California Eats: The Salted Pig

Last Friday, Hubby took me on a date night...a Fat Friday date night. I don't know whether to love him or hate him, but because he's so darn cute, I'll love him For-ev-ER!

He did an amazing job taking me to a place that is solely based around pork. I happen to really enjoy all things pork. Bacon, of course, Lechon (which is roasted pig), ham, uhhhhh what else is there? I don't know, but I like it... it's fatty, flavorful, and delicious.

The Place: This little gastropub is in the middle of the Law District of Riverside. It kitty corners the Riverside Court Houses and is neighbors with some of Riverside's hidden monuments. You really have to search for this place because it isn't in plain view when driving down the main streets. Because of this, the ambiance was very chill and there weren't a ton of people there. The people were definitely locals. This place is very small and the bar takes up more than half of this place...which is a great thing, right?

The Menu: There is a wide array of items that I've never seen on a menu before. Items like Bacon Fat Popcorn and Foie in a Jar peaked our curiosity and helped us to see that we are going to have to come back again to try everything. The menu was eclectic and modern.

First and most importantly for Hubby, we ordered drinks. I forgot to write the names of the drinks because I was hopped up on pork, my apologies.

The Eats:

It was a tough choice but we ended up choosing something we are familiar with: Bacon Wrapped Dates. The verdict? We weren't crazy impressed because we are bacon wrapped date connoisseurs, but they were pretty good. The thick bacon inside was no joke and who doesn't love a good aioli? Juicy, crispy, crunchy....B+

The Main Attraction: Most of the time at a new place, Hubs and I half our entrees. That way, we will be able to taste more without picking off all the food on our significant other's plate. Genius right?

Hubby's ordered his burger medium. It came out on a brioche bun with fries that are comparable (but not better than) In-n-Out.  It was a monster of juicy beef with chunks of bacon tickled throughout. The egg was perfectly runny and the meat to bread ratio was a fair trade. It seemed promising but it was not "throw your head back and moan because it's so good" type good. It was ok. We've had better. Would we eat it again, yes...B+.

I opted for this fat piece of meat. If you've ever had pork belly before, you know there is some fat involved, but GOODNESS ME, this was FATTY. It was 80% fat and 20% meat. The fattiest I've ever had. After awhile I felt gross, which is to be expected after chomping down on fat, but still...no dish should make you feel that way. Flavorful it was, but I've had pork belly that was made better with a lot less fat. The polenta was creamy and the strawberries gave the fat a well needed contrast. This dish was ok...B-

Overall: This place didn't impress me as much as I hoped it would. I would definitely come back because I want to try different things on the menu. I wont judge it solely on what we tried. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either. The beer selection was great and if anything, this place is a cool hangout spot. The service was very good and I loved the feel of the place. I'll give it another chance one day.

p.s Hubby and I are going to start running together this week. So, no need to worry about our hearts, cholesterol, or blood pressure. We will be ok.

• Do you like to share plates when you go out? Or are you selfish eater?
• Pork? yes or no?