Photos: At the Sneak Preview of Top Chef Dale Talde’s Pork Slope
The opening of Pork Slope — a casual whisky bar and roadhouse from Top Chef Dale Talde and partners John Bush and David Massoni — is the biggest thing to happen to Park Slope since the January opening of Talde — an Asian fusion eatery from Dale Talde and partners John Bush and David Massoni.
Boy, those guys sure do move fast.
It was asses to elbows during Pork Slope’s preview party last Wednesday night, as media types, food types, and random passerby that managed to sneak past the ladies with the clipboard types gathered to worship at the shrine of swine (and wings, onion strings, and tater tots).
Needless to say, the 5th Avenue space that formerly housed red sauce relic Aunt Suzie’s hasn’t seen this sort of action since the late 1980’s.
From what we could see past the crush of sweaty bodies and puddles of spilled beer, the long, narrow room is an unbroken expanse of unfettered wood (floors, simple block tables and chairs, unadorned bar), and pale yellow walls. Thankfully, it effectively reads as beloved college watering hole and not foreboding, minimalist airport lounge or surly, dank basement. We’re looking at you, Lake Trout!
The few embellishments include old-timey 4H photos, a pair of taxidermied boar heads, a a dramatically backlit whisky selection, a pool table on a platform, and a large illuminated menu occupying one wall — which happily reveals that many food items fall in the $4-$8 range.
At a time when too many restaurants envision affordable, laid-back bar food to include exorbitantly priced burgers and overly precious plates of heirloom tomato salad and duck rillette crostini’s, the idea of kicking back at Pork Slope with a brisket sandwich, a basket of fried chicken, a rack of ribs or a bowl of good old onion dip (without coming close breaking a $20) has serious appeal.
Or, if you’d just as soon get down to business, there’s also an extensive selection of fairly priced whiskies, wine, and well drinks, along with 25 beers, like Kelso, Southampton Double White, or Goose Island Honker’s on tap (don’t worry, no one will laugh if your poison is Pabst).
If your schedule allows, we highly recommend avoiding the rush and making Pork Slope your mid-day drinking spot — the inevitable swarm of late-night revelers is not likely to thin until well into the New Year.
247 Fifth Ave, (718-768-7675)
