The Salty Pig

Last week, after living at my place for way to long, my neighbors, L and R, and Nick and I finally went out to dinner!  It was beyond long over due.  Rather than staying local, when I suggested The Salty Pig, somewhere I was eager to try, they were more than willing to come be taste-testers as well.  The Salty Pig is in the same location as Six Burner and before that, Firefly.  I know Six Burner had some exhaust issues, but that is definitely no longer an issue.  They completely re-did the space to make way for The Salty Pig.  You enter through the patio space and walk down into the area that is dominated by the bar and kitchen with plenty of tables scattered around the area.  The space is modern but still warm, and feels like a place you want to hang out in for awhile.

After being seated, we placed some drinks orders.  The Salty Pig has a large beer menu of some good craft beers, and they are more than willing to offer up a tasting glass so you're sure of your selection.  For liquor drinks, while they do not have a full liquor license, they do have a cordial license, so they offer up a variety of fun cocktails as well as flavored vodkas, etc.  The full liquor license is not missed.

The menu at The Salty Pig can be broken into two halves, with the first being a combination of meats from the pig (obviously!), cheese and some garnishes.  The other half is your more traditional appetizer and entree section.  To begin, the four of us made a selection of meats and cheeses and a few garnishes.

Yummy platter of goodness

For meats, we went with a prosciutto, a porchetta, a soppressata and a ham.  For cheeses we ordered a pecorino, a sheep's milk, and a cheese that tasted like Cheddar but wasn't actually a Cheddar.  The names of what we got are not on the menu online, which is why I am not being very exact about this.  Also, I must say our server helped make some (most) recommendations, which were actually my favorites of the plate.  

For garnishes, we got the smoked mushrooms, clover honey and fig jam.  The smoked mushrooms had a really interesting flavor - the smokiness was really unlike anything I had tasted before, but I enjoyed it.

Jam and Mushroom close up

Our plate also came with some pickles and a mustard, both of which provided a great complimenting flavor to the meats and cheeses.  The whole platter was just a smorgasbord of good tasting treats.  Not having had any other food at this point I would be ready to come back to the Salty Pig for this half of the menu.

Honey and Pickles

By the time we finished, it was time for another round of drinks!

Cute Tasting Glass

For main courses, I was expecting one thing when I walked into the restaurant but got another since I found out that the menu online is quite different.  I was pleasantly surprised by the additions - no sandwiches and more entrees!  No worries - the flatbreads are all still there.

Nick went with the meatballs, which are pork (of course) and garlic with Guanciale and tomato sauce.  These meatballs were super flavorful.  I loved them - tender and well seasoned.

Meatballs

I decided on a soup and salad combination.  For my soup, I went with the cauliflower and almond soup garnished with a pork belly.  This was so flavorful!  I literally could not get enough.  I normally do not like creamy soups, but this one may have changed me forever.  After I was done, Nick kept reaching in for more!  The pork belly was cooked perfectly and such a fun and surprising garnish for this type of soup.  Also, the presentation was so pretty - the soup was well broken up by the garnishes.

Cauliflower Soup

For the salad I got the oven-roasted chicken salad with bacon, avocado and green goodness dressing.  The salad was a crisp complement to the soup.  However, the bacon was almost too smokey for me - a bit overpowering.

Chicken Salad with Avocado

Finally, both L and R decided on the short rib dish that was accompanied by some amazing looking grits.

Shirt Rib Plate

The short ribs were so tender - no knife required to eat any piece of it.  The seasoning was spot on - I mean, you can even see it!

Short Rib

The grits were amazing looking - and L is from the south, so she really is a tough critic.  On top of the grits was a fried egg, ready to be broken and flavor the grits.  Such a delicious flavor combination, especially when you combine it with the juices of the short rib.

Grits topped with a friend egg

All four of us finished our meals completely satisfied and happy we had a walk home in order to stretch out a bit!  There was so many flavorful and delicious items on the menu to choose from.  Really, you can walk in and order only from the first half of the menu (meats and cheeses) and some drinks and be ready for a great night out.  I will definitely be heading back to the Salty Pig soon.  I am looking forward to trying the flatbreads - the kitchen had a wood fire oven for them, and they looked delicious!

I highly recommend taking a trip to The Salty Pig!