The Pandering Pig

The Pandering Pig Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: Hudson Heights is not the first dining destination that comes to mind when looking for a romantic evening out. But you should consider hopping the A train to 181st Street to sample some of the simple, lovingly prepared cuisine here. Wife-and-husband chef and host team, Nicole and Senator O’Brien, create an experience akin to dining in their home. Everything from the welcome to the service, the seating and the food has a handmade, homey feel to it, along with the astonishing personal collection of miniature cards showing 1920s silent-movie actors adorning the brick walls, sourced from the owners’ family. The 28-seat room has the feel of a railroad apartment, long and narrow, with a few tables and booths, a small kitchen and a tiny bar.

Likes: Good for date night; romantic, undiscovered and very personal.
Dislikes: Many of the dishes were lacking in seasoning and could be helped with better presentation.

Food & Drinks: The menu reflects the chef’s upbringing in Northern California and her passion for French preparation. Dishes are a bit quirky, like the tangy yet simple fig and olive tapenade, the Brussels sprouts with melted blue cheese, or a rainbow trout served without adornment. The signature poulet de Sonoma is marinated in herbes de Provence and paired with olives, capers, peaches and blueberries. Perhaps the most successful was actually the dessert, the rich nuage au chocolate presented in a pot. It’s worth making a repeat trek for. The wine list mixes Californian selections with ones from Provence, including a lovely Pommeau to accompany dessert and espresso.