Restaurant Review: Rocking Out with Pork N' Roll | Restaurant Reviews | Salt Lake City Weekly

Restaurant Review: Rocking Out with Pork N' Roll 

It's pork, pork, and more pork at this Draper hotspot.

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ALEX SPRINGER
  • Alex Springer

With modern restaurant culture wholeheartedly embracing versatile menus that cater to whatever food trend is currently en vogue, it's fun to see a restaurant put all its chips on one ingredient. There's something bold about letting a single ingredient define your entire menu, especially when that ingredient isn't the most health-conscious bite on the block. In this case, I'm talking about Draper's Pork N' Roll, an unapologetic love letter to Colombia's culinary obsession with chicharrón.

Also known as pork belly, chicharrón is that decadent cut of fatty pork that combines our affection for bacon and pork loin into one miracle meat. It's been a staple of Latin cuisine for decades, and each South American region has its own way of preparing chicharrón. The team at Pork N' Roll leans heavily into their Colombian roots by serving up plenty of grilled chicharrón along with almost any other interpretation of pork you can imagine. Pork N' Roll got its start as a popular food truck, and its dedication to its craft has led to a brick and mortar location in Draper which was where I checked them out.

Like many restaurants that got their start as food trucks, Pork N' Roll has a fast casual service method that works for its concept. The menu consists mainly of its signature pork bowls made with either chopped chicharrón ($19) or pulled pork ($19) arranged on top of Colombian potatoes and melted cheese. These are great for those who are after pork and pork alone, but I would say Pork N' Roll's strength is with its burgers.

If you're like me and you go into a place like Pork N' Roll and see that they have burgers, you're immediately looking for the one that has both a ground beef patty and something pork related. I'm happy to say that Pork N' Roll does not disappoint on this matter. In fact, you cannot order a burger at Pork N' Roll without having some bacon along for the ride. Their classic burger ($12) is a simple affair that comes with bacon, caramelized onions and melted American cheese. The Porko Burger ($16) and the BBQ Burger ($15) are at the top of this spectrum. The Porko Burger adds some chopped pork belly to the classic burger formula, but the BBQ Burger's chopped pork ribs lend themselves a bit more to the burger format.

My current favorite burger option is the Farm Burger ($14), which adds a fried egg and some fried yellow plantain to the classic. An over easy egg on a burger is always going to be a win, but it's the crispy fried plantain that ties everything together. As someone who cannot say enough positive things about plantain and its stellar compatibility with most anything savory, this burger is an absolute joy. The burger comes with an herby crema, and I recommend adding a hefty dollop of this to the top bun to mix up the textures a bit.

The fried plantain is one of Pork N' Roll's secret weapons, and I think it could really spruce up some of their pork bowls. For example, the Chicharrón Cone ($16) is like a smaller version of their chicharrón bowl that consists of chopped pork belly and chopped plantain. It comes with crema and some guacamole, so when you get a bite that is equal parts plantain and chicharrón, you're in Colombian food heaven. The pork belly is excellent here, but it does need to be tossed with something that complements and contrasts with its richness–this is where the plantains do wonders.

For those wishing to get the full Colombian experience, Pork N' Roll offers a dish called the Picada Porkonator ($40) that is best shared between two diners. This is a monumental meat plate that comes with the restaurant's signature pork belly, some chorizo and a bit of morcilla–otherwise known as blood sausage. It's served with a heap of Colombian potatoes and both yellow and green plantains. Carnivores after a good time will adore this unapologetic heap of porcine delights, but do make sure that you and your dining companion are hungry before taking it on.

If you happen to be visiting Pork N' Roll but aren't particularly starving, their appetizer menu has a few hits to check out. You can't go wrong with the Canastas de Platano ($11) which are bowls fashioned from fried plantains and then filled with your choice of meat–these are great examples of form and function. Their empanadas ($10 for an order of 3) are also great for something a bit smaller. As Pork N' Roll really leans into its meaty ingredient of choice, the Patacon Pisao ($13) is going to be the best bet for any vegetarians in the party–it's like plantain nachos and it's delightful.

Though Pork N' Roll's menu doesn't feature a whole lot of options for those who aren't the biggest fan of pork, it's ideal for those who enjoy the savory pleasures of chicharrón. As that includes me, I'm already thinking about what I want to get next time I visit.

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