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Hog Wild Restaurant in Old
Town Cottonwood |
Hog Wild in Old Town Cottonwood
By Beverly Lehnhardt
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Sedona.biz
Cottonwood, AZ: I recently had a very enjoyable lunch at a relatively new restaurant in Old
Town Cottonwood.
Hog Wild (“Home of the Famous 1-Pound Pork Chop Sandwich”),
located at 705 N. Main St., opened at this address on January 17 2006,
and is quickly building a fine reputation.
With a name like "Hog Wild" and a friendly
looking hungry porker as its mascot, be assured that a hearty meal
awaits you.
Owners Dawn and Mike West both work in the restaurant
and greet patrons with a smile, many of whom are repeat customers greeted by
name.
Dawn and Mike opened their first Hog Wild in Tinley Park, Illinois, in December
of 1999. Dawn’s parents then opened a second restaurant in Orland Park,
Illinois, in 2001. Both were wildly successful, garnering rave reviews including
being voted “Best Pork Chop” by a local newspaper.
After visiting Arizona several times and dreaming of living in a warmer climate,
in 2005 the Wests decided to sell the Illinois restaurants and leave the Midwest
winters behind.
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Outside Hog Wild |
They love the small-town feel of Cottonwood and after winning
the Verde Independent-Kudos “Reader’s Choice Award-Best BBQ” and the
Judge’s Choice Award at the 2006 Cottonwood “Rhythm & Ribs” Festival, it seems
the area has welcomed them with open arms.
The restaurant is super-casual. I ordered at the counter, paid for my food, and
got number.
There are 19 combo meals, meaning they come
with fries and a fountain drink, all easily numbered from #1 to #19.
Once I poured my soft drink at the soda bar, collected my plastic ware and
napkins, and was settled at a table of my choice, my lunch was brought to the
table in a paper-lined basket—after a very short wait. As I said, this is
not a fancy place, but you will not leave hungry!I ordered a Pulled
Pork Combo Meal that included French fries and soda for $6.95; for an additional
.50 I substituted onion rings for the fries. It was a
good move. The onion rings were some of the best I’ve had—hot and crunchy on the
outside without being mushy on the inside. The sandwich was more than I could
eat: a fresh, homemade bun piled high with tender, juicy, smoked pork and topped
with a flavorful BBQ sauce—not too sweet, not too tomato-y. I would’ve liked to
have a ketchup-style squeeze bottle of the BBQ sauce on the table, though, for
those who like a lot of sauce on their sandwiches.
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Inside Hog Wild |
For a rather small restaurant, the menu offers a good variety of appetizers
priced from $2 onion rings to 20 hot wings for $12. Dinners range from $7.75 for
an eight-piece shrimp dinner to $17.95 for a full slab of baby back ribs.
All
dinners include French fries, a choice of sides, and homemade bread and butter
or garlic bread.
Combo Meals are available in pork, chicken, or beef selections
and include fries and soda; for an additional .50 you can substitute garlic
fries or onion rings. Sandwiches ranging in price from $3.59 to $5.25 are served
with fries.
Four different salads are available for those preferring lighter
fare. One short section of the menu is devoted to the “Piglets”—all kids’ meals
include fries and a 10-ounce soda and range from $4 to $5.
All food is made to order and is guaranteed fresh—no food is saved overnight to
be served the next day and all bread is bought fresh daily. Any remaining food
is given away at the end of the day, but Dawn and Mike have become experts at
judging just how much food is needed so there is little waste. They promise
quality and quantity. Their goal is “…to provide you with restaurant quality
food at take-out prices, topped with excellent, personal customer service.”
In addition to great food and great service at the restaurant, you can call
ahead to place an order that will be ready when you stop to pick it up; and they
provide catering service for parties or other special events.
You’ll rarely look for a parking space, whether heading inside to dine-in or to pick
up a take-out order—there’s a huge lot behind the restaurant. I hate circling
the block searching for parking, so this is a real plus!
Open seven days a week, their hours are 11:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. Monday through
Saturday and 11:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. on Sundays. Call 928-639-3232 for take-out
orders or for catering information. You can also visit their website at
www.azhogwild.com.
I’m looking forward to visiting Hog Wild again in the near future to try another
great meal! Hmmm….maybe the Philly Chicken Sandwich with mozzarella, sautéed
onion, green pepper, and mayo…
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