Porkchop on Randolph

Oink, Oink!
You have to love a restaurant that unabashedly has an image of a pig on it’s menu and Web site landing page. Porkchop at 941 W. Randolph St. celebrates the pig, serving up classic comfort food in a cozy, unpretentious atmosphere. Porkchop has created a restaurant with a pub-like feel.

Laid-back Feel

There is a theme going on here.

Seating is comfortable and relaxed. Instead of napkins, each table comes equipped with its own roll of paper towels, conveniently bolted to the tabletop. Open for lunch and dinner, Porkchop has a good assortment of soups, salads, sandwiches, and main dishes.


Supper Time!
On a recent visit, the general manager explained the menu and suggested some vegetarian items. For starters, we ordered the blackened fish tacos with chipotle mayo, cabbage, and cilantro as an appetizer. The fish tacos were moist, tender, and flavorful. Since the name of the restaurant is “Porkchop,” we had to try the grilled pork chop with smashed red potatoes and apple sauce as one of our entrees. Our waitress “talked” us into ordering the pan-seared spicy catfish with Old Bay butter. Both entrees were expertly prepared and beautifully plated. The pork chop was plump and juicy and reminded us of home. Pork chops with apple sauce was a staple at the family dinner table growing up. The pan-seared spicy catfish, on the other hand, was not part of our mothers’ culinary repertoire.

Finishing Touches
For dessert we had “the Maker,” a root beer flow with vanilla ice cream and a shot of Maker’s Mark bourbon and Mexican-style cheesecake, which was not on the menu. The float tasted like a traditional root beer float, but with a little extra kick thanks to the bourbon. The cheese cake was light and creamy, which made us wonder if it was ricotta instead of cream cheese—apparently the recipe is a secret, so we couldn’t confirm the ingredients.

It’s all good!

Give it a Try
Prices for lunch and dinner are moderate. Our grilled pork chop with smashed potatoes and apple sauce was priced at $14. The pan-seared spicy catfish $14. The fish tacos (came with three tacos) for appetizer was $9. The Maker’s Mark root beer float and cheesecake for dessert was $9. If you love pork and other comfort foods like fried chicken (one of their specialties), give Porkchop a try.