No squealer is safe when it’s in Nik Hill’s sights. In the Porcine kitchen, Hill and his team break down a whole Berkshire or Duroc pig each week, turning it into a gorgeous, French-inspired fare that pulls no punches – like creamy, rillettes-like cretons with a hillock of savoury puy lentils or a croquette stuffed with meat from the head on a vintage skewer. When the crew get hold of a good wild boar, they’ll transform it into ham or pastrami. It’s the extravagant pork chop, however, that’s become the restaurant’s signature, neatly sliced and glistening with oloroso sherry. There’s plenty for the pig-shy, too; layered petals of endive and pears slicked with orange vinaigrette, or whole turbot in a potent vin jaune sauce. It all comes to life on the upper level of a Paddington terrace crammed with Parisian curio, and it all goes delightfully well with a bottle of something wild and wonderful from P&V Merchants, the bottle shop downstairs.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, click here.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2023
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 82.
