the spotted pig: some very tasty pub food

February 16th, 2010 | food, manhattan

even though it’s only been around for six years, it already seems like the spotted pig is an institution, giving gastro-pubs everywhere a very very good name.  and while they still are incredibly busy (don’t come too late or you will wait and wait), the spotted pig does feel less trendy and that is always a good thing in my book.   a super cozy spot, the spotted pig is not at all fancy though the service is super professional — quick in the way it should be — and the food is high quality.

j. and i recently visited with our three-year old in tow for brunch (we have been to dinner and lunch a few times too), and everything was excellent.  the juicy charbroiled burger was tasty, and the shoestring fries were crisp, fresh and piping hot (bad fries always bring down a meal for me).  our son plowed his way through more than 1/2 that burger before calling it quits and falling over in a coma.  j. indulged himself with the fried duck egg (not too soft, and not too hard) with wild trumpet mushrooms and trevise (a fancy kind of lettuce i found out, or at least it has a fancy name), while i went nuts over the dutch baby which was like a thin, floppy ultra rich crepe with house smoked bacon and maple syrup. 

favorite foods i remember from other spotted pig visits include the indulgently creamy deviled eggs, the roasted pumpkin salad with pecorino and pine nuts where that pumpkin is so deliciously sauteed and soft it is hard to stop eating it, and the incredibly indulgent sheep’s ricotta gnudi with brown butter and sage.  those gnudi are soft and light that they are worth returning for even if i have to fight the crowds.  the spotted pig also has quite the bar scene if you’re into that sort of thing (with plenty of great beer on tap) as well as some updated classics like a pimms cup or the old havana mojito.  and the founding chef, april bloomfield’s recent venture at the breslin hasn’t seemed to affect quality over here in the west village – lucky for us.   spotted pig, 314 west 11th street at greenwich street, manhattan, new york, . 

american, beer and wine, brunch, food, manhattan, west village , , , ,
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