Well, The Pig and the Lady finally opened their brick-and-mortar restaurant about 1 month ago for lunch and recently just started dinner service. Since our last meal from them was in July on Natto Day, we were jonesing for another taste and made the trip last night. Since the bar menu was created by Kyle Reutner (one of the co-founders of the Hawaii Bitters Co and one of the Ten Mixologists to watch in 2012), we started with a round of house cocktails - everyone orders one cocktail, takes a sip then passes it to the right. I selected the Brava ($10) with house made rose vermouth, citrus and gin - it was like a lighter, citrusy martini.
We also sampled the Day Off ($10) with lilikoi, Chartreuse and rhum - very refreshing!
The One Way Ticket ($9) with orange, coffee and 8 yr old Bourbon - as the coffee ice melted, the flavors started to change, like having several different drinks in one!
The Lift ($9) with kiawe smoke, rye whiskey and apricot - sweet and smoky!
And the Fancy ($9) with lots of bitters, meringue and bubbles - I love bitters as the primary flavor agent!
We then uncorked a bottle of bubbly - Paul Bara Grand Cru Brut Reserve
Then proceeded to the starters including the Coffee Can Bread ($7) with chicken liver pate that was almost like pate cream with black grapes and candied peanuts.
The Stewed Beef Tendon ($7) in pho broth with Gooch's Ass Master 2000 sauce. Like beef flavored jello!
The Marinated Mussels ($8) with fingerling potato chips and a chimmichuri sauce
The Ham-Douken ($13) which was their charcuterie board with pork rillette, country style pate and cured thin sliced pork which looked like uncooked bacon but was one of the best things I've tried this year! It was served with pickles and a persimmon mustard.
The Peterson Farm Egg ($11) soft cooked on a "polenta" made with buckwheat and rye berry that was like farina to the nth, nth degree!
And the Chef even allowed us to indulge in the Marinated Soft Egg ($3) with shoyu-caramel, green onions and fried shallots which he usually only serves at lunch. Just when I thought a runny egg couldn't get any better, the flavors in this dish was the absolute BOMB!
We also uncorked a 1989 Georges Brunet Demi-Sec Vouvray which worked perfectly with the charcuterie
A 2012 Szoke Irsai Oliver Matra - a blend of about 10 different white grapes
A 2012 Eric Chevalier La Noe Muscadet
And a 2011 Argiano Sesti Sauvignon which was one of the wines of the evening
We also indulged in the Pho Sot Vang ($14.50) with red wine braised beef belly, grilled beef tongue and tendon chicharons
The Chitara ($17) with charred tako and braised oxtail
The Porchetta ($19) with popcorn polenta and cabbage chips and crispy skin to die for!
And the Charcoal Grilled Chicken ($18) with chicken fat rice and blistered shishito peppers
I was stuffed at this point but managed one last cocktail - the Extra Curricular ($10) with vodka, elderflower and Campari almost like a Negroni.
While the rest of the table finished with the Ice Cream Burger ($5) with either orange creamsicle or mint chocolate gelato on toasted King's sweet bread.
Though we waited quite a while for The Pig and the Lady to finally open, our wait was rewarded with superb dishes that didn't disappoint! Flavors combinations that I hadn't experienced before along with creativity that I've come to expect from Chef Andrew. He asked us if the prices were too high but we pointed out that the most expensive item was only $20. And I know it seems we uncorked quite a bit of wines but most of the bottles were about half full and left with the staff to sample after dinner service was complete. We're already looking forward to our next visit including sampling their lunch and Saturday Brunch menus... especially another round of those Soft Marinated Eggs...
The Pig and the Lady
Pacific Gateway Center Building
83 North King Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 585-8255
Tue-Thur 10:30am - 2pm (lunch) and 5:30pm - 9:30pm (dinner)
Fri 10:30am - 2pm (lunch) and 5:30pm - 10:00pm (dinner)
Sat 10am - 2pm (brunch) and 5:30pm - 10:00pm (dinner)
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