Blind Pig

I am a bona fide carnivore. I don't say no to many meats, but bacon is one meat that I can always resist. Until last night, I thought all bacon were just salty and greasy. Well...The Blind Pig actually made bacon that I want to eat.

But first, I must rave about their oyster fritters!!! Was I glad my hubby won't eat oysters! They were as fresh as possible; the impossibly crispy batter did not overwhelm the oysters inside. Both the aioli and vinaigrette were perfect for the oysters. One after another...I think I was done with the entire appetizer order within 2 minutes! My previous favorite oysters from Doc Crows has just been beaten out!

Now for the bacon. It was inside the Ivory Bacon sandwich along with house made boudin. The boudin was served like a patty, very tasty but I found myself pulling out the strips of bacon out of the sandwich and eating them alone. Smokey, crispy, savory but still a little sweet...mmmmmmmm...that was good bacon.

The hubby got their fish and chips. It had the same batter as the oysters and it was one of the best versions I have had, too. The cod loin inside was thick and flaky. The only thing we did not like were the fries. They were the fresh cut ones that just can't seem to be made crispy. I know, I hate to say it: I like frozen fries better.

The Blind Pig is just down the street from the Alley Theater. It made a perfect post show meal.

What a good surprise!

I will never imaging there is such a Chic and Trendy Restaurant in Butcher town. It's like like walking into a restaurant expected in Chicago or NYC or Miami.

I was just hitting the bar. After a taste of charcuterie and cheese plate with white wine, I'm sold. The cured meat are heavenly taste!

Then the friend and I ordered dinner, I get the Ratatouille as remembered from the famous movie:) Well, the taste was ok at best. Maybe I'm not a veg guy or it is just not my type of dish. And this is the only reason I give a 4 star instead of 5.

I will go back again to try other dishes, or just enjoy the chic mood again!

And I found a secret new place upstairs. Nobody ask where is it until I get a good visit first!

Casual yet sophisticated comfort food and an approachable atmosphere that exudes a level of trendiness because of it's genuine charm. I'll be seeing you once a week from here out on, Blind Pig.

I've been eying the Blind Pig's menu for months as a lunch spot and never could seem to make it there for one reason or another. I finally ended up here for dinner earlier this evening and this meal deserved a review, stat. True to their positioning, Blind Pig offers European style comfort food. And you know you're indulging in just that when the the duck confit, slow cooked white kidney beans and and garlic sausage (made in house) sit plopped down over the entire circumference of the plate. More importantly, you know the flavors and combinations of the dish are on point when you remember exactly what was on your plate, details and all, without pulling up the PDF of the menu as you write the Yelp review. :)

I took half the cassoulet home with me and that brings me to the only thing separating this from a 5-star review for me. It's their approach: they serve over sized entrees and no sides. Yeah, I guess I could splurge the extra 8 bucks on top of the 20 I'm paying for my entree to get a salad to break up the monotony, but wait, what am I talking about - that's almost $30 and that's madness! Maybe it's just me, but my taste buds start to tire of one dish -no matter how great - after 15 bites with no end in sight.

In retrospect, I think this is why I was so drawn to their lunch menu. Sides just aren't as important then. Also, they have options for under $10.

Last but not least, the drinks: the spicy sangria cocktail is a mix of more liquors than fruit with white wine, red wine, Bacardi Silver, Applejack plus lime juice and jalapeno. It was tasty for sure, but the jalapeno needed to be kicked up a notch to really knock the drink into innovative territory.

For two weeks I researched and debated (internally) whether or not we should spend my birthday dinner at Blind Pig or Hammerheads. I kind of wished we had gone with Hammerheads.

Every part of me wanted to love Blind Pig. The dinner started off wonderfully. The decor was a unique combination of clean and quirky with an open kitchen. The service was quick and efficient. The appetizer we ordered, the oyster fritters, was delicious. Fresh oysters, flaky batter and perfectly fried.

Then the entrees came out -- The Ivory Bacon and the Meat Plate. The Ivory Bacon, a glorified sandwich served with fries was okay. I mean, everything about it was good, but something in the sandwich (I'm guessing the aioli) made it incredibly salty! The Meat Plate which came with three types of sausages, pork loin and bacon was better, but nothing was out-of-this-world. Well...I take that back. The bacon was AMAZING. Best bacon we've ever had. I think they should add an entree entitled "Bacon Plate."

In the end, Blind Pig was just "okay." Parts of our experience blew us out of the water -- the decor, the appetizer and the bacon. Parts of our experience were disappointing -- the sodium laden Ivory bacon. And parts of our experience were just okay.

The wonderful architecture awaits as you enter and have a seat. Try to sit on the right so you can see into the open kitchen.

I started with the cider, very nice, smooth and HUGE, then the pate which was well done, obviously very fresh and served with a layer of Duck Fat to keep in the freshness, so stir it in, y'all.

I had to order the meat plate, pic included, three nice sausage and 2 types of bacon. The bacon stole the show for sure, wish it had been served with sauteed veggies or something, rather plain in retrospect.

