at the sign of The Pink Pig

Bountiful Parish Hall

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  February 25, 2013]

I almost don't want to say Parish Hall reminds me of Masten Lake.  But it does, more than somewhat, in its location, its fresh, precise cooking, and it sense of space and tranquility.

After all, Masten Lake was so spacious and tranquil, it closed shortly after I reviewed it. 

Oh No You Didn't! (White Castle)

 

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  February 25, 2013]

So, my first defense is, this is maybe the only third time in my life I've eaten White Castle.

And once was in Nashville.

Le Cirque In The Snow: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  February 25, 2013]

I remember this as if it were yesterday.  The snow began to fall, and fell thickly.  Two feet of it underfoot, and high ramparts along the sidewalks where snow ploughs had shoved it to the edge of the road.

Midtown was a mess.  Everyone else had clearly stayed in bed, so there was no work for me to do.  It occurred to me that Le Cirque would be wide open for lunch.

Corton: A Study In Jelly And Belly

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  February 18, 2013]

Following my sojourn in Arizona, and what seems like several weeks of barbecue and burgers, I felt it was time to reconnect with the classic high end of Manhattan dining.  I have certain reservations about most of the long-established palaces of gastronomy, but I never had a bad meal at Corton, and I decided it had been too long.

I ate the longer of the two menus (priced at $125 and $155 respectively), and it was a feast. 

Quick Bites: Mighty Quinn's Again

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  February 18, 2013]

Mighty Quinn's BBQ on Second Avenue certainly isn't due for a re-review, but its convenience and accessibility has put it on my regular rotation.

A couple of recent visits emphasized just how important it is for a restaurant to be well-run.  On a busy weekend evening, the line at the counter was reasonably long, but I was still served in about ten minutes.  In the afternoon, it's the easiest place in the world to get a bite.

Spago To Dim Sum Go Go: Ten Years Ago

 [Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  February 18, 2013]

Last week's episode found me en route back from Sydney, and I'd decided to break the long journey with a stopover in Los Angeles.

I checked into a sunny little hotel, with a swimming pool, the name of which is omitted from my diary.  I think it was on Wilshire Boulevard, and probably in walking distance of the Golden Triangle, where I mooched curiously that first afternoon.

Phoenix, Arizona

[A Pig at Large by Wilfrid:  February 11, 2013]

A few days in Phoenix for meetings, and not much time to look around.

I snatched some photos here and there.  Above, Kincaid's, a "classic American grill," from the terrace.

Down Under, Including Tetsuya's: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  February 11, 2013]

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Sydney ten years ago, on business, but with plenty of time for leisurely dining.  It was my third visit.  On my first trip, I'd eaten all kinds of local fish and seafood for the first time.  On the second, game and unusual bush herbs and berries were on every menu.

On this trip, a sophisticated and unforced fusion was evident.  You can read the menus of each of my dinners below, from the world-renowned tasting at Tetsuya, to humble bay bugs in a pub.

On The Road x 2

Pink Pig on the road: ten years ago, in Sydney, Australia; this week in Phoenix, Arizona.  Which I found eerily quiet.

 

Laura Tack At Con Artist

[New York Peasant by Kim Davis:  February 6, 2013]

Con Artist is an artist's collective.  It's also a gallery, located down some slippery steps beneath 119 Ludlow Street.  If you're on the Lower East Side this evening, you should seek the space out.  It currently houses an exhibit by Laura Tack, "We Rooted and Forgot."

I'm excited by Laura's work, and by her rapid artistic development.  This is a show you should see if you possibly can.