Pork Overdose

Porchetta

110 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10009

**** (Definite Must)

If you love pork like I do, then it’s time to rejoice. On an obscure street in the East Village lies a new culinary gem. Sara Jenkins, the owner and mastermind behind this concept, grew up travelling across Spain, France, and most importantly, Italy. It is therefore not suprising that when she left I Coppi to open up this tiny box of a restaurant, she knew how to do it right.

 The namesake dish in question is a Roman classic – roasted pork with crispy skin, highly seasoned with garlic, sage, rosemary, and wild fennel pollen. At Porchetta, you can have yours either sandwiched within a crusty Ciabatta roll ($9) or served on a plate with twice-cooked braising greens and beans ($15). The latter allows you to better relish the tenderness and the multi-layered flavors and aromatics of the roasted pig, while occasionally biting into the crunchy skin.

The service is done over the counter by very cheerful staff and there’s seating space for just about six people, so you might occasionally be crammed into a corner. Just remember, this is slow cooked Italian fast food at its very best.