Burger Pig will have you squealing for more
I've gradually been making my way through all of our new food halls the past two months. I still haven't made my way to each kitchen yet, but I've got some highlights to share as the crusade continues.
The find I'm most desperate to share is the good news about
Burger Pig, on the first floor of
Parlor OKC. Chef Timothy Abell is a California native whose family moved to Oklahoma when he was a teenager.
After his first kitchen gig at
The Ranchers Club in Stillwater,
Abell returned to California and worked through some prestigious kitchens before starting a catering business. Upon returning to Oklahoma City several years ago, Abell was a chef for Red Prime Steak and Jones Assembly.
Abell owned a catering business before, but Burger Pig is his first restaurant. For it, he's chosen a simple menu to imbue with his kitchen skills.
The big ticket is the eponymous burger, which has a patty made of ground pork and Mexican chorizo. Manchego cheese blankets the patty with bacon tomato jam, red onions and arugula buffering the top half of a potato bun. Abell makes his sauces and condiments from scratch.
The garlic shoestring fries were cooked to perfection, and the toasted garlic and green onions added nice texture and flavor. Regular fries and the Classic Pig were familiar to the eye, but uncommonly well-executed.
Vegetarians can choose a Beyond patty, and ultra picky eaters can build their own. ...
I've been to chef Jonas Favela's Graffiti a couple of times and was happy to sink my teeth into Red Curry
Seared Salmon and Chicken Wings Agrodolce.
Jonas developed his reputation working behind some of the most prestigious stoves in town, including The Ranch Steakhouse, Boulevard Steakhouse and The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro. For this concept, Favela is able to share his passion for Latin and Asian flavors in a more personal style.
He said the vegetarian
Buddha Bowls are among his best-selling items. The bowl of fried rice comes with fresh spinach,
garbanzo beans, black beans, grilled vegetables, corn salsa, Togarashi salt and a house-made sweet
chili vinaigrette.
Heartier appetites will reach for the Miso Grilled Sirloin, which is served with corn salsa and Togarashi salt.
The Ginger Pork Steam Buns might be my second-favorite thing inside Parlor OKC, just behind the previously gushed about Burger Pig. But then there's that Detroit Red Top Pizza, hmmm, more research needed.
Quick Bites
The Lunar New Year celebrations continue this weekend. Super
Cao Nguyen Market will sponsor a big celebration at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Myriad Botanical Gardens. It will include traditional Lion Dancers, martial arts demonstrations, face-painting, traditional musical performances and a parade. Festivities continue through 2 p.m. ...
The new year isn't the only thing being celebrated in the Asian District. Magic Noodle has opened its new location at 2800 N Classen Blvd., suite 101 ...
Now for the bad news. If you're a fan of The
Sandwich Club, 3703 N Western Ave., you've got until Friday to get your final After School Special, Electric Boogaloo or Sweep the Leg. The guys announced the restaurant's last day will be Friday after a five-year run. ...
Hacienda Tacos has opened its second location in Midtown's Plaza Court. Jump over to oklahoman. com/dave-cathey to see pictures of the new place a week early. You'll find all the news from the 405 diningscape there first, including a sneak peek of my tour of The Collective.