The first time I was here, I got a tasting, the second time was for a Mother’s Day prix fixe brunch… this time I was SO much MORE excited to come….PLUS we made our own tasting…. [and besides now we could get Pig Tails on the regular menu and not just the bar menu!!!! *psyched*] Z was back in town [woohoo] got in around 9 and so we had a 1030 seating :] AND WE ATE TIL past 1am! We so badass…. of course we started off with some champagne… cuz come on, that’s how I do ;D
Water with a lemon slice and a lime slice is now known as Z water, got it?
The bread… lots of variety.. and tasty, but unfortunately cold…
Z ate some anyways ;D Hahaha.. I patiently waited for my piggie tails…
Six Oysters on the Half Shell
Candied Lemon Mignonette
So fresh and so clean clean….the original oysters were supposed to be Pemaquid but they changed it… so drunkie me doesn’t remember the name of the oysters… They were good, really good.. usually I only like my oysters with tons of horseradish and tabasco…. but these were tasty.. not sweet at all, bathing in their own salty juices… YUM!…. straight down the pipe…
Assiette of House-Made Terrines:
Pate of Quatre Foies, Pate de Campagne, Foie Gras au Torchon
Traditional Accompaniments
These were really good.. while I was most focused on the Pate de Campagne [the most left one] the most intriguing was the Pate of Quatre Foies [on the right end] .. Z and I were debating on what was in it.. definitely foie gas and definitely chicken liver… there was also squab and…. crap I forgot.. but all yumminess :] I usually can’t take TOO much chicken liver on it’s own.. but this pate, I was SUCH a fan of…
Accompaniments included… pickled chantarelles [wayyy too overpowering IMO], a red wine mustard, gherkins, red onion, a grainy mustard.. and ….. yea the rest escapes my mind… I mean, I personally love a good creamy pate on some nice toasted crunchy delicious bread… so I’m not TOO big on adding more to it.
Ragout of Local Forest Mushrooms and Braised Oxtail Pastrami
Farro Risotto, Farm-Fresh Poached Egg, Chantenay Carrot Puree, Herbs
Z being classy popping the yolk…
This was delicious.. Z describes it as a breakfast sandwich in a bite :] It was SOOOO delicious.. and I’m such a sucker for poached eggs [PERFECTLY poached eggs – mind you] and mushrooms <3 Oh I was in heaven….
And then, the reason why we came to Craigie in the first place…
Crispy-Fried Pig’s Tails
Pickled Peanuts, Nuoc Cham, Cilantro
OMFG… HOLY FUCKING A… I can’t.. even NOT say a dirty word to describe this… SO absolutely freaking delicious. [I tried] They’re like… pork belly around a bone… these were so Asian-y tasting too.. but in the most fab NON-fusion kind of way…. Z and I were tearing these apart.. like freaking hyenas from Lion King :] NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!… and of course some delicious onion strings on top – but who can focus on that… PIGGIE TAILS PIGGIE TAILS PIGGIE TAILS… next time we come back, PIGGIE TAILS x4 :]
The first wine our waitress suggested… was HORRIBLE. Disgusting.. in the words of Z “it feels like I’m in a playground” So we decided to stick to what we love.. Spanish wine…
Then came the piggie head…
And the rest of our dinner…
Confit and Roasted Milk-Fed Pig’s Head
Peking Pancakes, Spicy Pumpkin Sambal, Boudin Noir-Hoisin Sauce
I don’t even know how to begin how amazing this was… the first time I had a pig’s head, in whole, was at Resto and it was amazing, but this time I could go at it without judgement hahahaha…. the skin was perfection…. juicy, crisp… underneath the most delicious fat.. and underneath that the MOST moist meat… we ate it ALL, ALL… Z even got me to split the eyeball with him. YES, Miss Tiffie ate a pig’s eyeball!!! We were halfway thru before we forgot that we had pancakes and sauce to go with it.. so we tried a taco or two.. but just kept on going at it sans all that other extra stuff…
Sidenote: Boudin Noir HOISIN sauce? Probably the only hoisin sauce I’ve never disliked… or been sick of… OMG… BOUDIN NOIR <3 Joy….
Piggie Head Taco
Yea we’re dorks, but Z fed me piggie ear so it’s okay he failed :] We literally ate the whole head clean.. sucked it dry.. I mean COME ON, we ate the EYEBALL and pulled out it’s teeth.. I said I was gona make some badass necklaces for us :]
Bone Marrow is always off the menu here.. so you gotta ask for it.. delicious.. I was sucking and licking them clean :D
What can I say? Perfection… sprinkled with a bit of sea salt on some great crunchy toast? Orgasm much?
Vermont Organic Veal Two Ways: Braised Short-Rib, Roasted Sweetbread
Kasha, Pioppini Mushrooms, Chestnuts, Quince Puree
Out of all the dishes that was the only one that didn’t get our panties in a twist… It was good, but it wasn’t mind-boggling… either way we ated it :] I guess it’s hard to compete with my super awesome 5 Course Veal Dinner…
We also got Duck Fat Fried Brussel Sprouts.. but they were meh… I had a picture but it’s lost somewhere in limbo ;D
And we ended the night with my favorite dessert from them….
Sheep’s Milk Yogurt Cheesecake
Matzo Meal-Pine Nut Crust, Plum Jam
Can’t describe it more than the perfectly sweet [but not too sweet] creamy, cheesecakey/yogurty happiness on a plate.. the pinenuts help too :]
And we also got some complimentary delicious chocolate covered almonds :]
Craigie is totally one of my favorite restaurants here in Boston…. you can’t come visit here without coming here as well.. Tony Maws is an absolute genius!!!! So come and eat… or else I’ll make you… bring you, wine and dine you – honestly I don’t mind ;D
Craigie On Main
853 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617 497-5511