The Twisted Pig Bar and Grill
By Kate Serpa
Photos by Phil Johnson
The Twisted Pig: The last thing you should probably call your girlfriend this evening, but the first place you should be taking her to for dinner. I thought Phil and I were going to have to have an ‘adult’ conversation when, in my post-Luckyfest Jameson-induced haze, he rang me up, started talking, and all I could really make out him saying was “Twisted Pig.” Luckily for his general safety and my outstanding criminal record, Phil was merely suggesting we head over to Modesto’s brand-spanking new Twisted Pig Bar and Grill and find out what all the buzz is about.
Buzz proved to be justified and noteworthy — Jameson on tap, bartender Miss Margie’s generous pours, barbecue, a pork and potato-centric menu, house-infused vodkas, house-made pickles, interesting variations on cocktail classics, happy hour and late night specials, and you know, bacon maple cheesecake; that last one is pretty important. Do your taste buds a solid and get your attractive self over there ASAP for some goodness.
The person to talk to is Miss Margie — she’s readily identifiable as the fun, red haired, black-clad, no-nonsense shot slinger behind the bar. Margie quickly pointed me towards the Pig’s pulled pork sandwich and began mixing me a Mezcal Mule — a jalapeno simple syrup take on the classic Moscow, and we were off to an excellent start.
On the topic of Moscow Mules, the Pig’s cocktail lineup offers a handful of (dare I say ‘Twisted’?) Takes on the vodka, ginger beer, and lime classic. Listed under ‘Coppers’, the orange-flavored Modesto Mule, Bulleit Kentucky Mule, and Jameson-based Cocky Irishman are all worth taking for a spin.
Cody Baldwin I shall never forget — you may remember him from the Tap Room. He was the first to introduce me to the Jameson-pickle juice mix with his Ellis Island Martini. Baldwin has since moved over to manage the Twisted Pig and has brought his playful approach to cocktails with him. Margie again pointed me in the right boozy direction with the Pig’s Smoking Gun cocktail, featuring Woodford Reserve, orange bitters, and smoked ice — quite the visual process, lending the flavor of the outdoors in your drink without having to actually go outside (hooray!).
If you are one of those outdoorsy types, the Twisted Pig does offer an outdoor patio seating with live local music; personally, I prefer the Pig’s sleek interior, mostly because of the proximity to bar and conversation with Margie (which is always excellent). ModestoView fans be sure to take note of all the fun Twisted Pig artwork up on the walls, created by Michael J. Mangano, ModestoView cover artist, photographer, personal drinking buddy, and Twisted Pig cook.
So there we have it: Excellent eats, even better drink treats, and Margie ranking in as captain of your booze and dining cruise. Do yourself a favor, and go Pig out.
2717 Suite A Coffee Road, Modesto, CA
Www.twistedpigbarandgrill.com
209.248.7243
