ARLINGTON – As customer’s began to fill the dining room at Porky’s, the question of the afternoon was, “Do you still have the salad bar?” Our out-going server working the nonsmoking area assured everyone that the salad bar moved with the restaurant.
Porky’s re-opened in August in its new location after 10 years near Island Crossing. The new restaurant, decorated with ceramic pigs above the salad bar, expanded the menu to include full dinners rather than being limited to burgers and sandwiches.
The menu still features burgers ($4.95 for the deluxe to $7.95 for the Porky’s), and hot and cold sandwiches ($6.95 to $7.95). But there are also pasta selections ($7.95 to $10.95) and steak ($10.95 to $14.95 for 12 ounces of rib eye). There are also nightly specials.
Breakfast is served all day and choices include griddle selections ($4.50 for a full stack of pancakes) to eggs Benedict ($7.95). I considered ordering breakfast but I really wanted dinner on my late afternoon visit. But it was too early for dinner because dinner begins at 4 p.m.
My gracious server offered, without me asking, to check with the kitchen to see if the chef would prepare something off the dinner menu despite the time. The chicken-fried steak was my choice along with mashed potatoes, rather than baked. I knew baked potatoes wouldn’t be ready and she returned with the good news that it was possible.
Dinners come with a choice of potato, soup or one trip to the salad bar, a vegetable side dish and half-loaf of bread. I made a pig of myself at the salad bar. I filled one plate with a tossed salad topped with scoops of blue cheese dressing, macaroni salad studded with black olives, coleslaw with green apple chunks, plus cottage cheese and red apple slices. On my second salad bar plate, I added pistachio-pineapple-lime gelatin, tapioca pudding and melon pieces in whipped cream. Never mind the pie case filled with tempting desserts or the special dessert menu.
Every bite was a fresh, cool and delicious treat. I was still working on my heaped salad plate when dinner arrived, steaming from the kitchen. I enjoyed a few more bites of my salad selections and moved to my main dish. I tried the mashed potatoes first and thought they tasted like instant. Surely not. No one serves instant mashed potatoes when we grow great potatoes in Eastern Washington. The chicken-fried steak was beaten to perfect tenderness while the panko-crumb crust was browned to perfection. The potatoes and steak were smothered in an ample serving of creamy gravy, just like they’re supposed to be. The side of vegetables frozen cauliflower, carrots and red peppers were uninspired next to the salad bar selections. I skipped them and finished my salad; then, moved to my “dessert” salad bar selections. All three were just as yummy as the vegetable choices.
I didn’t find anything on the menu for vegetarians other than the salad bar. But, then, this restaurant is named Porky’s.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Anna Poole: features@heraldnet.com.
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