Aldi has made a triumphant return to the Christmas scene with its second instalment of its pigs in blankets-centred pop-up. With a new Shoreditch location and brand new menu, could Aldi impress a ravenous crowd of festive fans?
Having sampled its 2023 pigs in blankets (PIBs for short) offerings, there’s no denying that they’d attempt to push the boat out and create some unconventional dishes. The only thing which remains the same as last year is the choice of bottomless PIBs, Aldi’s Specially Selected Pigs in Blankets. These are good to use as a benchmark.
Also greeting us on the table was a bowl of the Specially Selected Pigs In Blankets Hand Cooked Crisps, which really packed a salty punch, in a good way. The top pick from the six course menu may come as a surprise, but personally, you can’t go wrong with a bit of cheese.
Aldi’s Specially Selected Cheese in Blankets were a hit. Tiny squidgy morsels of salty cheddar, creamy mozzarella and soft cream cheese wrapped in crispy bacon made for a welcome change during the overload of pork, reports the Mirror.
It’s a genius idea to combine Christmas dinner’s favourite snack with elements of a cheese board. If you’re looking for a reprieve from all the traditional pigs in blankets, these Cheese in Blankets need to be on your radar.
Other personal highlights include the Specially Selected Ultimate Pigs in Blankets. Think of your traditional PIB on steroids. I think all pigs in blankets should be chunky and nearly the size of a golf ball.
There’s an undeniable luxury to these PIBs, making them a definite upgrade. For a total flavour transformation that tastes high-end but won’t break the bank, opt for the Specially Selected Truffle Chipolata Pigs in Blankets.
Truffle can be a contentious flavour, but if your palate leans towards the extravagant, these pigs in blankets will add a whole new layer to the traditional PIBs, much like the Ashfields Pigs in Blankets Roulette.
By the time the pork roulette arrived at our table, we were already full to bursting. We managed one pick of the Roulette each, but unfortunately, we both ended up with a spicy pig.
The Roulette offers mild, medium or grim-reaper-flavoured pigs in blankets. While mine was spicy, I can’t confirm or deny whether I picked a grim-reaper or not.
However, the dish that left me feeling rather Grinch-like was the Specially Selected Honey and Ginger Candy Cane Pigs in Blankets. Comparison is indeed the thief of joy, and while the PIBs are visually appealing and add a touch of fun, they didn’t quite measure up to last year’s candy canes.
In 2023, Aldi started strong with a brie and cranberry flavoured candy cane, where the brie took centre stage. But despite Aldi’s best efforts, there were no discernible flavours of ginger or honey, just a vague sweetness mixed with pork.
While novelty can be a good thing, when the aesthetics are more pleasing than the flavour, it feels like a waste of money. This is also ‘true’ for the Ashfields Loaded Yorkshire Sliders, which is a great idea in principle, but needed more panache in the form of a bowl of gravy.
As a little bonus dish, no matter how stuffed we were at this point in the evening, we were presented with Aldi’s new Footlong Vegan Pig in Blanket, which can only be described as phallic. The dishes at this year’s Pigs in Blankets Restaurant were a chance to try something new and to see how far Aldi has raised its game.
Some PIBs were absolute knockouts, while others needed a little sprinkling of festive cheer.
Aldi’s Pigs in Blankets Restaurant will be open on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30. More information can be found here.