What: The Porchetta Dip made with Bruce Kalman’s signature roast pork, rapini, and pickled mustard seeds, alongside some crispy pork rinds, spicy giardiniera, and a cup of jus for dipping.
Where: Knead and Co. in Grand Central Market, Kalman’s first restaurant after the success of Union (see our top 10 Italian restaurants list for reference) serving his fresh-made pastas alongside other tasty treats like this here sandwich.
When: Ughhhh. Dead in the lunchtime blitz at about 1:30 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, finishing up just in time to catch the ass end of rush hour traffic on the way back to the office. Knead held up in the middle of the GCM firestorm though; it’s a well run ship.
The Final Bite: This is the golden age of porchetta sandwiches in L.A. Between Paninoteca, Knead, and Gjusta, we’re absolutely spoiled for choice on where to get a roasted pinwheel of pig parts between bread. Which sandwich gets crowned the prince of pork? That, we don’t know—all have their merits. But, the version at Knead and Co. is—in true Bruce Kalman fashion—the most balanced of the bunch, playing acid against fat, bitter against savory. And where else can you get a bowl of bucatini all’amatriciana for dessert?
