Purple Pig is yummy! If you love pork you should definitely come here to stuff your face with great food that is reasonably priced in Chicago. Just a note, there are no reservations here so it's first come first serve communal style. There are some tables near the back that is a bit more private. If you don't arrive early around 6:30pm you will probably end up waiting for +45min. Since you are on the mag mile you can do some shopping to kill some time before your table is ready.
The first appetizer dish we had was the Pigs Ear. I love the crunchy/crispy texture in eat bite of this dish. The kale and cherry peppers really adds to the taste of the entire dish. You get a bit of vinegary flavor from the peppers to give it a little kick. I never really saw the cherry peppers and kale in my past 2 visits because i was outside dinning in the dark. This time I was lucky enough to come extra early so i was able to see the details of the dishes. Check out the bowl shaped like a pig =D We also had one of the smear items on the menu. I really like the dish, the flavor of the pork smear was good with a touch of the pistachio. However, the balsamic vinegar sauce that was drizzled over the dish was a bit over powering. I tasted more of the balsamic than the spread itself. My wife loved it. I really like the bone marrow dish because it is such a simple dish and you can really taste the marrow with just the bread, a few sprinkles of salt, and the herbs to give it that nice flavor. Not everyone will like the texture but for those of you who are adventurous you should definitely give it a try.
The best dishes by far are the entrees here at PP. One of the best dishes here is the Milk braised pork shoulders. The pork is so flavorful and the meat is cooked just perfect where it melts in your mouth. The mash potatoes is a nice addition with this dish. That dish is most definitely flame like john wayne! Writing about this dish is making me want to go there for dinner haha My next favorite dish here is definitely the chicken thigh kebobs, the chicken is very flavorful and the chicken is cooked perfect. The outside is nice and crispy while the inside is tender. What gets me is the chicken isn't really thick so how does the chef make it so crispy and not overcook the middle of the chicken? Must be a good chef. The fried potatoes are great too. We had the pork blade steak last but by the time we got to this dish we were so full we ate 1/4 of this dish and took it home. This dish is really big. PP does pork the RIGHT way!
I asked the waitress to see what was an amazing dessert. She said this dessert always sells out so I wanted to give it a try otherwise I was going to Joes for their banana cream pie. I wasn't impressed at all. It was just like a doughnut with Ricotta and Chocolate Chip filling. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I love this restaurant. It's so close to me and the price is very reasonable. If you are debating between PP or Publican. PP dominates over Publican in the West Loop. I've asked lots of people and they agree that PP is the winner here.
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| Pig’s Ear with Crispy Kale, Pickled Cherry Peppers & Fried Egg |
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| Mortadella, Balsamico & Pistachio |
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| Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs |
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| Milk Braised Pork Shoulder with Mashed Potatoes |
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| Pork Blade Steak with ‘Nduja & Honey |
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| Chicken Thigh Kebabs, Fried Smashed Potatoes & Tzatziki |
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| Sicilian Iris |
Here is my overall rating out of 4 smily faces
Service: 8) 8) 8) o)
Ambiance: 8) 8) 8)
Food: 8) 8) 8) 8)
