(SEA) Who serves pork belly, or even more of the pig?

[donde]

Hi... I'm trying to find favorite places in Seattle that serve pork belly regularly on the menu. Recommendations?

Also, any places jump to mind that pride themselves on serving lots of the pig - whole pig, unusual parts, etc.?

(Note: Not looking for BBQ joints or low-end Asian restaurants. Nothing against them... I love that kind of food, actually, but looking to compile a list of some different types of places.)

Thanks!

[terrier]

Elysian Fields often has pork belly & do a good job with it. I think they have it as an appetizer at the moment with grainy mustard and a parsley-fennel salad. I've also had it there over lentils.

[donde]

Thanks, all, for the great suggestions so far. I'm trying to narrow my list, and for now I want to drop out the Asian places (again, I love them, but looking for something different now) - though I might consider (heaven forbid) a fusion place.

From your replies, suggestions for top tier serving pork belly seem to be:
Lark
Brasa
Boat Street
Cremant

Other possibilities from your replies and my research:
Jones Bistro
Sitka and Spruce
Quinn's (not necessarily pork belly)
Tilth
Restaurant Zoe
Union
Harvest Vine
Boka
Qube
Chez Shea.

So... the question remains: Any restaurants (from the lower list, or currently excluded) that should be bumped up to the top tier? Again, I'm looking for restaurant that are likely to serve pork belly on the menu, and that would have other parts of the pig available in other dishes. For this, I'm looking for Seattle only, no chains, no BBQ, and no strictly Asian places.

Thanks again!

[vanillagorilla]

When they have it, Le Pichet has a great pork belly preparation. It's confited pork belly that is then deep fried.

[barleywino]

i would bump Lark and Brasa down, and Harvest Vine and Chez Shea up (just my opinion, ymmv). BTW try the pork shank at Tulio sometime (not as crackling as it could be, but still a nice preparation)

[lucky.goldstar]

The last truly great dish I ate was at Facing East in Bellevue - they serve a "burger" which is a slab of pork belly in a steamed bun. Outrageously good and highly addictive at $3-4 per.

[fussycouple]

porkbelly is a trendy name used in upscale restaurants for "bacon", just so you know.

[hhlodesign]

Porkbelly is one of a few cuts of meat used to make bacon. Sides and back being others. Different cuts or types of meat that are cured and/or smoked can be referred to as bacon (e.g. duck bacon, turkey bacon, etc.). Although the most common cut of meat used for this process is belly, that is not always the case. Belly can also be used in many different ways beyond making it into bacon. Most restaurants that have "porkbelly" on their menus serve it either braised or roasted.

Just so you know! ;)

[barleywino]

Agree...i especially like the "bacon" made from pork jowls (guanciale, like from Salumi). I tend to think of "belly" as rich and substantive enough to stand on it's own as an entree, while I think of "bacon" as more of a flavoring item (except at breakfast of course)

[equinoise]

I've been used the guanciale from Da Pino in a couple recent dishes I've cooked. Very nice.

[bourbongal]

The roast suckling pig that is sometimes on the menu at Brasa is memorable.

[Lauren]

Boat Street has pork belly on the menu - with rotating presentations.

[malarkey]

Second the recc for Boat St, they almost always have pork belly, and they have some fantastic preps for it. Last time I was there it was a celery, fennel, capers, meyer lemon thing that was out of this world.

[dagoose]

I enjoyed the belly at Cremant, but my favorite in town is at Maekawa, though that could be classified as "low-end" asian.

[bluedog67]

I know we aren't supposed to talk about the underground, but wanted to breifly mention that I am attending a pork belly event that is sure to be delish!

[equinoise]

I couldn't help but mention that Bamboo Garden, a Sichuan restaurant in Bellevue, serves a dish called "the other parts of a pig", featuring intestine and congealed blood. For further intrepid options, the "wild side" menu also offers kidneys, stomach and intestines cooked in various ways. http://bamboogardendining.com/theothe...

[barleywino]

Quinn currently serves tete de cochon, if you like fatty pork (head cheese). Harvest Vine regularly has pork belly on the menu (but not always). The braised pork belly at Made in Kitchen if you like that lacquered fatty skin. Hard to find a good crispy skin version around here though (thanks hlodesign for the tip).

[pusherman]

I had great PB at Cremant, not sure how regularly it's on the menu.

Really, though, it's hard to swing a stick in Seattle without hitting some yummy pork belly.

[hhlodesign]

Monsoon does an incredible pork belly, Chinese red-cooked style. For the month of March, Eric (owner) bought a specialty bred pork called Mangalitsa which is known for it's marbling and quality of flavor in the fat. This is the pig that is served at The French Laundry and comes from Spokane. Among the items he will be serving are (from the press release):
grilled pork chops, seasoned with five-spice and black bean
pork shoulder braised in coconut juice
roasted baby back ribs with ginger and hoisin
braised and lacquered pork belly

Also, one of my favorite preparations of pork belly is sui yook, or Cantonese style roast pork belly. All the places in Seattle that do this suck. But get to Parker Place Meats in Richmond, BC for sui yook that rivals some of the best in Hong Kong.

[dagrassroots]

Second the monsoon rec.

[vanillagorilla]

I've had great pork belly at Lark, Tilth, Brasa, and The Jones Bistro. Unfortunately, all of those places have menus that frequently change. I can't guarantee that they will have pork belly on your next visit.

[bluedog67]

Sitka and Spruce does an amazing pb - like a cloud of lard, if you can imagine - and Matt Dillon really prides himself in the best use of the animal. Again, changing menu, DAILY, so no certainty that you'll get it.

I concur that Brasa and Lark both treat pork well. Same menu issue.