The Block

The Block Restaurant Review:

If you’re a steak-and-potatoes kind of person, you’ve come to the right place --- and the butcher’s cut with garlic-herb fries is your kind of meal. The menu is full of house-butchered meats, maybe with a side of more meat, or perhaps a three-in-one special featuring pork chops, pulled pork sliders and braised pork. The kitchen is skilled with roasted Amish chicken, Missouri trout and grass-fed, local beef, as evidenced by the saucer-size burger. But pork is where the culinary team really shines, from the “potted pig” confit to the bacon jam to the bacon ice cream. Should the hapless vegetarian wander in, there is baked mac 'n' cheese (with a bacon upgrade, if desired). The no-reservations policy means nearly every dinner guest waits awhile in the bar, where service is swift and cocktails, many of them using local spirits, are strong. The loud dining room wears out some of the servers by the second seating. Go early and often --- and if you like the pork, note that The Block also sells house-butchered whole and half hogs.