The Fishin’ Pig – Diner’s Delight
A picky eater with lots of allergies reviews a plain hamburgers at
The Fishin’ Pig.
Dan’s Dish
Pork & Catfish
Pork Please
The Fishin’ Pig touts “the finest from land and sea”, and Dan took that as a challenge. He ordered the Pork & Catfish and went about reviewing it like he was a professional chef from the Food Network. Served picnic style on a metal tray with a paper sheet, the pork, bursting with a smokey mesquite flavor, was extremely tender. His favorite part of the pork was sampling the Shorty’s BBQ Sauces which seemed to scream his name from their crate on the table. He began his tastebud journey with Classic Caroline which left a bad taste in his mouth. “Like pure vinegar,” he said. Next, was Sweet Memphis. This sweet sauce reminded him of grilling in the backyard. The taste was familiar and pleasing to his tongue. Last, he attempted the Spicy Texas sauce. Dan can handle heat. In fact, he invites heat to many of his meals. He admitted the sauce was hot, but he was hoping for something with more punch. And maybe it was because of the heat, that all he could taste was the sauce leaving him to wonder, Where’s the pork?
Catfish & Sides
Wiping the sauce from his mouth, he was ready to devour the fish. Three pieces of catfish, fried in Shorty’s mild breading, were also tender with a great crunch. A small plastic container containing a cilantro dill remoulade sauce meant for dipping had no flavor, but Dan was happy about that since it didn’t overpower the fish. Dan really enjoyed the catfish, but complained the portion was too small. I reminded him that the meal also came with pork and sides (this man can eat for days!) A southern side was offered with the meal and Dan chose Cindy’s Mac-N-Cheese. Now, I’m not from the south, but I do know macaroni and cheese is served nationwide. I’m not sure why this side is strictly southern, but I’m guessing Cindy’s from the south and this is her special recipe. Either way, Dan didn’t like it. He declared the pasta overcooked resulting in a big lump of cheese and noodles. His meal also came with coleslaw which was good, but had a store-bought taste. Clearly, Dan knows his coleslaw! Overall, Dan enjoyed the meal, giving him just enough umph to drive us back to the hotel for a good night’s rest before we continued our trip to the Carolina’s.
Allergy Alert!
It is important to know that when a parent has serious allergies, at least one child is likely to also have serious allergies. Lynn is that lucky child. After nearly ten years of searching for an answer to her severe stomach pain, a blood test showed an allergy to cow. Yes, cow – the meat, the milk, the whole moo. It was also determined that she’s allergic to meat protein, rendering her a vegetarian. Dining out with Lynn is often an adventure leaving us on an endless search for a meal that does not include meat. Usually salads suffice, but they commonly come pre-made including chicken or ham. Nevertheless, she was determined to find something on The Fishin’ Pig menu that she could eat safely. She wasn’t feeling the salads since we’d been on the road for over eight hours and was starving. She wanted something that would tide her over til morning. The waitress suggested a meatless Mac & Skittle – not on the menu, but possible. Lynn decided to take her chances and give it a try. Remember the cow allergy (moo milk)? Lynn was so hungry she didn’t care what acrobatics her stomach did later. My girl’s a risk taker!
Lynn’s Dish
two ratings because first it was amazing and then it wasn’t
Mac & Skillet
Almost Comfort Food
The meal was served in a piping hot skillet wrapped in paper. Lynn grabbed her fork and inhaled the steamy noodles commenting between slurps that the dish was good. Really good. Creamy, but not liquidy. And then she reached the bottom of the skillet which she remarked was oddly greasy. She poked around with her fork a bit and discovered remnants of bacon. Lynn dropped her fork onto the tray and looked up at Dan and me in horror. Now, just because Lynn is allergic to meat doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy it on occasion. She especially likes bacon and kielbasa. But today was not a good day to be cheating. We all needed a good night’s rest for the endless ride the next day. The waitress stopped by to check on us and we explained the situation. Within moments a manager came over and apologized for the “poisoning” as she put it. The waitress returned with a plate of tater tots which had to be the best tater tots on the planet. Hot, crispy outside, fluffy inside, no salt needed. The restaurant comped us Lynn’s meal and the tater tots, but we made sure the tip included the cost of those items. Luckily, Lynn had her meds in her purse and not somewhere in the depths of dorm room boxes tetris-ed in the car. Needless to say, she survived.
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