The Dish: Brain and egg sandwich
Where to Get It: The Pig, 1320 14th St. NW; (202) 290-2821; thepigdc.com
Price: $13
What It Is: Veal brains poached in milk, then breaded and deep fried and topped with scrambled eggs, cheddar, local pork head cheese, Serrano chilies, scallions and herbs, tomatoes from The Pig’s own Eatwell farm, and salsa verde made with parsley, capers, and anchovies. Got all that? Oh, and it’s served on a soft, toasted Lyon Bakery potato roll.
What It Tastes Like: There are squishy bits and there are crispy bits, like a porky Sloppy Joe. The dish has all the flavors of a classic egg and meat breakfast sandwich with splashes of color to remind you there are vegetables hidden somewhere in the messy behemoth.
The Story: Chef de cuisine Michael Bonk came across a recipe for veal brains and scrambled eggs in the 1896 White House Cookbook. “We’re always trying to do more unique things,” he says, but he found that brains haven’t always been a popular menu item. “People just feel more comfortable eating things between a bun.” Bonk says he sells five to 10 brain sandwiches a day.
Availability: Lunch (12 to 4 p.m., weekdays) and brunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekends)
Photo by Mary Kong-DeVito