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Food Envy: BISq's truly satisfying pork belly sandwich

We’ve been getting our fill of food at Time Out Market Boston, and now we’re dishing on some of our favorite plates

Olivia Vanni
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Olivia Vanni
BISq TOMB pork belly sandwich
Photograph: Brian Samuels
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Welcome to Food Envy, where we’ll highlight different dishes from Time Out Market Boston that we think you’re going to love—partly because we do. This time around, we’re shining a spotlight on BISq’s pork belly sandwich, a satisfyingly balanced number that’ll let you feel like you’re living high on the hog.

RECOMMENDED: For more food fun, check out our guide to Time Out Market Boston

When it comes to BISq and its array of Fenway offerings, we’d like to direct your attention to a dish that’ll have you positively squealing with delight: its pork belly sandwich.

Chef Alex Saenz isn’t shy about letting his Peruvian roots and Southern upbringing shine through his food—and this handheld delicacy is no exception. Centered around thick, crispy cuts of succulent pork belly, this sandwich just pushes all of the right buttons in your brain for a feeling of ultimate satisfaction. 

It’s pretty well known that this portion of the pig is marked by a prominent strip of fat (honestly, the reason it’s so damn delicious), which can easily dominate a dish, if left to its own devices. But Saenz and the team at BISq know best and they manage to balance out the belly and prevent any perception of over-greasiness with a couple of clutch condiments. 

Take a big bite of this ciabatta masterpiece, and your taste buds will immediately pick up on the presence of Southern sweet potato and salsa criolla, a Peruvian staple and essentially a red onion relish laced with a generous dose of fresh lime juice. This duo of additions give BISq’s pork belly sandwich a bit of sweetness, acidity and some much needed brightness that all elevate the rich protein filling—not to mention, a touch of textural contrast.

We’d encourage you to go whole hog on one of these sandwiches. However, you can also get your pork party on with BISq’s Cubano, a traditional medley of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and spicy mustard. And if you’re feeling more of a veg vibe, there’s also a Swiss melt crammed with cheese, chard, mushrooms and pickled jalapeños that will have you not even missing the meat.

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