Fernet with the pig and lady...

Being able to walk into a restaurant at 730 and stay to close it is a great experience. Especially if you know the people in the kitchen and service staff. What a meal also at the pig and lady. We started with these smokey and succulent BBQ ribs and a set of oysters for the table. When you gently squeeze some fresh kalamansi into the oyster, it greates a second explosion of flavor on your palate. The brightness and the brine dance around like the tango. 

As we each got our main courses, I was blown away by the amount of flavor that was in each bite. A broth for me to sip after eating my mazemen (cold seasoned noodles) was rich with a beautiful licorice background. Each sip was a surprise and it never got overbearing. Very powerful cooking. Then to follow, we graciously received a bowl of pho that was a touch spicy with almost a nutty broth. Absolutely fantastic. 

But the best part to it all was the quantity of beer and fernet that flowed from glass to gullet. As a part of "kitchen initiation", each green cook into the world of food must go out with the seasoned cooks. It is a tradition as old as time. It just so happened that we have just the perfect candidate. But that story is for a different time. For now just know that all the fernet we drank was due to his lack of experience. Welcome to kitchen life buddy!