Skip to main content

Green Pig Bistro

Green Pig Bistro isn't exactly what you think of when you want a veggie-friendly restaurant.  But then, it's not meant to be.  Born in the era of charcuteries this pork heavy restaurant is true to its name.  In point of fact I have dismissed it many times due to the limited veggie options but it was Father's Day and I was curious about a place which repeatedly tops the list for brunch spots in Arlington.  Reservations were made in advance and for the most part, it did not disappoint.  I ordered completely off the a la carte menu, getting two eggs scrambled, cheese grits and the biscuits with cream cheese and hot pepper jelly (yes, this a place where you have to "earn" the meal through workouts the day before).  The eggs were voluminous and tasty, not overdone at all.  The biscuits were firm and flavorful (although I would have liked the jam and cream cheese to be served on the side rather than pre-schmeered into the cut biscuits) and the grits, heavily dosed with cheddar cheese and (cream?  butter?) were extremely rich and yummy.  The waitress saw to it that all of our oddball requests were accommodated, skipping traditional accompaniments and switching them for more healthy ones.  One companion said it was the best decaf coffee he had seen in a good long while and another declared the same of the grits.  The bill was reasonable, coming to around $27 per person with tax and tip.  The only downside was the same I have had of many restaurants of late.  Concrete floors, open kitchen and thumping music make for a noisy space and conversation was challenging at times.  I do wish restauranteurs would address this issue.  In any case, not a lot for veggies and really nothing for vegans, but if you don't mind a carb laden meal the food here is well-made and a hit for the meat-eating friends.

Pork-focused charcuterie style food
1025 N. Fillmore Street, Arlington
http://greenpigbistro.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield.  After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat.  Finally, someone suggested this amazing place.  It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall.  With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable.  For about a minute.  Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices.  My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations.  The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs.  When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask.   But onto the food.  We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...
Post a Comment
Read more

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch.  We compromised and went together.  Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is.  Across the board.  The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud.  Conversation was difficult.  The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet.  Or I tried to.  Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice.  My companions opted for coffee.  It was ice cold.  Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well.  I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients.  It had three.  The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dera

Was looking for a good Pakistani restaurant in Springfield and this one had some of the best reviews, so I gave it a shot.  Arrived for an early dinner to find some regulars around a table in a cavernous room.  The restaurant staff looked at us like we had interrupted a private party.  We sat and were grudgingly given menus after asking.  Tepid water in questionably clean glasses were eventually brought.  One member of the party ordered a salad.  It arrived in a large mixing bowl and was mostly iceberg lettuce.  A plastic basket of cold bread was literally "dumped" on the table, then the waiter disappeared.  Eventually we were able to get someone to take our orders, which included a curry, a biryani and a kebab.  Portions were huge and the rice, again, came in what looked like a mixing bowl.  It was enough to feed ten.  The food wasn't bad.  Sometimes the seasonings were a bit heavy handed (particularly for the rice) but it was...
Post a Comment
Read more