Who let the Pig Out?

Pig-out: ’pig-autverb. slang. The act of or an instance of voracious eating by a person or group.

Pig Out!:’pig-aut n.  A country-style family grill restaurant that gives diners reasons to indulge or literally “pig out.”

Situated within Nuvali’s lush 1,700-hectare community at the heart of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Pig Out! is the newest concept of the Bistro Group of Restaurants, the same company behind the success of Italiannis, T.G.I.Friday’s, Fish & Co., Flapjacks and Billy Rock.

Here, diners are spoiled for choices — from the appetizers to the main courses down to desserts. But what tickled our palates is its extensive and interesting beverage list that boasts carefully concocted drinks that are not just thirst-quenchers but good for the body, too.

Who would have thought that celery could be so addictive? Pig Out’s! Stalk of the Town is a refreshing mix of blended celery and apple with honey and pineapple ring.

Foodies can go on a SkinTrip with carrot, wheatgrass and honey, or freshen up with the Cucumber Breezer, which is a blend of cucumber, pear, mint leaves and honey.

It’s cool to be green with a glass of Green Fizz, a flavorful concoction of ampalaya, lemonade, honey and Sprite topped with squeezed lemon.

Trying out these drinks is a yummy and fun way of teaching kids how to enjoy and love their veggies.

“Our beverage list was conceptualized by our team of bartenders which also trains the crew of T.G.I.Fridays. It was a very long and tedious process. The team conducted thorough research on the health benefits of each ingredient and thought of ways to make, say, ampalaya an enjoyable drink,” explains Lisa Ronquillo, director for marketing, Bistro Group.

A Foodie Sanctuary

Prior to Pig Out’s! formal opening on Dec. 11, 2009, the management and staff allotted a few days for a dry run. The by-invitation event was graced by the Bistro Group officials, friends and regular patrons who sampled the consistency of the food products and witnessed how the wait staff and managers handled the pressure of serving a full-packed resto since it would be opening just in time for the holidays.

“It was a fun and learning experience for all of us. Through the mock opening we were able to identify the problem areas and immediately think of ways to deal with them,” relates Lisa.

The two-story resto features long wooden tables and chairs specially designed for big families or barkadas. The sleek droplights and glass panels meld well with the wooden furniture.

Pig Out!, which can accommodate 100 guests, offers a respite where diners can get a breather, “chillax” and enjoy flavorful, comfort food that evokes thoughts of home cooking.

Some Like It Grilled

Pig Out! serves meat and seafood grilled specialties that are cooked just the way we Filipinos like: smoky, juicy and tender with just the right amount of sweetness. The selection includes not just all-time Pinoy inihaw favorites but Western and Asian-style grilled delights as well.

The beef ribs spicy Seoul-style is simply delish. It tastes like kalbi chim, a popular beef stew dish in Korea. The sesame and chili sauce has a smoky, sweet/salty flavor that’s appetizing to the palate.

The pork barbecue is a hometown favorite sold by the stick (P105). It goes well with a serving of grilled shrimps salsa cocktail (P265), a robust Tex-Mex starter served with spicy tomato salsa. Also try the inihaw na spareribs (P475) marinated adobo-style and the Pig Out! crispy pata (P305 solo, P595 sharing).

At Pig Out!, prices are affordable in both “just for you” (solo) and sharing portions, which are good for two to three persons.

“At first, we wanted to come up with an all-American resto/grill for Bistro Group’s new concept. However, everything changed when we were already planning the menu. We realized that there are so many international grilled offerings that would definitely click with our clients. Now, our menu is dominated by home-style Pinoy dishes that our diners love,” notes chef George Lizares.

Everything that comes out of chef George’s kitchen tastes heavenly. Each dish left a delectable mark on our palates.

Veggie lovers, on the other hand, shouldn’t be turned off by the name of the resto because Pig Out! has something equally tempting for them.

Chef George whips up healthy greens such as the Barrio Salad (with green mango slices, eggplant, tomatoes and onions), mung bean soup (mongo soup with alugbati, chicharon bits and shrimps), king prawn sour soup (prawns and vegetables in sour tamarind broth), eggplant omelet (grilled and peeled eggplants fried in minced pork and egg coating), sautéed chokos (sautéed chayote with shrimps, pork, garlic, tomatoes and onions), and the pumpkin delight (sautéed pumpkin with shrimps, ginger and coconut cream).

Those who like it grilled can feast on boneless milkfish bistek-style (P375), inihaw na tuna belly (P215 solo, P425 sharing), and prawns coco crab fat (P695).

Pig Out’s! sumptuous array of rice delights provide the ideal accompaniments to your favorite entrees and are available in Pig Out and Piglet sizes. “Rice” to the occasion with curry fried rice (morsels of chicken with raisins and nuts with a curry flavor), the chicharon fried rice (packed with pork cracklings for that true Pig Out! treat), the Chinese-style fried rice (with shrimps, ham, and veggies), and — my favorite — the Seoul Spice fried rice with bean sprouts, Korean spices, beef strips, topped with spinach and tasty laver sheets. Just think of kimchi rice and you’ll get hooked with every spoonful.

Kids won’t be left out of the fun. They can choose from the Kid Stuff Hamburger (P125), pork BBQ with rice (P125), chicken fingers and fries (P145), and the spaghetti and fried chicken combo (P165).

While waiting for your orders, kids and adults alike can go on a boat ride or feed the koi fish in the man-made lake, just some of the attractions at Nuvali. On weekends, guests are in for an entertaining treat as the wait staff performs a dance number clad in their favorite superhero costumes.

True to Bistro Group’s reputation as one of the country’s leading casual dining chains, Pig Out! is big on everything — taste, portion, service and ambience.

Whenever and wherever there’s great food, service and ambience, there’s lots of good reasons to pig out!

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To go to Pig Out! in Nuvali, take SLEX, exit Sta. Rosa, turn right and just go straight past Paseo Center, which is on the left side. Pig Out! Nuvali is just a few blocks away from Paseo Center.

For inquiries, call (02) 502-6549.