THE BEST: Pork Belly

[mikeycook]

Opinions?

I had an excellent piece of pork belly at Veritas on Friday, thick cut and crispy on top (referred to as Tender, Crispy Pork on the menu) with cipollini opions and a balsamic glace. I previously had a great dish on special at L'Impero (thin sliced) last summer, but it has not reappeared on the menu.

Where can I find the best belly? Any style of cuisine is welcome.

[robert40]

For something a little unusually I would recommend the pork belly at WD50.

[mikeycook]

Funny you mention that. I just remembered that is what I had as my main when I went last summer. Best dish I had, I thought. Great picture, too.

Edited February 7, 2006 by mikeycook (log)

[NYC Mike]

I had an amazing pork belly at Blue Hill last week, it had both the butter tenderness and crispy top you mention. It was served with farro, pistachios and baby cabbage.

Mike

[mikeycook]

Was that on special? I didn't see it on Blue Hill's web site (only a Berkshire Pork dish with red cabbage, chestnuts, and guanciale).

[Daniel]

I had a great Pork Belly at Saka Gura and at Tasting Room.. I dont know if the Tasting Room is still serving it, but Saka Gura is most likely.. It was great..

[raji]

I had an amazing one at Riingo. Got a picture of it too. I haven't had many pork bellies but everyone at the table tried it and their jaws dropped. I know it's one of their signature dishes if not THE signature dish -

[Sneakeater]

You can't leave out all the usual Shanghainese suspects.

[mikeycook]

You can't leave out all the usual Shanghainese suspects.

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Please. Tell me.

[NYC Mike]

Was that on special?  I didn't see it on Blue Hill's web site (only a Berkshire Pork dish with red cabbage, chestnuts, and guanciale).

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It was part of the tasting menu, I didn't look to see if was on the regular menu. It was introduced as "bershire pork"though.

I am not sure the website is updated as quickly as their menu changes based on ingredients.

[Sneakeater]

You can't leave out all the usual Shanghainese suspects.

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Please. Tell me.

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Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, New Green Bo, Joe's, the newish Joe's offshoot, Goodie's (I only know the places in Manhattan; there are lots of other and probably better ones in Queens) all serve this great pork belly in brown sauce dish. To me, it's the world's greatest pork belly preparation (to the extent my limited experience can support such a ridiculously broad assertion).

Edited February 7, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Vadouvan]

Had a suckling Pig belly at Asiate, best I ever had.

The Cafe Boulud one is excellent too.

I found Wd 50's to be too fatty and relatively tasteless in comparison to Boulud and Sugie.

Blue Hill is excellent too.

[k43]

The familiar Chinese Double Cooked Pork is, in China, made with belly. In the U.S., you have to ask for it "fatty," and even then many places won't serve it that way.

The Grand Sichuan group makes it both ways. I had it at the 9th Avenue/24th St. branch last weekend, though, and it wasn't as good as it used to be.

Another good Chinese dish is pork belly with chestnuts -- maybe the richest dish in the world.

[mikeycook]

I found Wd 50's to be too fatty and relatively tasteless in comparison to Boulud and Sugie.

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I do remember it being fatty, but I thought the accompaniments made for great flavor (particularly the soybeans).

[Vadouvan]

The whole dish as a whole was underwhelming particularly since the main protein was inedible.

A plate of soybeans and sauce isnt quite worth 25 bucks....Pork bellies taste much better with rendered fat and crispy skin.

I felt like I was eating raw bacon.

[Pan]

Years ago, I remember getting what must have been a pork belly dish at Nice Restaurant on East Broadway, a restaurant which is so consistent that you can count on their food being the same year after year. I recall that the taste was excellent, but the cut really isn't for me; I didn't realize it would be literally half meat and half fat, and I discarded the fat and ate the meat. But the dish itself might be worth investigating. I just looked and Nice's menu isn't on menupages.com, so don't try to find the name of the dish that way.

[mikeycook]

Years ago, I remember getting what must have been a pork belly dish at Nice Restaurant on East Broadway, a restaurant which is so consistent that you can count on their food being the same year after year. I recall that the taste was excellent, but the cut really isn't for me; I didn't realize it would be literally half meat and half fat, and I discarded the fat and ate the meat. But the dish itself might be worth investigating. I just looked and Nice's menu isn't on menupages.com, so don't try to find the name of the dish that way.

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I was surprised that the cut at Veritas was pretty well-rendered. Although there was still a decent amount of fat, it was not the 50/50 split that I am used to (not that I don't like it). It made for a much less heavy pork belly.

[mikeycook]

Just had the pork belly at Alto last night as part of a due of pork that included belly and a stuffed, slow-roasted loin.

It was not nearly as good as the ones I have had at Veritas and L'Impero for a couple of reasons. For one, the skin was overly crispy. I didn't realize this was possible, but it almost had the feel of a creme brulee that has been overcooked. I actually had to chew the skin and it almost had a candied quality (it tasted good, but definitely overpowered the rest of the belly.) The other problem is that it was cut a little too thick for my taste and was not really rendered at all, so it did taste like I was eating way too much fat, instead of having the meat and fat blend together with the skin in a uniform whole.

Oh well, let the pork belly hunt continue.

[Sneakeater]

It was not nearly as good as the ones I have had at Veritas  . . . .

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Sure hope Daniel saw that.