Two nights ago, I had the opportunity to eat dinner at The Ravenous Pig, here in my home base of Orlando, Florida.
I was worried the atmosphere would be a little too upscale for me. While I love extravagant food, I hate the stuffy feeling at many high-end restaurants. I want to enjoy my meal with my elbows on the table, dammit! The Ravenous Pig has done a surprising job of blending both upscale food and service, with a remarkably comfortable atmosphere. I wouldn't call it casual, as the restaurant is packed with well-dressed patrons ready for a night on the town, but there are a few people in shorts and I doubt they feel out of place. There are three rooms, seamlessly separated by partial walls. It feels like one cohesive restaurant, while keeping dining areas to a homey size. There are good things to be said for wide open restaurants, but I prefer to feel safely coddled by my table. Brick and dark woods comprise the decor of this American Gastropub; the hard elements broken up by strategically placed light curtains. Really, I think, one of the best designed restaurants I've visited in Orlando yet.
Enough of that. I'm here for the food. Everything on the menu looks amazing, but two dishes spring to my eyes immediately. I order the crispy Mangalitsa pork belly appetizer and the duck breast for dinner.
I've never had crispy pork belly and I've heard entirely too many good things about it to pass it up the first time I meet those three elusive words on a menu. Mangalitsa is a breed of pig known for having fat that is more unsaturated than normal pig fat, creating a lighter and cleaner flavor. Pork belly at the Ravenous Pig is served on a lemon-dill aioli with cucumber relish. It doesn't sound like the kind of accompaniment I expect on a pork dish, but it was genius. The tangy lemon, dill and cucumber cut through the richness of the pork belly, creating a quite light and balanced combination. The belly itself is crispy on top and the fat is sinfully extravagant. It's tough not to feel bad for eating a giant hunk of fat, but it is so much more than that. It is perfect.
I'm eager for my entree now. The pork belly was seductive and I need more.
When my duck breast arrives, I'm not certain what to think. It's a colorful melange of components. The duck sits atop a polenta cake made of organic heirloom grains. There are bright green fava beans, warm apple slices, a salad of what looks like cabbage, microgreens and smoked local honey. The duck itself has rendered its fat and the skin is crisp on top. It is a gorgeous shade of pink.
I start with a tentative taste of the polenta cake. I don't know what it is about this polenta, but it has soaked in some smoky duck fat and honey. The result is a lovely, sweet yet earthy flavor. It's so good, I would bathe in this polenta if given the chance.
All of the pieces to this puzzle seem odd to throw together, but when I take my first complete bite - a little bit of everything on a single forkful - it all makes sense. There is a beautiful symphony of flavors in my mouth. The skies open up and angels sing and hundreds of ducklings fly down to thank me for eating them.
At this moment, I am certain I could die happy.
Get it on @ The Ravenous Pig
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