I went to a restaurant in Riverside last night. "The Salted Pig" it was called and it was wonderful to see a restaurant of that Caliber in the Inland Empire. Good Beer and Good Food is what you can expect. I walked in and it was very unassuming. Plain walls with little to no art work. A few bar tables, a full bar, and a small dining room. Yet, the beer menu was phenomenal! Russian River and Stone BEER on TAP! My jaw dropped when I asked for a small sample of Russian River's Damnation and got it back in a small tasting glass.
It was a delicious golden belgian style ale. Not alot of Hops on the nose but a pleasant yeasty malty flavor to the beer. It was a delight. I also sampled a strawberry Lambic that kicked me in the pants with intense fruiity flavor. Yum Yum Yum!!! And that is only part of the fun!
They have a rotating keg menu that they advertise with hanging chalk boards. They change the beers they have on tap often so they can just erase the chalk and right up their next beer. They only had about seven beers on tap but what they lack in quanity they kick you in the pallate with taste. Delicious! I didn't even know they were gonna release Stone's "More Brown than Black" in kegs! Apparently the "Salted Pig" has Magical powers and they were able to snag a barrel. It was AMAZING. I would go back to the "Salted Pig" for that beer alone!
Ok, kind of pricey (7$ for a 12oz beer) but the beers they serve are not no "Budweiser!" They had about thirty other beers from all around the world they served in bottles in cans. OH! But the beer they served us on tap we all got in Belgian style tullip glasses. Amazing little touch. It is really the little things that add that final touch that makes a restaurant pass through good into great!
It's the baby tomato that fell out of my "black and tan" burger that made me smile in delight. Yes, the burger! My friend Alex ordered a black and tan and I was thinking, Guiness does sound good...but THAT was the Burger!!!! Yum! I got it cooked medium well and it came out grilled to perfection! Mouth watering juices dripping out through the cheese. The buns, oh the buns! They might have been hand made. They tasted so fresh. Don't get me started on the ketchup! It tasted like fresh tomato paste with a large helping of Brown Sugar. I just wanted to brush my teeth with it and have that taste in my mouth all day!
To sum up, this restaurant adds an elegeant refreshing touch to a much needed area in downtown riverside. I left with a 22$ bill and I only purchased the one burger and a beer but I would gladly do it again next time I get paid alot of money.
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