A Whole Lotta' Piggy In The Emerald City

There's something about Elizabeth Ray.

My sister noticed it first, observing how her brand-new daughter was, well, particularly porcine. Terms of endearment often take their cue from the animal kingdom; "Monkey" and "Bunny" are affectionate nicknames my friends dub their significant others. With babies, these pet names increase exponentially. Their newborn adorableness elicits even serious folk to coo "Lamb Chop" and "Chicken" in high-pitched sillyness.

In my niece's case, the piglet analogy was inevitable. Elizabeth's wee wardrobe is predominantly pink.  Swaddled tight, she resembles a piggy in a blanket or a pork burrito. When she nurses noisily, she's a suckling pig. With her newborn cold, her snores sound like little oinks. To use a, er, literary reference, dainty Elizabeth takes after Olivia, the pretty pig of children's book fame, who I discovered while honing my Auntie chops with my other lovely nieces, Isla & Syla.

In honor of this little piggy--and her aunt's penchant for pork--here are my porcine picks in her hometown, Seattle.

Jambon @ Bar Ferd'nand
www.ferdinandthebar.com
Capitol Hill

Alone, this buttery jambon is luscious. Blanketed on fresh-baked, Corson Building sourdough (slathered Spanish-style with tomato) and drizzled with olive oil, it's downright decadent. This is as sexy as ham gets--glistening and unfurled on this open-faced awesomeness. Paired with a chilled albariño or a tart cider, this is the happiest of hours at this gem of a bar.

Salumi sampler @ Bar Cotto
www.ethanstowellrestaurants.com/barcotto/
Capitol Hill

Ethan Stowell's latest addition to his epicurean empire is Bar Cotto, a salumeria featuring local and international cured meats. Make like a taste-tester and order a 3- or 5-sampler: ribbons of silky mortadella--Italy's refined cousin of our pedestrian lunchmeat, bologna, culatello--the tender, creamy,  "king of salami", speck--a smoked prosciutto, succulent house-made porchetta, and soppressata picante for a spice kick.

Opt for the traditional Parma accompaniment, torta fritta: fried bread pillows. Still hungry for more pig? Bar Cotto offers a rare, pizza topping: n'duja, a spreadable salami from SF's salumi sorcerers, Boccalone.  Imagine the heat of Mexican chorizo and the texture of French rillettes...and voila, n'duja!

Cured pork loin @ Agrodolce

www.agrodolcerestaurant.net

Fremont

The lighter side of pork is showcased at Maria Hines' Sicilian ristorante. Thinly-sliced lobes of house-cured pork loin, lonzino, are topped with crunchy, raw fennel, snipped chives, and chili oil made from sweet Aleppo peppers. Just in time for the warm weather, this delicate, lean, refreshing dish proves that pork need not be heavy.

Pâté albigeois @ Le Pichet

www.lepichetseattle.com

Belltown

At this oh-so-Parisian charmer, the country-style pâté is a marriage of two types of pig: ground pork and bacon. Served with classic accoutrements, cornichons and grainy mustard, each bite of this rustic, hefty pâté whisks you across the Atlantic. Thankfully, this traditional French pâté is served in an American-sized portion.

Porchetta @ Salumi

www.salumicuredmeats.com

Pioneer Square

At Armandino Batali's palace of pork, arrive early to snag their much-lauded, so-good-it-sells-out porchetta sandwich.This behemoth is stuffed with toasty, fragrant, fennel-spiced pork shoulder, meatballs, onions & peppers, and a garlic-caper spread. Juicy is an understatement--prepare to get messy with each dripping bite.  Don't be intimidated by the lines outside.

A bevy of cured meats are available for purchase, either whole or sliced onto delectable sandwiches. I'm partial to the finochiona (fennel) and piquant mole salami. Win over your out-of-town friends--Salumi can be shipped throughout the U.S. of A. 

A Good Morning Guarantee

Take 5 Urban Market Ballard
www.take5urbanmaket.com

Ce n'est pas une McMuffin.

While Take 5's Executive Chef, Bryan, had a high school gig grilling at a nearby McDonald's, his hand-crafted, breakfast sandwich is similar only in form and packaging to the fast food classic.  At Take 5,  slathered butter fills each nook and cranny of a toasted English muffin.  Topped with scrambled egg, melted cheese, and ribbons of honey-roasted ham, it is hearty enough to fuel a day at work, yet sufficiently naughty for a hangover cure. Worth the trip from across the Sound and picnic-worthy for a beach brunch.

Considering that Take 5 has a team of chefs, it's not surprising that their other edible offerings are equally good, especially the unbelievably tasty sandwiches and dinners-to-go.  Wash it all down with artisanal sodas and microbrews.   If you're in a rush, call ahead to avoid a wait--delicious takes time.  Next time you're en route to work, why not take 5 breakfast sammies? Your co-workers will thank you (and me).

