Favourite pork bellies in Melbourne?

Posted by Almost Always Ravenous on January 20, 2013 · 6 Comments 

I was recently asked by a friend for recommendations for best pork bellies around. It didn’t take me long to come up with a list of places I loved, enjoyed and even places to avoid. I thought I would share part of that list here with you…

[Anada] visit 1 & 2.
Dish: Ottway Rangers (Vic) pork belly with fennel seed & smoky aubergine
Pork belly category: crispy & brittle

“… interchanging layers of succulent fat infiltrated meat and lean meat that was fall-off-the-bone-tender… crackling was simply heavenly – golden brown and super crispy…”

Portello Rosso also makes a decent Spanish rendition.

[Taxi Dining Room]
Dish: Sticky pork & red chilli dressing
Pork belly category: Sticky & sweet

“…this small cube of golden caramelised pork belly was a little sticky and sweet, bursting with pork juice, and very lightly spiced.”

[Earl canteen]

Dish: Pork belly Baguette
Pork belly category: Crispy & sandwich

“…skin on the Otway pork was gorgeously crispy with haphazardly shredded pieces of tender meat. There were paper-thin slices of apple, green coleslaw of cabbage and fennel and a bit of wilted silverbeet…”

[Maha bar & grill]
Dish: Tunisian brik bangalow pork belly, pork popcorn, Lebanese kimchi, onion mayo
Pork belly category: crispy & pastry wrapped

“…this dark plate serves up a well caramelised pork belly, wrapped in a deep fried paper-thin pastry. There is a strange contrast between the Lebanese kimchi (which is hardly spicy) and moreish pork popcorn.”

[Dead Mean Espresso]
Dish: BLT
Pork belly category: crispy & sandwich

“Sandwiched between a moist but crisp buttery brioche, smeared with a zingy paste of spinach, the crackled pork belly was super crispy, juicy, and absolutely delish. A small salad and tangy salsa was provided to help cut through…”

[AkaChoChin]
Dish: Buta Kakuni pork belly simmered in sweet soy sauce
Pork belly category: moist & sweet

[I-spicy] (hawthorn) 

Dish: Crispy pork with red curry
Pork belly category: crispy & spicy

“…the crackle of skin, succulence of pork belly flesh, and chilli heat of curry are to die for.”

[Davids restaurant]
Dish: country comfort sticky pork belly 
Pork belly category: moist & sticky

“…with chat potatoes [this sticky pork belly is] rustic yet indulgent and very satisfying – “country comfort” indeed.”

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Have I missed any of your favourites, that you might want me to try? Please let me know!!!

Filed under Yummy +1 · Tagged with akachochin, anada, crackling, david's restaurant, dead man espresso, earl canteen, food, i-spicy, maha bar, melbourne, photography, pork, pork belly, taxi dining, top eats