Northwest Austin has loved the Noble Pig since it quietly opened in a tiny strip mall off of 620 in the fall of 2010. Chefs John Bates and Brandon Martinez (a Whole Foods alum) made a point of doing all the little things right: homemade chips, a side of in-house rye pickles, and fresh-baked bread are some of the touches that elevated Noble Pig's sandwich shop from good to great and made it a favorite of Austin food nerds.
Guy Fieri's popular "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" program has featured them in an episode titled "Serious Sandwiches" which prominently showcased the Noble Pig's duck pastrami creation. But it was Travel Channel: "Man vs. Food" host Adam Richman who brought this venue to my attention.
Adam picked the Pig's Seared Beef Tongue with Smoked Green Onions sandwich as one of his favorite 30 sandwiches in the USA and featured it in his new Summer show titled "Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America".
I figured two fabulous foodies like Fieri and Richman couldn't be wrong, so since we were in Austin this weekend, we headed over to taste test the menu for ourselves. The place is in a very nondescript strip center and we almost drove right by it. At 3PM there was a line of 15 people out the door, which I thought was a promising sign of fabulosity. Personally, the thought of eating tongue grosses me out, so I let my husband get the Seared Beef Tongue sandwich, while I opted for a Thai Chicken Sandwich. The bread was fantastic and one of the best parts about both sandwiches: fresh and chewy, perfectly toasted and utterly divine. Both of our sandwiches were amazing - although I liked my Thai Chicken better than the Tongue. This place is definitely worth the drive and the wait.
The Noble Pig is located at 11815 620 North, Suite 4, Austin, TX 78750. For more information, visit http://www.noblepigaustin.com/
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