THE PIG PEN: Foodie's Favorite Fresh Casual Cafe in Nuvali! @theblackpigmnl - Awesome!

The Pig Pen is the fresh, casual little brother of The Black Pig located in Nuvali. Chef Carlos Garcia, together with Tricia Villacorta-Macdonald and Berna Fajardo-Garriz, created a cafe and concept of their popular European-inspired food using only the freshest local ingredients, but at a much affordable value.

What’s awesome about this is they elevated the food scene in Nuvali, providing one of the few foodie options (alongside Kanin Club) that aren’t fast food or commercialized franchise concepts.

Here’s what to order and what to expect at The Pig Pen…

THE PIG PEN
Ground Floor, Cinema Building, Solenad 3, Nuvali
Open 11.00am – 10.00pm
Telephone: +63 49 258-0866
Email: pigpen@theblackpigbar.com
Facebook: The Pig Pen Cafe/ Takeaway
Twitter: @theblackpigmnl
Instagram: @theblackpigmanila
Website: http://www.theblackpigbar.com

The Pig Pen Menu: Charcuterie, Sausages, Soups, Salads | Rice | Pasta, Seafood Baskets | Sandwiches, Waffles | Drinks, Dessert

The interiors mimic that of The Black Pig, but with a more casual feel, using white tables instead of wood and wooden chairs instead of leather.

It’s great to have easy access to their specialty coffee, artisan wines, and extensive line-up of bottled and tap craft beers in Nuvali.

STARTERS

You can start with their crispy fries (P90) and onion rings (P120) while you wait for your dishes that are prepared upon order.

But I recommend getting the fresh fruits cup to start with instead of the fried appetizers.

We liked the hot roasted pumpkin soup (P120), which was velvety smooth, not too rich, and topped with salty bacon bits.

The sausage platter (P750) is the best pulutan to have with their craft beers and sangria. I like how juicy the Hungarian sausage is, with a good bite and just the right spicy kick. The boys loved the sausage infused with cheese.

The vegetables are delivered fresh from Jejo’s Kitchen herbs farm in Tagaytay! These are used in their Asian Salad (P250) topped with crispy pork floss, sesame seeds, red cabbage, red onion, orange, singkamas, wanton, edamame, and boiled egg.

Another option is their European Salad (P250) with a Mediterranean mix of black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, croutons, pickled cucumber, grated parmesan, and radish. You can ask to serve the sauce on the side.

The only American item on the menu is a New Orleans favorite sandwich called Muffaletta (P380 – half) made with salami, Mortadella, Provolone cheese, and olive salad with their freshly baked bread.

It’s a great hangout for the family, with healthy food for mom, craft beers for dad, and yummy rice dishes for the kids.

MAINS

A personal favorite at The Pig Pen is their crispy tender pork cutlet (P220) served with rice and vegetables. No need for the hoisin sauce, which is just too sweet and overpowers the taste of the pork.

Rache’s favorite is their slow-cooked pork belly (P240) paired with their own kimchi for that delicious spicy contrast.

They also serve all-day breakfast treats, like their home-cured corned beef (P490) with fried egg, rice, and vegetables.

Their pancakes (P330) are light and crisp, just the way Europeans like it. I love the full-bodied pancakes. They make most of the items on their menu in-house, except for the bacon.

The mushroom risotto (P380) is rich and oily but with satisfying flavors of mushroom on a mash of risotto. A must order!

They make their own pasta for this cannelloni (P250) stuffed with pulled pork. The pasta was good but we had mixed feelings on the combination of flavors.

The Paella Pie (P390) is Chef Carlos’ unique creation. We found this a little weird though since we’re not used to our pies being stuffed with heavy rice, chicken, and chorizo.

Make sure to get a souvenir photo with Chef Carlos! 🙂

DESSERT

The Pig Pen’s dessert line isn’t as exciting as The Black Pig’s. The Banana Cheesecake (150) is a safe option, which goes well with their coffee.

You can end on a sour, creamy, and crunchy note with the Lemon Custard Pie (P120).

They also make their own Vanilla Ice Cream (P70) served on a bed of graham.

I suggest going with the rich Nutella Ice Cream (P80) for a flavor you won’t usually find in commercial ice creams.

The eclair (P150) is crunchy with a satisfying snap when you bite it.

Overall, The Pig Pen the best place to eat in Nuvali right now! I love the fresh organic greens and how they make everything from scratch–from the breads and meats (except the bacon) to the pasta. They also make their own desserts but I do hope they improve the line up–perhaps a signature Nuvali dessert that will be the go-to dessert in the area?

It’s nice that they offer rice meals at a ~P250 price point, and you can opt for the ~P400 dishes which are good to share. The place is more approachable than The Black Pig and is the best place to have a meal before watching in the cinema.

Congrats to Chef Carlos, Tricia, and Berna for another winning, natural good food concept!