention that April Bloomfield is a goddess of eggs.  She can turn me into a newborn egg slut, much like Wylie Dufresne of WD-50.  This duck egg was cooked sunnyside up, with sautéed ramps, drizzle of hollandaise, and two pieces of grilled toast.  It’s just so soul-satisfying when you receive a plate of eggs, especially when that plate is covered with a buttery hollandaise.  

Overall, it’s so apparent this is a great place to hang out and eat.  Walking into a restaurant that’s packed every night you know they’re doing something right.  So go join the party. 

The Spotted Pig

314 W 11th Street

New York, NY 10014