Salted Pig – Riverside

Last night marked the public opening of Riverside’s newest restaurant, a fine dining Gastropub: The Salted Pig. Advertising itself as “open until 2 a.m.,” the venue provides a unique alternative to the current Riverside restaurant scene. As an oasis of LA or Orange County-style casual dining in the desert that is greater Riverside, the restaurant and bar offers a modern take on traditional pub decor, lighting and service.

For foodies, The Salted Pig offers a unique take on traditional pub cuisine different from anywhere else in the region. This reviewer tried the Beef Kelaguen appetizer (described on the menu as “raw beef, spicy soy, rice, lettuce”), which was surprisingly tasty. The server assured us thatraw beef, having marinated for the better part of the day in soy sauce and citrus juices was “cooked” and not dangerous (similar to how ceviche is made), and we are happy to report we’re still living as of the time of this review (we really enjoyed this dish, in case you couldn’t tell). For our main course, I chose the New Zealand Salmon, which met all expectations and paired well with the pre-selected side dishes (barley, spicy chard, cumberland).

Like the food, the drink offerings at the Salted Pig also offer a unique alternative to other restaurants in the area. Most notable are the Pig’s craft beer selection. Their eight tap beers include plenty of selections from local craft brewers such as Bootleggers (north OC) and I.E. Brew Co. (Riverside). Other local (So Cal and Nor Cal) beers as well as a large selection of Belgian beers and other imports are scattered on the back of the menu and available by the bottle. The price of the draft beer flight I selected (Rubicon, Davis IPA / Telegraph, Santa Barabra reserve ‘wild wheet’ / Alesmith, S.D. nautical nut brown / The Bruery, Placentia rugbrod) was a bit much- $12 for four 4 oz. samples, which equates to a $12 pint. Many restaurants underprice these flights with the hopes that patrons will become hooked on their unique offerings and purchase a full pint, and hopefully The Salted Pig will as well. Also notably absent from the beer list was the Inland Empire’s own Hangar 24, which is the equivalent of a San Diego brewpub not carrying any beers by Stone.

The location and setting set this venue apart, but the real stand-out is the hours- open until 2 a.m, with the kitchen staying open until midnight. This reviewer is curious how long this ambition will last. Is Riverside really ready for a GastroPub open that late?

To our surprise, we were informed that the venue will also offer entertainment on certain nights, apparently in their downstairs (or down-elevator, to be exact) banquet facilities. On this evening (Valentine’s Day), a romantic comedy movie was playing on one of the banquet room’s walls as diners enjoyed a prix-fixe Chef’s Choice dinner. We were told reservations were required for this event, though somehow we didn’t get the memo (we were later told that only those who have signed up for The Salted Pig’s email list on their website SaltedPigRiverside.com received the invite). Future events at the Salted Pig, we were informed, will include special wine, spirit, and beer tasting dinners, live music nights, more dinner-and-a-movie nights, and an edition of the Inland Empire Sunday Night Chef Fights cooking competition featuring The Salted Pig’s Chef Brein Clements on March 13th.

The service was superb. Despite the numerous questions I had, the waitstaff had a clear answer for everything. This is no easy feat given that the restaurant just opened days before for some private events.

This reviewer has cautious optimism about this establishment in light of the saga behind the previous related venture, Omakase, whose owner is now chef at The Salted Pig. While The Salted Pig is a much needed and appreciated addition to the Riverside dining scene and something unique and refreshing for the area (there are many such Gastropubs in LA/OC/SD, but none we can think of in the IE), whether the high prices on the menu and the new location will thrive is yet to be seen. Only time will tell, but we have our fingers crossed.

If you’re looking to save a buck or two, check out The Salted Pig’s  happy hour Mon.-Thurs. from 3-6 3-5 p.m. with $5 drafts and half-off snacks. Late night happy hour starts Mon.-Thurs. at 10 p.m. with $3 wells, $5 drafts & 1/2 off snacks. Daily Specials are Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On Sunday, The Salted Pig sometimes features brunch and closes in the early afternoon, though sometimes they are closed on Sundays. Call ahead to figure out what their Sunday plans.

The Salted Pig: 3700 12th St. Riverside, Ca. 92501. 951.848.4020 – fax: 951.848.4021.

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