DURoC Swine Southern Table and Bar –That’ll Do Pig, That’ll Do
By Samantha Dockser
On any given night, Miracle Mile in Coral Gables bustles with dozens of restaurant options. But if you park and let your nose choose, it is a no brainer. Swine Southern Table and Bar’s delicious DURoC smoked and barbecued delicacies permeate the Mile. Swine is the Miami Mecca of all things pig.
Walking into Swine’s Smithfield 2015 Chef’s Table, I expected to find my fair share of pork. But it was to my utter glee that within seconds of being inside the rustic establishment, I was handed Swine’s twist on an Old Fashioned. The twist? Bacon. Swine couldn’t have set the tone for the evening better any better.
Swine brings Southern hospitality, comfort, and flavor to an otherwise cosmopolitan city. With the exposed brick walls and hanging lights enclosed within whisks, you cannot help but feel swept away to the soulful South. The open kitchen adds to the down home feel that only good old fashioned southern barbeque can provide. This night was dedicated to Smithfield’s DURoC, some of the best swine on the market.
Swine’s Smithfield spread had all the porcine possibilities I could have dreamt of. I was first inundated with the Charcuterie Board. The colors, the smells, and my God the tastes. Highlights of the board included the Grilled Country Bread—a surprising standout in a night otherwise dedicated to pork; the Housemade Mortadella stuffed with pistachios and served with a medley of English Mustard; and last but certainly not least, the Country DURoC Pork Terrine wrapped in Smithfield Bacon with a dill pickle relish and smoked aioli. Growing up, my dad used to joke, “there are two things you can never have to much of—money and bacon.” And oh boy was he right about the bacon. The savory medley tantalized my taste buds to no end.
I filled my plate up high and found my way upstairs to Swine’s second level, which overlooks the immense buffet below as well as the kitchen and bar. Let it be known that the DURoC was the star of the night. My personal favorite was the slow smoked DURoC of Prime Rib served with creamy grits as well as braised and torn local greens. I am not usually a fan of grits, but all night you could hear buzz of people encouraging one another to try the grits. Made with cream cheese, these mouth-watering grits almost stole the show. But as the gluttonous grits complimented the DURoC beautifully, there was no need for competition amongst these flavorful dishes.
Another favorite dish of mine was the DURoC Baby Back Ribs. They were smothered in Backyard BBQ sauce and topped with a Georgia peanut crumble. I found the hint of peanut was subtle, but just enough to excite my taste buds. This hedonist especially loved the sweet BBQ sauce. So much so that I wouldn’t have minded if it ended up all over my face. I could have eaten a whole rack of these succulent ribs.
With so many dishes to taste, it’s a miracle I wasn’t forced to choose. A little taste of this and a little taste of that makes for one happy girl. Painted on the back wall across from the buffet of smoked and barbecued delicacies—and painted on a pig no less— were the truest words I heard (or in this case read) all night: “What bacon and whiskey don’t cure, there ain’t no cure for.” When it comes to pork, Swine and Smithfield know exactly what they are doing. I will certainly be rushing back to Swine soon. That’ll do pig; that’ll do.
