We told you the Castro would finally be getting a barbecue spot like every other ‘hood in town recently has, and it is finally here. The Dancing Pig (544 Castro Street) is opening in the former Nirvana space on Sunday, February 5, just in time for the Super Bowl. Their tagline: “Finally, great BBQ in the heart of the Castro,” and as we discussed earlier, it’s a mixture of barbecue styles that they’re branding as “San Francisco BBQ.” We have the menu for you below, which includes St. Louis-style pork spare ribs, pork belly with bourbon glaze, smoked chicken with house-made white barbecue sauce, and brisket served with chimichurri.
Also, in the starters column, crab puppies! And we appreciate the addition of the vegetarian-friendly Guacamole Hero, with the option to throw some bacon on there.
The chef is Michelle Agnew, who was previously sous chef at the DeYoung Museum and worked for chef Hubert Keller at Burger Bar.
There will be a bourbon-focused cocktail menu, and you can expect the booze to be flowing as co-owners here all hail from nearby bar The Mix.
Look for them to open around 11 a.m., just in time to meet the Castro’s Super Bowl-snacking needs. (Sidebar: The Castro is pretty psyched about this particular Super Bowl … Madonna’s doing the half-time show. Just sayin.)
THE DANCING PIG - SF BBQ
Starters
Fried House-made Pickles
served with jalapeño aioli
Crab Puppies
served with spicy remoulade
Fried Tasso Oysters
Local Oysters, Garlic Butter, House-made Tasso, & Parmesan
Spicy Chicken Wings
(7) Drums served with blue cheese dressing
Slider Trio
Pulled Pork w/ coleslaw & BBQ sauce
Beef Brisket w/caramelized onion & chimichurri sauce
Smoked Chicken w/ lettuce, tomato & aioli
Pork Stuffed Poblano
Roasted poblano peppers with pulled pork, yellow rice, Chipotle pepper, tomato, cilantro, and monterrey jack cheese & a dollop of House-made creme fraiche
Salads
Grilled Petite Hearts
Grilled romaine heart served with chimichurri vinaigrette & Parmesan Reggiano
(also available with smoked chicken, pulled pork or Tasso Ham)
Grilled Fish, Arugula & Watercress
Wild baby arugula, Watercress, grilled fish of the day, Shaved fennel, House-pickled red onion & Citrus vinaigrette
Candied Pecan, Apple & Bacon Salad
Candied pecans, seasonal apple, Bacon pieces, spring mix, Endive & Orange Mustard vinaigrette
Sandwiches
All Sandwiches come with choice of mixed green salad or house-made fries.
Extras: Cheese - Bacon - Sweet Potato Fries
Pulled Pork Sandwich
topped with coleslaw & BBQ sauce on a Hoagie Roll
Beef Brisket Sandwich
topped with caramelized onion & chimichurri sauce on a Hoagie Roll
Smoked Chicken Sandwich
topped with lettuce, tomato & aioli on a Hoagie Roll
The Po’Boy
Fried Oysters, Coleslaw, Tomato & Spicy Remoulade on a Hoagie Roll
Guacamole Hero
House-Made Guacamole, Tomato, Jalapeño, Cucumber, Cilantro, House-Made creme fraiche & Monterey Jack Cheese on a Hoagie Roll
(Make a great sandwich even better, add Bacon - not included…)
BBQ Entrées
All entrees come with choice of two individual sides & a piece of our house-made cornbread..
St. Louis Pork Spare Ribs
Half Slab or Full Slab
Dry Rubbed and finished on the grill with a light BBQ Sauce.
Beef Brisket
Master’s Choice Grade Brisket
Wet rubbed and finished on the grill served with chimichurri on the side
Pulled Pork
Pork Shoulder served hot with white BBQ Sauce on the side
1/2 Chicken
House-Smoked Half Chicken served with white BBQ Sauce on the side
Grilled Fish of the Day
Seasonal Fresh catch Grilled to order
Pork Belly
Marinated & Roasted finished with a bourbon glaze
Sides
Aunt Gay’s Cole Slaw
Green Cabbage, onion, carrot, green bell pepper w/ Apple cider vinegar dressing
Collard Greens
Braised Collard Greens, Bacon & Onion
Brussels Sprouts
Sauteed with red onion, garlic & red pepper flakes
Mac n’ Cheese
Macaroni in our House-Made cheese sauce served gratin style
BBQ Baked Beans
Heirloom baked beans, BBQ Sauce & Bacon
House-Made Fries
Regular or Sweet Potato
Baked Potato
Regular or Sweet Potato
Kale Chips
Fried Kale & Cornbread crumbs, lemon zest & olive oil
The Dancing Pig - 544 Castro Street between 18th and 19th - Opening Sunday, February 5 at 11 a.m. Regular hours of operation TBA.
Earlier: Nirvana Peaces Out; Dancing Pig Opening in Early February
Dancing Pig S.F. BBQ On Its Way to Nirvana Space in Castro By New Year
