Neatly encapsulating two of the greatest things known to
mankind- namely, pork and taking your time- Slow Pig have been on my wishlist for some
time. The Grill and Barrel featured them on his blog a while back (link below) and has never
stopped going on about just how good their food is. A rare local appearance put
them firmly in our sights; we were at Street Feast Cardiff recently for Chucks
(report here) but their absence that week meant another trip; through those heavy plastic flaps cunningly fashioned to give that meatpacking factory/stalker-slasher flick vibe (I'm not saying there are no chainsaw-wielding maniacs on the loose at The Depot. It's just that I've not seen one. Yet.) and straight for the target.
Patty-There's
no secrets here regarding where the meat is coming from here, no smoke
or mirrors about which butcher supplies them. With Slow Pig you know
exactly what you're getting. You're eating some of the finest pork and
lamb, reared by the people grilling it up in that Citroen (if you want
to find out more about Slow Pig and their ethos on rearing livestock,
check out my blog piece here: http://thegrillandbarrel.com/
Bun-a soft brioche. Need I say more?
You know that feeling when you walk into a place and one of your favourite records is playing, and you're instantly in a better mood? I placed my order; menu deliberation took scant seconds- as if I was ever going to be able to resist anything called 'Crispy Pig'- at the Citroen H van (apparently they are colloquially known in their country of origin as nez de cochon, which is rather apposite).
Expectations were high. As my burger arrived, the swagger and sway of the Stones' 'Miss You' kicked in- the opener of their last truly great album (you can counter with 'Tattoo You' if you like.You'd be wrong) and continued as I sat down to eat. For once, the trestle tables and crepuscular lighting didn't annoy.
The buttery gold of the brioche bun was a lovely thing, light and soft and burnished. Allen's Bakery are doing sterling work at the moment, supplying a couple of my favourite recent finds in Spit & Sawdust and the inimitable Hogwurst.
The patty itself was good. Good, as in remarkably good. Good, as in for the few minutes it took to eat, it was all that mattered. Good, as in- if a kindly old nun had approached you for a donation to disabled orphans, you'd have snarled at her. Slow, slow, slow cooked pork, formed into a patty and crumbed. Panko-crumbed, appropriately enough forming a coating deep and crisp and even.
Ahem.
A dreamy coming-together of textures, this. Somehow, knowing this meat comes from a pig reared by the same people serving it, people dedicated to using the whole animal (very Spanish, that), makes it something to savour. If 'provenance' is high on the agenda for many, this is as transparent as it gets.
A burger like this can't come together easily or quickly, but no surprise there. After a long slow smoke or roast of several cuts of pork- shoulder only doesn't give them the texture they crave, so they diversify- the thing takes shape. And as m'colleague says, you can argue the toss about whether this is a 'burger' as we usually think of it. The fact it's formed into a patty, then finished off, clinches it for us. Either way, this is an object lesson in marrying up your contrasting textures in a wholly satisfying end product.
A red cabbage and crisp apple coleslaw is always a good thing- light and fresh, and seeing it studded with ruby pomegranate seeds was an oddly festive touch; I think they put me in mind of the 'jewels' confectionery on a roscón de reyes. It also put me in festive mood in the sense that I'd cheerfully travel to Egypt on a mule to have a steady supply of these burgers.
Then the music changed, the Red Hot Samey Peppers came on, the burger was no more- despite my efforts to pace myself- and the moment was gone. But what a moment. My favourite discovery of this quest to date. By sidestepping the snare many others tumble into- the 'more is more' fallacy- Slow Pig produce something deceptively simple but utterly memorable. One to savour, one to linger in the memory.
Now, don't tell anyone else, but I hear tell their chorizo burger is even better...
That's a solid 8/10 from both of us. Highly recommended. Make it a resolution- New Year's or otherwise- to catch Slow Pig. It's a safe bet.
The Grill and Barrel
After coming across Slow Pig at the old Eisteddfod, the fact they
were one of the only people to actually talk to me in English wasn't the
only catch that made me go back. Their pork and chorizo burger was
superb and knowing that they raised the animals themselves was even more
impressive. They had me hook, line and sinker and when they told me
they were coming to SFC, I was like a lion to a gazelle (apologies to
any veggies, it's just the circle of life).
That
age old question has arisen yet again, however; what exactly makes a
burger and can pulled pork be classed as a burger? In this case, yes my
friend, it certainly can. Formed into a patty shape and kept in place
with a panko crust, their Crispy Pig is just a thing of sheer wonder.
Now that's how you make a pulled pork burger.
Toppings-A
hearty helping of apple and pomegranate slaw add a sweetness that
accentuates the slight caramelisation of the pulled pork as well as a
crunch after your teeth sink into the soft brioche. The textures going
down in this burger are near perfection for me.
Extras-No sides or extras but just order another, no one will judge you. Promise.
Drinks-None,
but like Chuck's and anything else at SFC, there's no need what with
the bar selling locally crafted Pipes beer and cocktails.
Atmosphere-Michelle
and her team are a lovely bunch of people providing service with a
smile and they perfectly display the human side of the street food movement.
What more could you want?
Overall-In the
words of Leonardo Da Vinci, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,"
and this is simplicity at its finest; bun, meat and a dollop of
coleslaw. There's no need for fancy sauces and sides, just a beautiful
burger, with a whole lotta passion behind it.
The Plate Licked Clean
Expectations were high. As my burger arrived, the swagger and sway of the Stones' 'Miss You' kicked in- the opener of their last truly great album (you can counter with 'Tattoo You' if you like.You'd be wrong) and continued as I sat down to eat. For once, the trestle tables and crepuscular lighting didn't annoy.
The buttery gold of the brioche bun was a lovely thing, light and soft and burnished. Allen's Bakery are doing sterling work at the moment, supplying a couple of my favourite recent finds in Spit & Sawdust and the inimitable Hogwurst.
Ahem.
A dreamy coming-together of textures, this. Somehow, knowing this meat comes from a pig reared by the same people serving it, people dedicated to using the whole animal (very Spanish, that), makes it something to savour. If 'provenance' is high on the agenda for many, this is as transparent as it gets.
A burger like this can't come together easily or quickly, but no surprise there. After a long slow smoke or roast of several cuts of pork- shoulder only doesn't give them the texture they crave, so they diversify- the thing takes shape. And as m'colleague says, you can argue the toss about whether this is a 'burger' as we usually think of it. The fact it's formed into a patty, then finished off, clinches it for us. Either way, this is an object lesson in marrying up your contrasting textures in a wholly satisfying end product.
A red cabbage and crisp apple coleslaw is always a good thing- light and fresh, and seeing it studded with ruby pomegranate seeds was an oddly festive touch; I think they put me in mind of the 'jewels' confectionery on a roscón de reyes. It also put me in festive mood in the sense that I'd cheerfully travel to Egypt on a mule to have a steady supply of these burgers.
Then the music changed, the Red Hot Samey Peppers came on, the burger was no more- despite my efforts to pace myself- and the moment was gone. But what a moment. My favourite discovery of this quest to date. By sidestepping the snare many others tumble into- the 'more is more' fallacy- Slow Pig produce something deceptively simple but utterly memorable. One to savour, one to linger in the memory.
Now, don't tell anyone else, but I hear tell their chorizo burger is even better...
That's a solid 8/10 from both of us. Highly recommended. Make it a resolution- New Year's or otherwise- to catch Slow Pig. It's a safe bet.
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