The Best Thing We Ate Last Night: Pork Shoulder at Mercat a la Planxa

By Sarah Freeman

It was on a snowy night in Chicago; not unlike the evening we saw last night, five years ago when chef Jose Garces’ Mercat a la Planxa first opened its door. Last night, it celebrated this accomplishment regardless of inclement weather. And much like the mailman, a blizzard would not stop us from fulfilling our duties to eat pig.

The VIP of the event was a collection of pigs prepared five ways and paired with 5 Rabbit cerveza. Our favorite of the evening was the shoulder that was braised in 5 Rabbits Golden ale with Saaz hops until it fell apart into tender shredded meat. It was served with patatas a la riojana and topped with a Manchego espuma. Other highlights included a whole sucking pig as well as passed appetizers that appear on the regular menu such as chorizo a la Planxa.
Cheers to five more years!