Tag: dining out

6 Great Pork Dishes To Try Around Calgary!

Posted on by Dan Clapson

Sabroso’s Cubanos pork-filled sandwich hits the spot perfectly for lunch or dinner!

While summer is slowly dwindling away, make the most of your remaining vacation days by dining out around the city. From spicy soups to sandwiches, here are six great dishes full of tender, flavourful pork worth ordering before August comes to a close!

Anejo – Pozole

Soup isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind during the summer, but Anejo’s take on this classic Mexican dish seems a bowl full of braised pork, radish, mushrooms, lime and onion in a rich broth topped with tortillas, mozzarella and cerveza!

Cibo – Pork Panino

Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? Slices of pork are layered with raddichio, shaved fennel, red onion and fig jam. Best enjoyed on this restaurant’s gorgeous side patio, of course! That is, if you can get a seat.

JoJo’s BBQ – Sloppy JoJo

Being a hot mess is not always a good thing, but in this case, it most definitely is. A combination of smokey brisket, pulled pork, barbecue sauce and bacon gravy. Also rumoured to cure hangovers!

The Libertine – Pulled Pork Cheesesteak Sandwich

Kicking the standard cheesesteak up a notch, Libertine’s kitchen tosses some sliced pepperocini, deep-fried bacon and pulled pork into this American classic.

Menyatai – BBQ Pork Ramen

Kensington’s newest restaurant, offers up some great Japanese fare including this bowl of ramen. Served piping hot with bean sprouts, corn, a soft boiled egg and green onion.

Sabroso – Cubanos Sandwich

Pictured above, this Latin American eatery on the corner of 14th Street and 16th Avenue packs a lot of flavour into this ciabatta bun with roasted pork, slaw, peppers, and housemade pickles.

A New Year of Eating: 5 Pork Dishes in Calgary to Try in 2013

Posted on by Dan Clapson

We’re already ten days into 2013. So, what have you been eating? You aren’t one of those people that attempt a drastic diet and work out regiment this month, are you? Everything in moderation is always a good life philosophy, so if you’ve been reasonable all year, than no need to torment yourself.

With a new year comes new adventures, challenges and, most importantly, chances to dine out with your friends. Since we love pork, we’ve picked out five great dishes around Calgary that you should make a point of trying out in the next little while. They will not disappoint.

 

1. ‘The Hammer’ at the Pig and Duke

A giant kielbasa sausage stuffed with guiness cheddar is wrapped up crispy bacon, stuffed in a bun and drizzled with aioli. Not exactly low on the calories, but if you’ve got a hangover after some Friday night shenanigans, this will make you infinitely better bite after bite.

(1312 12 Ave SW, pigandduke.com)

2. ‘Pork Trio’ at downtownfood

Tender pork loin and belly in an Asian-style barbecue sauce are topped with fried pork rinds and served with a kohlrabi puree and mushrooms. A comforting dinner plate that’s sure to hit the spot on a cold winter’s night (if we have any of those left, hopefully not!).

(628 8 Ave SW, downtownfood.ca)

3. ‘Pork Belly Ramen’ at Anju

There is ramen to be found in this city, and then there is Anju ramen. This giant bowl of rich, spicy goodness is packed with Korean flavour. Kimchi, noodles, braised pork and vegetables sit in a hot broth, finished with a healthy dollop of creme fraiche. I’ve never look at a bowl of ramen the same way again.

(507 10 St SW, anju.ca)

4. ‘Porchetta Benedict’ at Cucina

A list of delicious pork dishes is never complete without a breakfast entry. Try this morning plate at Cucina. Perfectly poached eggs sit atop garlic braised pork belly topped with a rich rosemary hollandaise sauce and pepperonata. Bennys are on almost every brunch menu around town, but this one definitely stands out from the pack.

(515 8th Ave SW, eatcucina.com)

5. “Pig’s Head Mortadella’ at CHARCUT

Don’t let the title scare you. This charcuterie offering at Calgary’s most meat-centric restaurant is a beautiful start to any dinner. Studded with pistachios and served with grainy Brassica mustard, you’ll be craving more mortadella faster than you can say: “Oh my god, I just ate pig’s head!”

(899 Centre St S, charcut.com)

Recipe: Mango Soy Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Posted on by Dan Clapson

As December slowly creeps up, it’s always important to stay warm; both outdoors and in your kitchen! What better way to feel cozy and content than with some smokey, melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork? This recipe has a subtle Asian flare with the sweet and sour mango barbecue sauce. Here, the pork is served in butter lettuce, but feel free to toss some into some dinner buns, or freshly toasted bread for a quick bite at lunch or dinner.

What you’ll need…

Pulled Pork:
1 pork shoulder (approx. 3 pounds)
1 yellow onion (loosely chopped)
3 cloves garlic
1 cup beer (preferably a dark ale)
salt and pepper

Mango Soy Barbecue Sauce:
1 yellow onion (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves
1 mango (peeled, chopped 1” cubed)
1 cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP hoisin sauce
1 TBSP fresh ginger
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP sriracha
2 TSP chili powder
salt and pepper

Other:
1 head of butter lettuce (leaves separated)
1 carrot (shredded, for garnish)
1 bunch green onions (thinly sliced, for garnish)

 Directions:

Pulled Pork:
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Turn to low heat and cook for a minimum of 8 hours. After cooking for at least 8 hours, pierce with a fork and the meat should just fall apart. Continue scraping with a fork, or pull meat with hands to separate. Place the pulled pork with some of the leftover juice in the slow cooker into a bowl, cover and set aside for now.

Soy Mango Barbecue Sauce:
Cook the onions on medium-high heat with some olive oil in a large pan under they become transluscent, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir to combine.  Let the mixture come to a simmer, reduce to low heat and continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once done cooking, let cool slightly then puree in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper if desired (though the sauce should already be quite salty from the soy and hoisin.).

Serving:

Place the pork into a large pan and cover liberally with barbeque sauce. Stir until evenly coated. Once barbeque pork is nice and hot transfer to a serving bowl. Place the separated butter lettuce leaves in a bowl as well. Take a decent helping of the hot pulled pork, wrap up in some lettuce and enjoy! Yum!

Serves 5-6

Total cook time…9 hours, 30 minutes