Based on one visit, that’s the one word we came up with to describe The Hidden Pig, which opened a few months ago in downtown Nashua. But since we try to be a bit more descriptive (and we have a column to fill), here are a couple hundred more words to back that one up.
The Nashua branch is the offspring of the original Hidden Pig in Haverhill, Massachusetts. This one opened in February in the building that was renovated several years ago by the owners of the late, great Riverside Barbecue. There are no exterior signs yet, except for what look like temporary ones in the front windows, so it’s a bit hard to spot. I only happened to notice it because I was stopped out front at a traffic light one recent morning.
The space is L-shaped, with the densely tabled dining room extending to the back of the building and the bar area along the front windows to the right.
The dining area was nearly full when we arrived for our 7 p.m. Saturday reservation, but the hostess offered us the choice of sitting at the bar or waiting for a table to open up. We opted for the bar, which actually made for more efficient ordering.
We ordered a couple of beers (Rockingham Brewing’s The Hidden Pig IPA) while we studied the menu, which is an intriguing combination of influences with a little Southern, a little barbecue, and plenty of bacon and maple thrown in for flavor. Selections include a dozen starters (with bacon everywhere), burgers and sandwiches, with smaller selections of mac & cheese, salads and “bowls & plates.” Not surprisingly, at a place named for porkers, there aren’t a lot of vegetarian options available.
The decadent burnt pork ends from The Hidden Pig in Nashua.
We started by sharing an order of Burnt Pork Ends ($16) from the starters section — and that’s where we got our first taste of decadence. Each of the four 2-inch cubes perfectly charred pork belly easily separated into two halves revealing a thin layer of tasty fat, which made for a moist, savory couple of bites. Tossed in a maple bourbon sauce and sprinkled with bacon bits, these tidbits made one of the best appetizers we’ve had in a long time.
For her entree, Mrs. Gourmet went with Three Little Piggies ($16) — a mixed trio of tacos, featuring pulled pork, bacon and chicken (not sure how that one qualifies as a piggie), served in corn tortillas with lime crema, guacamole and pico de gallo. Mrs. G destroyed the pulled pork taco before the burnt ends caught up with her and she started to feel full. So she gave the other two her best effort, and ended up taking half of each home and enjoyed them for lunch the next day. Her assessment? Excellent, but not quite decadent.
The next taste of decadence was my Chicken & Waffles ($21). I’ve had this dish a few times, and I’ve never quite seen the attraction. But the menu description at the Hidden Pig convinced me to give it another shot, and I was glad I did. The “bacon bits waffle” was slightly sweet, perhaps thanks to the maple-bacon butter. The chicken — two breast cutlets — was perfectly cooked, moist and tender with a slight crunch. On top of the pile was a slice of bacon (surprise!) and a sunny-side-up egg, whose just-runny-enough consistency added just enough moisture to blend all the parts together.
This dish was so good that I never touched the maple syrup and gravy that were served on the side. Like Mrs. G, I took half home for lunch the next day.
The final taste of decadence came with dessert: two doughnuts, which we ordered to take home. Four varieties are on the menu: Oreo, maple bacon glazed, Reese’s and blueberry. At two for $8, we ordered an Oreo and a maple bacon. The Oreo was good, but the maple-bacon glazed was sweet, salty, slightly gooey perfection.
Service at the bar was very efficient, and our food arrived quickly. Our tab came to $82, so the value factor was reasonable. But we would have been happy paying more for the food — we couldn’t stop talking about how much we enjoyed all of it.
As more people check it out and word spreads, even without a big sign out front, The Hidden Pig won’t stay hidden for long.
