44 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com That certain items become fashionable is just a matter of fact in the restaurant world. Indeed, chefs are resigned to the fact that dishes will have to be spiked with sriracha, desserts amped with matcha—or whatever is the food of the moment. Mike Fischetti of The Pocket in Carmel acknowledges this in a matterof-fact tone. “Every year there’s a new ingredient that comes around that people fixate on,” he says. Yet these fads play out differently. For many, the fall is long and hard. Tiki bars, tutti frutti ice cream and duck a l’orange are faded memories. Others persist, despite evident public malaise (think pumpkin spice). There are, however, those with staying power. “People love the pork belly here,” observes Kurt Boucher, chef of the Monterey destination Montrio. “It became trendy then stuck around.” Boucher dresses Montrio’s pork belly appetizer with almond butter, spiced nuts and jalapeño honey, with pickled apple and rice wine vinaigrette to ease the richness. At The Pocket, Fischetti has offered different presentations, most recently marinated with soy, Thai chiles and “tons of ginger,” among other ingredients. In both cases, the approach is slow and low—curing for up to a day, roasting for hours at around 200 degrees. But it also highlights pork belly’s versatility. Jerry Regester, chef at Spotted Duck in Pacific Grove, tops his burger with pork belly. At Carmel’s Rio Grill, Luis Osorio’s team cures, smokes and bakes the meat over three days before applying a spicy candied glaze. The cut can be braised, grilled, deep fried or treated to preparations such as sous vide or confit, as well. For a brittle veneer, Boucher finishes his pork belly in the deep fryer, for no more than a minute. Another trick, offered by Fischetti, is to pour hot oil over the skin after pulling it from the oven. Either way, the point is for a quick fry. “We don’t want to overcook it,” Boucher points out. “It’s nice and juicy.” Despite its boost in popularity, some diners remain hesitant to order pork belly in any presentation. Fischetti notes that it may sell well on one night but poorly the next. This hit or miss tendency is likely due to a couple of factors. Those who pay scant attention to butcher slang may associate belly with tripe or chitlins. More often, people are concerned about the amount of fat. For some, it remains an unfamiliar dish. “It’s still relatively new,” Fischetti says. “A lot of people think of it for bacon.” Any butcher will explain that bacon is pork belly—strips sliced from the larger slab of meat and usually smoked or otherwise cured. But belly is not bacon in a thicker guise. The difference is more than semantic. No hickory, applewood or maple touches pork belly in advance. And it is uncomfortable under high heat—lechon kawali, a Filipino favorite, being an exception. Of course, there is some parsing involved. Think Canadian bacon or turkey bacon. While Americans continue to discover pork belly beyond bacon, the cut has long been a staple of global cuisines. “It’s the textures, the nice crispy skin, the soft fat and meat,” says Fischetti. Returning to his thoughts on trendy items he adds, “Fifteen or 20 years ago, pork belly was that ingredient.” In a 2009 Grub Street article, David Chang, then owner of the two-Michelin star Momofuku Ko in New York, among other establishments, expressed expectations that “pork bellies are the new tuna tartare.” It was not a bold prediction, given the bacon madness of the 2000s. Bacon had been a breakfast and sandwich filling staple for decades, of course. But the first decade of the new millennium brought us bacon cupcakes, baconnaise, bacon-infused vodka—and it got much worse. Remember bacon-flavored lip balm and bacon-scented deodorant? Before the belly boom, less than 1 percent of fine dining restaurants risked putting the dish on menus. By 2016, however, the National Pork Board found that figure had jumped to 17 percent. The number has since fallen, but only slightly. Boucher expects the fascination with pork belly to continue. “It’s very versatile,” he says. “I mean, I haven’t seen desserts done with it, but I’m sure you could figure something out.” FIRST COURSE It takes three days to prepare the signature candied pork belly at Carmel’s Rio Grill. Its sweet glaze is spiked with jalapeño. POUR IT ON…There’s now another place to get your coffee fix—or matcha or lattes or tea or whatever your beverage of choice. Six Over Coffee & Company has opened. They also offer pastries and baked goods. Stop by and check out this cool new spot open Wednesday through Monday from 6:30am-2:30pm at 160 Webster St., Monterey. EVERYTHING NICE…The sweet anticipation is over. A Carmel favorite, Sweet Reba’s, now has a second location open. The downtown Salinas bakery features the lineup of pies, cookies and other treats that made the original such a draw. There is also space for display cases, so customers can be further tempted. Look for breakfast burritos and sandwich offerings, too. 268 S. Main St., Salinas. (831) 676-0628, sweetrebas. com. STOKER ACE…Captain + Stoker is about a week away from opening its new roastery in Sand City. The roastery will not be open to the public. However, the C + S team has dropped hints about a new coffee house (at an undisclosed location) that may join its existing venues in Monterey and Pacific Grove. captainandstoker.com. SHUCK AND JIVE…Get down and shuck your tail feathers at the “oyster jam” presented by Shearwater Tavern and Carmel Mission Inn on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 5-8pm. Pay as you go for oysters and drinks, but the live music and dancing are free. It’s outdoors by the fire pits; children and dogs are welcome. 3665 Rio Road, Carmel. (831) 624-1841, shearwatertavern.com. GO UGLY…Joyce Winery is hosting an ugly Christmas sweater party on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 6-9pm at their Carmel Valley tasting room. Bust out your ugliest sweater and get ready for an evening of festive fun, good food and great wine. There will be a DJ bringing the vibes, a photobooth to capture the ugliness and a contest for ugliest sweater. $40; free/wine club members. 1 E. Carmel Valley Drive, Carmel Valley. (831) 659-2885, joycewineco.com. LITTLE FLAT PANCAKES…Crêpes of Brittany is celebrating its 15th anniversary through December and January with a special French crêpe offering. Mention the “Flavors of France” special when you purchase any of their crêpes and you’ll receive a complimentary lemon sugar dessert crêpe. 211 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 649-1930, crepesofbrittany.com. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “I haven’t seen desserts done with it, but...” EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS Power Pig Pork belly was a fine dining rarity then a culinary fad. Now it has become a relative staple. By Dave Faries
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