Shanghai Restaurant Review: The Pig Pocket

By Cristina Ng, December 26, 2018

The Place

Previously located in a small alley off of Fuxing Zhong Lu, The Pig Pocket was a hidden gem where Taiwan-born chef Sophie Huang and her affable Hong Kong-born business partner Eva Lee quietly served a selection of pork-based plates at surprisingly good prices.

When we heard that this hole-in-the-wall was vacating its 12-seat space, it seemed like terrible news. After trekking out to Yangpu district to check out their new Daxue Lu digs and greatly expanded menu, we see this move in a much more positive light.

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Image courtesy The Pig Pocket

The sizably larger second iteration features flashy bubblegum pink walls as part of its unabashedly fun décor, where a pastel flying pig mural by Kaohsiung-based artist GIRENHAO serves as the restaurant’s whimsical focal point.

The Food

The upgraded menu features mainstays from the previous version, but a kitchen with more elbow room allows Huang to indulge her creative tendencies. Her style is derived from Taiwan’s culinary traditions, with additional inspiration coming from as near as Thailand, and as far as Italy.

Although it’s an old dish, you can’t miss the TPP Signature Pork Chop (RMB38). This 4-centimeter thick piece of black pork is marinated with a secret combination of herbs, garlic and spring onion, dipped in an oil repellant sweet potato starch batter and then fried to a burnished crisp.

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

Also in the deep-fried category are the Mushroom Lollipops (RMB25). Multi-colored orbs of battered mushroom – naturally colored with vegetables such as purple cabbage and spinach – are served with a tasty homemade tartar sauce.

Image courtesy The Pig Pocket

Even better is the Pork Donut (RMB35), a round piece of 20 percent fat minced pork leg stuffed with a combination of mozzarella and parmesan and served with raspberry sauce on the side.

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

Moving away from the deep fryer, a Thai-Style Pork Belly (RMB55), grilled until the meat is tender and the surface charred, sits on a pile of unbelievably crisp lettuce and onion (the secret is a cold water bath). Steamed Sticky Rice with Salted Egg, Pork and Mushroom (RMB25) is covered with a thickened sweet soy sauce mixture called jiangyou gao and served with refreshing slices of cucumber. Thinly sliced Barbecue Pork with Rice (RMB50) is also brilliant.

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

The newly added Spicy Meatball Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce (RMB58), shows Huang’s playful take on the quintessential Italian home-style dish as she hides cheese and jalapeno within her meatballs. One of the pricier items is a Pan-Fried Scallop and Spicy Spanish Sausage (RMB108). The quality of the ingredients is evident although we prefer their more homey dishes.

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Image by Cristina Ng/That's

There are only two dessert options: the Green Apple and Pig Chocolate (both RMB48). Fruit-shaped pastries a la Cédric Grolet are hot these days, and in this case, a grassy-hued white chocolate shell encases white chocolate and apple jam. The other sweet treat alternates layers of dark and white chocolate mousse broken up by Oreo crumbs, chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips and hot fudge. Pink chocolate in the shape of a pig’s nose is a cutesy final touch.

Food Verdict: 2/3

The Vibe

While the original venue could occupy a corner here, the larger new space still feels cozy due to its well-divided layout and comfortable seating, not to mention its expanded menu. Additionally, the university town area is a hip neighborhood begging to be explored, making The (upgraded) Pig Pocket a worthy stop along the trip.