My Zone Diet

Taco Zone Echo Park
Vons parking lot on Alvarado/Morton
open 8pm to 2am(ish) most nights

In my suburban CT childhood, there were two types of tacos.  1. Salty, spice-packet-seasoned beef in a hard shell from Old El Paso. 2. Gringo-style, cheesy bombs from Tacos Or What, a local joint frequented by  high-schoolers and hungry stoners.  Neither were remotely authentic, but they were good, cheap fuel for my enormous, adolescent appetite.   

When I moved to Los Angeles -- aka Little Mexico -- I finally tasted tacos in their natural habitat.  Like pizza in NYC, tacos can be found everywhere, whether at car washes, local tiendas, on street corners, or at the ubiquitous taco trucks.  Just as Angelenos each have their preferred route to LAX, everyone has their own personal, favorite truck, which they emphatically believe to be the BEST.  Like on Yelp, disparity abounds; a revered truck for one can be revolting to another.

My go-to lanchera is the Taco Zone, conveniently located in walking distance from my Echo Park home.  The "Zone" (as us fans like to call it) is run by smiling ladies who are as friendly as they are tough; they survived a fire-bomb attack by competitors and, one night, they threw tongs at a man who tried to steal their tip jar.  They also let me order in my feeble Spanish without a whiff of mockery.  

Taco Zone is frequented by an eclectic bunch: Eastsiders, Dodger fans with post-game munchies, hipsters from surrounding bars, and Mexicans craving food from their homeland. One night, a Jalisco man tells me that the Zone is the only place he'll order tripe in the States, an affirmation of their authenticity.  On line, we are all equal. We are all seeking the same holy grail: tacos.

Al Pastor Tacos

All of my visits to the Zone have included their irresistible al pastor, L.A.'s finest chili-spiced, barbecued pork.  I also adore the succulent  suadero (brisket) and the tender cabeza (cheek) too.   While the meat is top-notch and tasty, their accoutrements are equally amazing.  Super-spicy habanero salsa, fresh cucumber and cabbage, chopped onions and cilantro, and an avocado, tomatillo, jalapeno sauce that is so delectable I've contemplated chugging it on its own. 

Cabeza Mulita 

Open-faced Mulita

Burritos and quesadillas are also available, but I recommend the off-the-menu mulitas, a meat & melted cheese topped corn tortilla that can be munched open-faced or sandwich-style.  

I'm normally not a fan of food trucks, both because of the long lines and my penchant to leisurely linger over a meal, but for fast-food, late-night bites, or post-dance class eats, the Taco Zone is where it's at.  Some of the other neighborhood trucks have flashy, LED signs and even tables for al fresco dining, but Taco Zone doesn't need those bells and whistles.  In the parking lot perched atop my Honda's hood, this is L.A.-style dinner theater: cheap and delicious. 

Care For A Smoke?

Swingin' Door Texas BBQ North Hollywood March '12
www.swingindoortexasbbq.com


Unleaded, Supreme, or Tri-tip? Leave it to L.A. to have bomb-ass BBQ at a gas station.


Just as the name implies, Swingin' Door Texas BBQ serves up authentic 'cue from the Lone Star state. Located on a nondescript, Noho corner, it's easy to miss, in spite of the two giant smokers out front. Look out for a bright, hokey Western mural, a wagon-wheel lined patio, and bales of hay. The cowboy kitsch not only detracts from the unfortunate proximity to gas pumps, but is a sweet n' cheesy homage to Hollywood production design.


Follow the fragrant smoke through the swingin' (alas, glass) door. Inside, effort has been made to spiff up the stark space, with painted brick trim and cowboys and "wanted" poster wallpaper. Mosey up to the counter where friendly staff take your order. The menu features the usual, smoked suspects, with quality ingredients like organic chicken and Angus beef.


My hands-down favorite, the brisket sandwich, is the best I've had in town. The moist morsels of meat are, dare I say, succulent, especially after my share of overly-dry brisket. Slathered in sauce, the beef has just enough fat to add flavor without causing a coronary. The accompanying pickles are even better when stuffed in the sloppy sandwich. Homemade coleslaw is simple, but offers a refreshing crunch.




Like the brisket, the ribs are tender, tasty, and not overwhelmingly fatty. The finger-licking good BBQ sauce comes mild or spicy, the latter a mellow, peppery heat. If you crave more kick, the Hot Sauce Zone offers a plethora of piquant selections. The mac and cheese is decent, more appealing for its nostalgia than its flavor. Wash it all down with sugary-sweet lemonade. I had no room for dessert, but the state fair favorite, deep-fried Twinkies and Oreos, is available for the adventurous.



For my fellow costumers who work at Western Costume Company, Swingin' Door Texas BBQ is located just across the street. For all others, it's worth the trip. After all, the Valley isn't as far as Texas.