Swine dining: All-PIG restaurant opening on Girard Ave.
It will take the former Union Taco and EAT space at 712 W. Girard Ave., next to the flagship location of Tiffin.
That happy squealing you may be hearing might be the cries of pork fans:
Chef Joseph Shilling, who's had a long run in town both in the restaurant education and catering world, is planning a Dec. 15 opening of a quick-service, all-pork restaurant called PIG.
It will take the former Union Taco and EAT space at 712 W. Girard Ave., next to the flagship location of Tiffin.
Shilling will aim for a cozy 25-seater, including six counter stools at an open kitchen.
Shilling, who worked at the late, great Windows of the World in New York, came to Philadelphia in 1997 as chef of Babe's Steakhouse, a swank spot in Port Richmond. Among his other stops are chef at the Hilton in Valley Forge, director of the Restaurant School, culinary director at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, dean of education at the Art Institute of NYC, and, since 2011, chef/owner of Your Personal Chef by Chef Joseph E. Shilling.
Shilling got word of the space from Union Taco/EAT owner Nick Farina, a former student. Farina will be the owner.
On the menu:
Piggy chili with ghost pepper jack cheese and nacho chip crumbs ($6); and Caesar salad with garlicy bacon dressing ($7), plus such entrees as Miami's Cubano sandwich with pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard pressed on Cuban bread ($9); Philly Italian Pulled Pork Italian spiced with broccoli rabe and sharp Provolone ($9); pulled pork Parmesan with Italian-seasoned pulled pork topped with tomato gravy, sharp Provolone and mozzarella ($9); Carolina barbecued pulled pork with pepper slaw ($8); Three Little Piggy's meatballs with pork, ham, chorizo and tomato gravy ($8); pork burger with ground pork with a hint of ground chorizo sausage ($7); an "Oink Oink Hog" burger, made of 80 percent ground pork/20 percent chorizo sausage and topped with pulled pork, bacon, ham and crispy chicharon ($10); "the Ultimate" BLT with double-thick bacon and pig's tomato jam ($7); and a grilled Berkshire pork "lolli-chop" - a thick-cut pork chop with garlic ginger rub ($16).
All entrees are served with crispy fried small potatoes & bacon with glazed carrots.
Desserts will include bourbon bacon double chocolate brownies ($5); and something called Pigpen Slop - chocolate mousse with crushed cookie topping and salted caramel ($6).
Hours will be noon to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday.