Whistling Hog

Calling Out to All You BBQ Lovers!

That’s right folks, you heard me; Whistling Hog Smokehouse is a must try if you love a good BBQ. Located at The Grove in Colombo 05, Whistling Hog serves up their scrumptious slow cooked, wood-fired meals in an outdoorsy, patio setting. It being our first visit to The Grove, we found the place cute and amused at how old sewing machines were turned into tables. 

Since The Grove and Whistling Hog Smokehouse are BYOB, we took our own bottles of beer and wine to sip on while we enjoyed our meals. Let’s dig in.

Starters

Dragon Wings (LKR 700)

This starter is not for the faint-hearted. Marinated in their newly introduced sauce “Great Balls of Fire” and smoked for 2 hours, this was the spiciest dish we’ve tried (good thing we cracked our cold ones). They also have a milder variation called “Firestarter” in case you don’t enjoy a lot of spice with your wings. While the sauce’s hero ingredient nai miris shone through, it had an undertone of vinegar.

Bacon Cheese Toast (LKR 650)

Bacon ends, cheddar cheese, toast… simple and delicious. The cheddar cheese slice was melted on to the white toast bread and topped with juicy bacon ends, chilli flakes and pepper. 

Garlic Bread (LKR 300)

Everyone loves garlic bread (except a vampire, lol), but here’s why this is a must-try: they’ve given it a Sri Lankan twist. Instead of the usual baguette, Whistling Hog uses roast paan. Lathered with garlic butter and parsley in abundance, the garlic bread was warm, crunchy, and simply yum. Also, they provide a very generous portion.

Country Slaw (LKR 350)

Now the Country Slaw was an interesting side dish. Unlike a usual coleslaw, it was not heavily dressed in mayonnaise. Instead, it had a light, sweet dressing, which allowed the freshness of the red cabbage and carrot to shine through. 

Disco Fries (LKR 300)

The child in me loved the Disco Fries! Aside from its funky shape, it had a good crunch as I bit into it. Dusted in chilli powder and salt, you can’t really go wrong with this one. 

Mains

Rack of Baby Back Ribs (LKR 1,700 – 2,400)

Only one word comes to mind when biting into ribs: mind-blowing. Coated with a primarily sweet BBQ sauce and smoked to perfection, the meat just falls off the bone. Their portion size is big and pairs well with mashed potatoes.

Smoked Chicken (LKR 500 – 1,800)

The Smoked Chicken was quite a treat! The folks at Whistling Hog use a dry rub which is pepper heavy. The chicken was juicy inside while retaining its smokey flavour due to their slow, wood-fired smoking process.

Big Momma (LKR 5,090)

A super-sized meal that could easily feed up to 4 people; the Big Momma consists two pork chops, half a smoked chicken, a rack of baby back ribs, four sausages (you can choose between kochchi or garlic), two sides with two servings of their signature sauces. While this was way too much food for us, we were thrilled to try it all. 

The pork chops itself were a big portion, flavoured well with the same sweet BBQ sauce used for the baby back ribs. The meat was tender and had the juiciest rind. It paired well with the creamy, well-seasoned mashed potatoes and onion gravy.

Did you know…

The dishes were named after some very popular songs by famous American musicians Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker and Billy Ray Cyrus! Their roots serve as inspiration for Whistling Hog’s signature flavours. Try guessing these songs as you wait for your meal.

Would I come back?

Elvis once said do something that’s worth remembering. In our case, this was definitely one of those moments. The food arrived a couple of sips into our beers, and The Grove’s staff were very attentive. In keeping with COVID-19 safety precautions, they’ve spaced out the seating. If you’re in the mood for a BBQ but don’t want to go out, fret not! They do have their own delivery service and are available on UberEats and Eat Me Global.

Tip: Try the Rack of Baby Back Ribs and the Smoked Chicken – remember to pair the Smoked Chicken with a side of Country Slaw.

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