Swine

This week has been CRAZY busy! Trying to find time to write has been hard. However, I got this. Last week Doug and I went to Coral Gables with my mother and we happened to stroll into a restaurant I have had my eye (and stomach) on for a long time....SWINE.

We wern't up for a full meal so we decided to just go with some starters. Everything was amazing. As I ooed and awed at the flavors in my mouth I saw that the following week (this Tuesday) there was a dinner special. Four courses with drink pairings for $75. Immediately I booked a spot for two.

Spring 44 was the company that was putting on the show. They are a distillery for all sorts of spirits. Let me tell you, the drinks were SO strong! They were all great and went strangely well with the different meals. But five drinks later, you stand up from the table and realise just how tipsy you are...TAXI!

As you open the door at Swine you are slapped in the face with a smokey aroma. It instantly gets your taste buds curious. Up to the bar we went. The bar tenders are great and attentive. Along with entertaining (atleast at the upstaires bar on a tuesday night! Thanks Alex) I ordered off the cocktail menu a Mexican State of Mind. Strong with a kick!

Just a few minutes later, our first drink was served to us as we were waiting to be sat.

Drink one: Cranberry bitters, Spring 44 gin, lemon juice aperol topped with cava

The tables were set up in fours, so you had to sit with strangers. Personally I love this. You can mingle with new faces and trade yummy restaurant recommendations. Lucky for us Jenny and Estephany sat next to us. They really made our night much more exciting. Dougie and I love each others company but we absolutely love sharing a dining experience with others.

 Estephany and Doug

Jenny and moi

Now to the food...

 First course: Ricotta Agnolotti and Wood Grilled Shrimp

This dish was de-lish! The yellowy foam was called "essence of bacon" YES you read that right! The bacon snuck up on you every few bites. The ricotta was rich and creamy and the shrimp had a bit of a kick to it. Overall a fab plate.

Paired with: Stone Cold Rocky

Spring 44 Gin, Apricot Liqueur, Bitter Lemon Soda

Second Course: Smoked Confit and Seared Margret Duck Breast

Paired with: The Honey Bee

Spring 44 Vodka, Honey-Thyme Syrup, Lemon Juice

This glorious little basket of bread. Zuchinni bread with gruyere

Third course: This next course I cant really give a great review on because it was a very interesting experience.....to say the least!

Whole Suckling Pig Porchetta

Exactly...a whole baby pig right on our table. Im no PETA girl but a baby pig makes me a little queezy off the bat! When I go to set menu dinners, I go in with a total open mind. Let me remind you that I am in no way an adventurous eater...However Doug opened my taste buds a lot in London. So I dug in. Well, we all dug in....a bit too much!

Paired with: April Negroni

Spring 44 Old Tom Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermoth

Two sides:

This one was beans and hash, it had such a nice rare flavor to it. You could really taste cinnamon. I love me some cinnamon.

The sides were great, and the pig tasted like a thick piece of ham, rather than the porky flavor I prefer. The flavors were good but it isn't a dish I would order by choice. After a few bites and being on our fourth drink by now we started getting silly with our food...

Drunk Pig

For some bizarre reason (blame it on Spring 44) Estephany and Doug decided to cut into the cheek...which led to much worse.

We had gotten into a lot of personal conversation so we felt quite close at this point....Doug was dared to eat the tongue, Esteph the eyeball, and Jenny the nose...I shared the nose with her because there wasnt much else left....well........

These girls were troopers. Next up, of course was us trying to get through the skull and into the brain. AH! 

Gladly the chefs sawed the pig in half for us...

**If you love pigs look away!**

The four of us ate the brain. WHY?! I am not entirely sure. Again I blame Spring 44...and Doug.

I do believe this brought us all closer haha.

To end the meal (and totally erase any tastes of brain) we got our dessert.

Fourth Course:

Butternut Squash S'mores Cheesecake

oh yea....So good. I have always been obsessed with any form of butternut squash.

Paired with: Simply Bourbon

Spring 44 Bourbon, Pumpkin Spice Syrup, a bit of Sherry, Cold press coffee, Cream and Grated Nutmeg

This evening was so much fun, I cant recommend Swine enough. Now remember this set menu isn't a normal thing. It was just an event put on by Spring 44. But the food there is some of the best I have had in a while. Service is spot on and if you go, try the burnt ends and cornbread! 

*Small Warning: your hair and clothes will smell like they have been in the smoker all day! Till you wash them!*