We’ve been following the evolution of Pig & Tiger from its stall in Avanti Boulder, which later turned into Peko Peko, to the brick-and-mortar location in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. Chefs Travis Masar and Darren Chang opened the stand-alone restaurant two months ago, bringing elevated Taiwanese fare to a city lacking that particular cuisine. So far, the team has a winning combination.
“Things are good and we are dialing in each of the dishes, fixing the little things that no one notices but I do and Darren does,” said Masar over the phone. Currently, he added, they are working on a fall menu and thinking about bringing Taiwanese breakfast to the restaurant early next year.
Pig & Tiger officially opened in late August, 2024, taking over a long-vacant spot that used to house a doughnut shop. The chefs revamped the space, adding sleek black accents to balance out the industrial side of the building. Now, diners can feel like they stepped into a sexy Taiwanese night club, though the only ones dancing are the servers as they flow from table to table and the food takes center stage. That light sheen to your skin? Just the spices from a select few dishes heating up the night.
Overall the vibe feels grown up, but the menu speaks to decades of cheap Chinese food takeout, at least visually. Unfold the white-and-green paper pages to reveal recognizable dishes such as vegetable dumplings, braised pork rice, and steamed pork buns. That’s where the American-Chinese comfort ends and the culture Chang was born into and Masar studied comes out.
Dive Into Taiwanese Dishes
Order the Pig & Tiger Salad, a surprising mixture of tofu gan, charsathmum, and celery with a spicy kick. Other things you won’t see on just any menu include Jelly Fish Salad, Taiwanese fried chicken with orange honey, and Saucy Pork Noodle, a direct nod to Cheng’s grandmother.
Fans of the first Pig & Tiger iteration will find comfort in the Mapo Tofu, a vegetarian version of the Chinese classic, as well as the vegan Cold Sesame Noodle, which we still dream about. In fact, the chefs have added a lot of vegetarian items to the menu, letting the fresh ingredients and umami-rich spices carry the heft. Another thing to note, the restaurant boasts a hearty dessert program, not often seen in this sort of eatery.
“We like desserts, and Asian restaurants. in general, they do it as an after thought,” said Masar. “We have honed in our dessert program.”
Don’t skip on the cocktails either. The bar uses tea from local company Ku-Cha in a lot of drinks, as well as serving it straight up. Come this month, look for hot tipples to grace the menu too.
While the food and space bookend Pig & Tiger in the best way, the thoughtful and friendly service gives it even more substance. Except a friendly greeting as you walk in. And, instead of rushing diners through a multi-course meal, the chefs encourage people to eat at their own pace.
In fact, by using a free-flowing kitchen model, they make sure to send out complimentary dishes together, regardless of where the items fall on the menu. Put this all together and Pig & Tiger has the recipe for a great space, and we can’t wait to see what goes on behind the scenes.
The Takeover
During the takeover, chef Masar plans on going shopping for all the ingredients the restaurant needs for the weekend. Think noodles, wrappers, and other key Asian goodies used to make Taiwanese food magic. The day, said Masar, starts about 9 a.m. with a lot of prep in the kitchen. Get a taste of pre-service with the managers, expedition dishes with Chang, and plenty of dumpling making.
Tune in on Thursday, November 5 to DiningOut Denver’s Instagram stories to see what the Pig & Tiger team is up to. Make sure to follow us on socials, then like, comment, tag, and also follow Pig & Tiger for a chance to win a $100 gift card to the restaurant. The winner will be announced on Monday.
Visit Pig & Tiger on Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday. 2200 California St., Denver, pigandtiger.com
