Pig & Khao: Good Things Happen When Cuisines Meet
Hi Everyone! I'm so excited to write about this restaurant. Pig & Khao has grown to become one of my favorites over the past few years. Lately, I've been eating here a lot more, which has influenced me to finally write about this awesome spot. Pig & Khao is a Thai-Filipino fusion restaurant in the Lower East Side of New York.
FUN FACT: The restaurant is owned by Top Chef contestant Leah Cohen. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating available. I advise you to take advantage of the outdoor seating during the summer and fall.
Address: 68 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002
Recommended:
Green Mango Salad, Charred Chicken, Lemongrass, Mint, Coriander, Cashew, Dried Shrimp
Sizzling Sisig: Pork Head, Chili, Whole Egg
Whole Fried Porgy: Malaysian Curry, Okra, Eggplant, Tomatoes
Coconut rice
Pork Belly Adobo, Soy Sauce, Szechuan Peppercorns, Crispy Garlic, Slow Poached Egg
Khao Soi, Red Curry, Coconut Milk, Chicken, Egg Noodles, Pickled Mustard Greens, Shallots
Crispy Pata: Pork Leg, Pickled Green Mango, Dipping Sauces
Halo-Halo
Self-serve Bottomless Draft: Yuengling
During our visit, we got the Whole Fried Porgy (the above picture). PORGY?! What a horrible name for a delicious fish. Commonly known as Sea Breams and underestimated as a "cheaper" fish, Porgies are flavorful, firm in texture yet somewhat flaky. The porgy was fried perfectly, blessing us with a crisp exterior while keeping the interior moist and juicy. The fish lay atop a pool of delicious Malaysian curry. The assorted vegetables were a nice addition but that curry really made this dish awesome. I don't know for sure what was in this Malaysian curry but it usually consists of ingredients such as shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chilies, and turmeric. I could lick this plate clean if I weren't in public.
When you go to a Filipino restaurant, it's practically a crime to skip the Sisig. You can read more about it here, but in case you're too busy, here's a quick summary from the link: "What is this heavenly plate of sizzling meat? Is it Korean BBQ? No. Is that bacon? Close. To me, it's like Korean BBQ and Bacon amalgamated into a seductive love dish of sizzling hotness and, no, I'm not referring to myself. It's called Sisig".
Sisig is calamansi-seasoned pig's head and liver, then served on a sizzling plate. Pig & Khao's sisig consists of pork head (ears, cheeks, snout), chilies, and a whole egg. When the dish comes, expect to be hypnotized into a delusional state of mind as the divine smell of smokey, delectable pork fat and meat melts your heart. Once you recover and take your first bite, it's normal to feel emotional. It may take you a few months to recover emotionally from this roller coaster of flavors. Its umami levels are over 9000. The sisig tastes spicy, salty, juicy, porky, crispy, and fatty all in one bite.
Anyways, if I keep talking about sisig, I'll be writing this post all night. I think it's safe to say that I adore this place. Thanks for reading!