Drunken Pig in Chicago (not from The 5 Year Engagement))

 

Yesterday Wayne and I went to the soft opening of Drunken Pig, in Rogers Park for dinner. Wayne knows the Executive Chef/Owner, Johnny. Johnny was really nice. What was cool about Johnny was how open and you could tell he really put some thought into the dishes he created.

When we walked in the atmosphere was relaxed yet modern for a gastro pub and it started to pick up pretty good (for a soft opening) as time progressed.

Now the food. The food was pretty awesome!

We ordered the Bacon wrapped dates, Twice cooked pork belly, Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers , Johnny's chicken wings (I forget the actual name of the dish),  drunken garlic Parmesan truffle fries, and the mango flan. If you love beers, they have a pretty nice selection of microbeers. Wayne really liked the 2 beers he tried.

 

The bacon wrapped dates were really good. The date provided a little bit of extra moisture and tenderness to the bacon. However, depending on the size of the date under the bacon, it can be hard to taste it. I like the taste of dates, so I would have liked a little more of the flavor to seep through my taste buds. But then again, some people may not like dates and just want to taste the bacon.

Johnny's getting angry! Chicken Skewers was good. I thought the Korean sauce tasted pretty good combined with the moist chicken and the bed of arugula on the bottom. If you are looking for something to eat that will add a little more sustenance to your stomach along with the Pork Belly, these are pretty good.

The Twice Cooked Pork Belly [on the left] was Wayne's favorite. There were four chunks of tender pork belly, with scallions, pickled red onion and a tiny bit of kimchi in the middle. The pork belly was savory and had the right amount of crispiness. And the kimchi added a little sour/spicy touch to the mix. Very good and should be ordered.

Johnny's Chicken Wings [on the right] These were fantastic and my favorite dish of the night! The wings were absolutely succulent. And the dish was so freaking good because it had the right amount of spice, juiciness with a hint of sweetness. I felt all the flavors were in sync with each other perfectly. Plus they were perfect to nibble on while watching football. (Literally I ordered 2 dishes of these wings). Also I told Johnny if he ever does carryout, I'd order a tub of these wings because I thought they were that good! Haha. Anyways, amazing dish and must be ordered!

The Drunken Garlic Parm Truffle Fries was also a really good one to munch on. The fries are sprinkled with shavings of Parmesan cheese (and blue cheese I think?) And served with a garlic aioli sauce. The fries were a thicker cut, (which I personally like) and the cheese added a tiny bit of sharpness in flavor to the fries. The aioli sauce was also pretty darn good. It had just enough garlic flavor to add a bit of creaminess to the fries.  Really tasty. Just be careful these will be gone pretty fast if you enjoy munching!

Last but not least, the Mango Flan. Wow, this dessert is really really rich. Wayne and I made the mistake of ordering our own. If you're on a date or with a friend, make sure to share the flan! The flan was served with a mint leaf and a foamy Malibu cream on the side. I thought the bit of Malibu complimented the flan because it was so rich. Word of advice, eat slowly, remember sharing is caring and savor slowly. In short it is a pretty tasty dish to try with a friend.:)

 

The only downside I can see, is if you're looking for a big meal, it may be hard to get your fill. The dishes are like tapas with a bit of Korean cuisine-inspired flair. But if you're down to relax, eat a bit, drink beer, catch up with friends, and watch a football game it's a good place to be. Nonetheless, you really should go check it out if you're in the Rogers Park area.

Go try some interesting beers, eat some yummy Korean-tapa dishes and catch up on your football. :)

As always,
"The Couple that Grubs Together, Stays Together"

-Grub Couple-