Three Little Pigs

This past Monday Shauna and I enjoyed a meal that was so memorable it took me a week to formulate the words to describe it. As you may know I have quite the affinity for pig and the moment I heard that La Ciccia was hosting a Sardinian family-style suckling pig dinner I jumped at the chance to get a reservation, luckily we got the last two seats.

La Ciccia is a homey Sardinian restaurant owned and operated by husband and wife team Massimillano Conti and Lorela Degan in Noe Valley. The restaurant is usually closed on Monday nights but a few times a year they have a dinner that revolves around one main ingredient. They have hosted fish, lamb and their famous suckling pig dinner. The meal is a four course prix fixe including all the wine you can drink (one white and one red). The tables in the restaurant are grouped together so that you are seated next to strangers, allowing everyone to enjoy the meal as a community.

The moment I walked in I was greeted with a glass of Cantine de Dolianova "Naeli" Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2007. It was a wonderfully bright and refreshing white wine with aromas of lemons, limes, chalk and a hint of sea air. Vermentino is a widely planted grape in Italy, predominantly on the island of Sardegna and in Tuscany. The difference between the island and the mainland wine is that the wines from Sardegna have a distinctive saline and mineral note that make the wines singular and very refreshing. Our first course was Ingaungiu de Terra - A plate of mixed salamis and pickled vegetables. The salmi plate had coppa, mortadella, prosciutto, and a few others. Our next course ranks among my favorite dishes I have had: Mallordus a sa Campidanesa - Sardinian Semolina Gnochetti with pork sugo. The dish was so simple, pure, and complete that after my first bite I could hardly control myself I wanted to run down Church Street thanking Heaven for this amazing food that I am so fortunate to enjoy, but I was in the corner and too many people would have had to move. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce so well seasoned that I could have had mounds of it, had this only been a two course meal. Our wine for the pasta and roasted pig course was the Cantine de Dolianova Cannonau di Sardgna Riserva 2005. Cannonau is the Sardiinian name for Grenache, the famous red grape of the Southern Rhone. Again, though they are the same grape it is the environment that determines the flavor and essence of the wine. The wine was a deep ruby color with aromas of roasted plums, black cherries, dried leaves, and a subtle touch of spice. The wine's acidity cut through the fattiness of the pork and cleansed the palate allowing you to enjoy every bite as if it were your first. The final course came with a bit of fanfare and flare as the chef proudly exhibited one of the three pigs that was roasted for us, naturally all the food geeks rushed to take a picture...including me.

Each pig was slow roasted in his oven for hours and came out with crackling skin and juicy meat. I was in hog heaven. The course was served with a plate of raw vegetables such as carrots, fennel, celery, and radishes. The raw veggies were not only a psychological crutch for me but provide my palate an additional refresher between bites of tender pig. Dessert was a semi-sweet Trutta de Arrescottu - Sardinian Ricotta Cheese cake with fresh berries and a touch of honey. It was a bit much after so much pig but the few bites I took were superb. After three hours of making new friends, passing plates and eating pig it was time to waddle home until the train came our way. It was a great Monday! If you are interested in joining La Ciccia for one of their family dinners join their email list and you will be one of the first to know.

 

La Ciccia

291 30th Street (cross Church St.)

San Francisco CA 94131

415.550.8114

Open Tuesday through Sunday 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM (Closed Monday and major holidays)

Comments

[Vanessa]

Your picture turned out a lot better than mine did, Jeff! It was great meeting you there- and great blog!
http://www.italyinsf.com/2009/04/01/porceddu-dinner-at-la-ciccia/
Ciao!
Vanessa

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