Overall a nice hipster gastropub, not cheap, not overly expensive either if you keep your bar bill down - which is tough with all the great drinks they offer.

I'm a huge fan of the Chocolate Creme Brulee and the Fresh Pork Sausages.

The service is usually attentive and swift. However, like any establishment, there have been lapses. Nothing huge, just little things like taking too long to refill a glass or forgetting a condiment. The staff is always polite and welcoming.

The atmosphere and decor are lovely, warm, and inviting with a definite nod to the tradition of the architecture of the neighborhood. I get the sense that almost everything in the dining area is reclaimed.

The only major issue is that the raucousness of the bar patrons tends to spill over into the dining room area. I've had more than one meal tainted by the loud cackling of some middle aged drunk broad looking to hook up with the bartender.

Sexy Beast refuses to allow me to throat punch these people so I sit there, sulking at my Creme Brulee and imagining them with their skin put back on inside out.

MR says ... thanks for introducing me to SORACHI ACE beer :)


MRS says ... "typical place not, simple menu to choose from, anything blind pig" ~ a haiku poem for you BLIND PIG :)

we love pork. BLIND PIG is in butchertown area. we thought we'd find crackling pigs skin, roasted pig or pork rinds. instead what swine dining is all about are the mound of bacon and ham on their sandwiches. we loved it.

we had the fresh pork sausage as our appetizer. we each got a sandwich. one bacon butty. one ivory bacon. good sandwiches and the fresh hand cut fries were superb.

people do flock to blind pig. menu is really simple. service is good. price a little steep i think but there's something about BLIND PIG that makes it deserving the price. i mean there's nothing super spectacular with the sandwiches.

we didn't enjoy the dessert. we had the caramelized pineapple. skip dessert if you can.

thank you to the handsome barterder who introduced us to sorachi ace beer.

After having no meat all week (personal choice, detox!), my saliva started kicking in high gear when my husband said, "how about we try Blind Pig?" Well, I knew I had to embrace my inner carnivore ... and the sooner the better.

We made some reservations with another couple for 6:30 Saturday night. We got there early to try out some drinks at the bar. Bacon Dirty Harry ... you'd think all bloody Mary's taste the same, but no. Definitely worth the $10 price tag in my book. When the rest of our party showed up, we clearly didn't need reservations. Plenty of seats available at that time, but if you plan on going later, reservations are a must as they were packed when we left.

Now, about the important stuff ... the foooood! Their menu changes every couple of weeks, and this week they had something I woke up this morning thinking about. Pulled, braised lamb gnocchi (photo posted). Holy hell. Comfort food at its finest! I'm pretty sure my husband and the other couple (while extremely satisfied with their dinner) were secretly jealous that they didn't order it. Can't wait to go back as we were all thoroughly impressed with everything. Yet, we're all kicking ourselves for not trying it sooner ...

This gem, tucked away in the far off land of "Butchertown", derives its name from the fact that they cure their own meat in house (actually above house, but you get the idea).

The Blind Pig can be anything you want it to be. The menu ranges from 8 for a sandwich or salad to 25+ for an entrée.

The clientele (albeit sparse at 9:15pm on a Tuesday) was eclectic. Small business meeting, a date, girl's night out, a few guys drinking beers at the bar with the bartender (who had a rockin' beard and hair style, by the way - I hope he reads this), and the servers themselves were eating at the bar.

Our highlights for food were the Salmon Croquettes for appetizer, the Meat Plate...

"Quick Tip" - order the Meat Plate instead of any other appetizers for a group of about 3-4. It is the best option to get a true experience of the meats they have to offer. And let's be honest, if you're going to a place called the Blind Pig, you are a meat lover.

...Pinot Noir, and the Italian Sausage Sandwich with fries.

"Quick Tip" - the menu changes. Ask the waitress what are the most consistent dishes. My recommendation is to choose from there, rather than getting the "dish of the night".

All in all: this little piggy went past Market (to E. Washington!) and cried, "yum, yum, yum" all the way home! (You know I couldn't resist.)

"He's some pig,
Some pig,
Some terrific, radiant, humble pig,
He is some pig!"

I am sure if I looked closely I could see a web left by Charlotte talking about how tasty Blind Pig is.
I have been to this restaurant three times. The first couple of times I was underwhelmed, but the restaurant was new and still wallowing around before it's final curing.

I was resistant to come back, but we decided to grab a bite after checking out the cocktail bar Meat. There is some irony about these two places together if you check out my Meat review. I am glad I returned. The new menu and cocktail selection is fantastic.

I am a huge fan of charcuterie plates so it was a natural that I would enjoy the Blind Pig. I had the Pork Rillettes pate with duck fat, that was amazing. There is a large portion so make sure you ask for extra bread. My table ordered the Shepperd's pie with lamb, the Bucatini pasta, and the Bison Patty. All were prepared to perfect meat temperature and extremely juicy.

We did order the bacon ice cream because of all the other reviews, but for me there was nothing special about it.

This place has very attentive service and a great place to relax and dine slowly. Now that I have discovered this terrific, radiant, humble pig I plan on making it the talk of the town.