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 DIY LUNCH: Blue Pig lets you build your own burger—Boca or meaty. IMAGE: Vivian Johnson |
[December 10th, 2008]
On Memorial Day weekend, a Portland pig was born—Blue Pig Cafe on Southeast Division Street. Owners Jay Azevedo and Mike Garofalo, who became friends while working at Southeast’s Artemis Foods catering, decided to strike out on their own this year.
Blue Pig’s 40-plus-seat space has a DIY feel with corrugated metal, old windows and doors as decor. The layout hasn’t changed since Gramma Lucy’s Cafe ruled the roost, but the atmosphere is several degrees warmer.
Tables are topped with flowers alongside hot-sauce-heavy condiment caddies, the mugs and plates are big and heavy, and portions hefty. You’d think pork would reign at this breakfast-and-lunch-all-day cafe, but beef is the draw. House-corned beef ($8.95), simmered and seasoned for eight hours, is served in a traditional hash or draped with locally fermented kraut, Swiss and Thousand Island in the house Reuben ($9.95).
The chicken-fried steak ($9.95) is a solid choice with sausage-studded gravy, two eggs and fried potatoes. There’s also a popular build-your-own burger ($9.95)—beef or Boca. Both can be topped with an unlimited amount of standard and not-so-standard toppings, including grilled pineapple, chipotle mayo, roasted green chiles, and onion rings.
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Beyond-beef options at Blue Pig: huevos rancheros ($10.95), french toast ($8.95), the BLT ($6.95), and a spinach salad ($6.95, $8.95 with grilled chicken) with dried cherries, candied almonds and blue cheese dressing.
Azevedo and Garofalo are slinging espresso drinks behind the counter, but the OLCC granted them a liquor license last week. Azevedo says they’ve already started celebrating by offering a slew of mimosas and Bloody Marys for daytime drinkers. The license also opens the door to private catered events in-house by night. Spit-roasted blue pig, anyone?
RECENT COMMENTS ON “Blue Pig Cafe”
I love this little place. Not only is the corned beef just scrumptious, this is one of the few places breakfast joints that consistently does the little things right. If you ask for an over medium egg...
What? I've eaten better food out of a dog dish. Get real.
At Blue Pig, I told the woman at the counter that I wanted to order food to go. She gave me a to-go menu from a stack in a wicker basket on the counter. I ordered the Blue Pig Burger. She said "$...
This is a great local place. My wife and I have taken friends and family to the Pig several times with consistently good results. The quality and quantity of portions is excellent. The staff is friend...
