Pig & Pickle Experience

He Said

Tucked away in the corner of a strip mall (isn’t this the way all stories start in Phoenix when talking about great new local restaurants?) just outside the Old Town area was a sign with a big pig on it. I immediately thought, maybe this is going to be my favorite new BBQ place. It turned out to be something completely unexpected and different. The pig and of course pickled items were prominently on the menu but really the depth of options surprised me. I think you will be pleasantly surprised as even veggie focused people will find something of interest. It wasn’t super busy the night we visited to do a little He Said/She Said investigation, but it kept a steady stream of customers as we had arrived early. They aren’t open for lunch but they do have a nice happy hour I’d happily enjoy again on our next visit and it starts at 4 so you could consider it an early dinner for Linner even. They focus on local ingredients as all good restaurants should and even our selection of alcohol tended to be less of the national variety and more of the local or regional variety. They have a nice side patio and I believe an attractive bar setup. We were seated right away and sat at a high top near the bar. Perfect for people watching and getting a good idea of how well service was in this very family friendly place. I would call the service comfortable and casual, almost as if you were eating at a friend’s house who had invited you to a nice meal they had prepared.
We started with a few drinks and the “Beer Cheese with things to dip in it” because it was still happy hour. The beer cheese was enjoyable and had a mix of tastes some of which we could not pinpoint. It came with a few tomatoes and 2 different kinds of bread. It seemed to me to be a pretzel and a rye bread. I favored the pretzel but that’s not shocking as I have a secret love of it (whether it’s on my diet or not). They provided extra bread on request and didn’t charge for the additional “things to dip in it”. It always frustrates me when a restaurant wants to charge you extra for something so insignificant. I wasn’t impressed by my wine, a sauvignon blanc. It wasn’t horrible but I don’t think I’d order it again. But my dining partner’s dirty martini looked fantastic.
For our dinner I chose the apocalypse sow burger and got the “tots”. I use quotes because in a minute you will agree with me these aren’t tots. The burger was made of pork and had a spice to it that included garlic (as I would continue to smell it all evening). It was covered in a Havarti cheese, bacon, and a garlic aioli. From the first bite to the last I savored it all. So different, so distinct, so amazing! I love burgers and have had many fantastic burgers in this city but this one stands out hand down! So we know the burger is worth a trip all on its own, but for an extra $1.50 you will experience what they call “tots”. Imagine golf ball size fried balls; yes you get two of them, filled with gruyere cheese and spices. They came with a dipping sauce but I wanted them just as they were so I could remember the beautiful flavor of the tot all by itself.
We had already over done it, but of course our friendly server drops the dessert menu and runs away. He knew we wanted to yell at him for even attempting to suggest more food. But we both immediately eyed the chocolate bourbon pecan pie. We ordered it, we ate it, and we starred at each other with pure gluttony in our eyes. It comes with a scoop of ice cream but it’s the smooth center that will peak your taste buds. Unlike some other bourbon pies I have had this isn’t overwhelming and had it not been in the title I might have overlooked it. So save room, if you like things like, bourbon, chocolate, pecans, and perfectly cooked crust.
So don’t get me wrong, this place isn’t about diet food or sensible meals. If you need to control yourself and eat 250 calories for dinner, don’t stop by this location. But if you want a flavorful, rich, and memorable meal then put it on your list your stomach won’t regret it.

She Said

Hungry and near to Old Town Scottsdale, “He” and I decided to pop into the Pig and Pickle. This unpretentious spot sits in a strip mall on the corner of Hayden and Thomas. I wasn’t really sure what type of restaurant I was walking into and for some reason I guessed BBQ. By the name it wasn’t hard to guess this place favored pork inspired dishes, but BBQ this was not!

It was Happy Hour and we took advantage by ordering drinks and a starter. I got a dirty martini, which the waiter informed me was made with more of a pickle flavor then a green olive flavor, I was on board and ended up loving it. Garnished with olives stuffed with pickled green beans was a nice touch.

The Happy Hour menu had lots of choices and we indulged in the “Beer Cheese with Some Dipping Things.” Two types of bread accompanies this thick and flavorful dip. As I ate I got flashes of summers in Wisconsin. The beer and cheese combo is always a winner in my book but this had something extra. A traditional base with some unidentified seasoning that gave this more depth than just a cheese based dip.

I was so pleasantly surprised by the menu. All the food had an artistic foodie element to it. P&P take well known dishes and amp them up! For dinner I decided on the Croque Madame Sammie and when it arrived at the table my jaw dropped. The portions are extremely generous! This French favorite comes open face on a thick slice of bread, piled with ham, gruyere cheese and two sunny side eggs all smothered in rich Béchamel sauce. P&P nailed it, this sandwich is sinfully good. Rich and creamy with salty hints from the ham will be teasing my taste buds and for weeks.

You have your choice of fries, salad or tots with the Sammies. The waiter recommended the tots so I went for it. WOWSER! Can these even be called tots? Two tots (that look more like arancini balls) are filled with herbs and gruyere cheese that give a stuffing/dressing consistency inside with a fried crispy outside. They are definitely the most complex tots I’ve ever had and should not be missed!

Not like we had room but went ahead and ordered the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. I am glad we did! This southern favorite was rich and decedent but not too sweet. The scoop of vanilla ice cream and buttery crust made this a perfect ending to this superb meal.

When I am in the mood for a comforting splurge I am DEFINITELY heading to Pig&Pickle!