Porchetta
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Porchetta definitely lives up to it's fantastic reputation. Great food at reasonable prices, excellent quality, and cozy-hip surroundings make this not only a must-try, but a must-return! Friendly service is icing on the cake. Try the porchetta plate with white beans and sautéed greens, and Chicory salad.
Atmosphere
Porchetta is a perfect example of the small, yet very creative, 'fast food' restaurants popping up all over Manhattan. With a span of only about 10 feet across, Porchetta's clean white tile walls and slim wooden window counters create an atmosphere that is both modern and comforting. The addition of cool but simple swine-art on the wall, and a small candlelit lantern on the counter add personal and creative touches. Next to the petite ordering counter, a glass warming case with the infamous roasted pork (porchetta) on display.
Service
Though only counter service, the staff at Porchetta is warm and helpful. Eager to answer questions and offer suggestions, they seemed genuinely pleased to have us there, and even kept our food warm while we went searching for a bathroom. (more on that later...)
Food
Going on the old KFC idea, Porchetta does one thing, and does it well. What exactly is porchetta (pronounced pork-ett-ah)? It's roasted pork with crispy skin, prepared Roman-style with garlic, rosemary, sage, and fennel. And it is at once moist, tender, aromatic, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
At Porchetta, the meat comes in 2 ways, in a sandwich ($10), or as a plate with white beans and sautéed greens ($14) . And though the 'crispy skin' can be a little much for some people (it's so hard you can barely chew it) I enjoyed scraping the fat off the back and leaving the rest at the side of the plate. If you have a sandwich, you may decide to do without the skin. The plate, though, was delicious, the beans the real kind, done with garlic and olive oil, and the greens a little bitter but fresh and perfectly sautéed. Personally, I would have liked a little squeeze of lemon on mine to make it perfect. But, again, the pork was fantastic.
At Porchetta, the meat comes in 2 ways, in a sandwich ($10), or as a plate with white beans and sautéed greens ($14) . And though the 'crispy skin' can be a little much for some people (it's so hard you can barely chew it) I enjoyed scraping the fat off the back and leaving the rest at the side of the plate. If you have a sandwich, you may decide to do without the skin. The plate, though, was delicious, the beans the real kind, done with garlic and olive oil, and the greens a little bitter but fresh and perfectly sautéed. Personally, I would have liked a little squeeze of lemon on mine to make it perfect. But, again, the pork was fantastic.
Cleanliness
Immaculate. Porchetta does not have a restroom, though there is a Mc Donald's around the corner.
Pros
Excellent high-quality food at great prices. Cozy yet sophisticated atmosphere. Friendly service.
Cons
No bathroom.
