Travel Tuesday: The Flying Pig in Vancouver, BC

I'm back today with a second post about my recent trip to Vancouver-- and this time it is all about food! Normally, I try to do a little restaurant research before heading out on a trip-- even one for business-- but this fall has been so crazy that I didn't have much time to pack for Vancouver, let alone start my restaurant wish list. Luckily my boss is a foodie herself and did some of her own research, settling on The Flying Pig in Vancouver's hip Yaletown neighborhood for our Sunday evening dinner out.

The Flying Pig has three locations throughout Vancouver, each one featuring a "nouveau Canadian bistro" menu. At the Flying Pig you'll find several dishes inspired by local cuisine and ingredients with a flair that's both modern and rustic-- similar to the restaurant's decor. And all of these fantastic dishes are complemented by an eclectic wine and beverage menu featuring many local BC wines.

We began our meal by sharing an order of the Flying Pig's take on classic Canadian poutine. I really loved their interpretation of this often super heavy and decadent dish. Rustic cut french fries were topped with a pulled pork gravy (a departure from the traditional chicken gravy) and topped with a generous amount of bubbly melted cheese. These were fork and knife fries, for sure.

 One of my colleagues ordered the red wine braised short ribs at the suggestion of the server. A huge portion of flavorful and for tender shortribs arrived accompanied by roasted bone marrow and the most delicious cheddar mashed potatoes. I snagged a forkful and these potatoes were so tasty: thick, cheesy, and baked so that the inside was creamy and the exterior had a wonderful crust.

Instead of an entree, I decided to sample two of Flying Pig's smaller plates. The first was the rocket & watercress beetroot salad. Peppery arugula and watercress were topped with beautiful roasted yellow and red beets. The beets were accompanied by local goat cheese, toasty walnuts, and slivers of sweet pear. The flavors were subtle and classic, but all worked so well together. Beets and goat cheese are a classic pairing, but the peppery greens and sweet pears made the whole salad come together.

To go along with the beets, I also ordered the Jumbo Shortrib Macaroni. Macaroni noodles and tender chunks of beef shortrib were tossed in a flavorful cabernet cream sauce and topped with a generous amount of shredded cheese. It was all baked together, melting the cheese on top. I ordered this expecting it to be very mac and cheese-like, but the cabernet cream sauce had a wonderful rich flavor with a still brothy consistency and great beef flavor. It was an addictive side dish that made for a perfect smaller (and filling) entree.

We had a great meal at the Flying Pig. The food and atmosphere were spot on and I'd recommend it to anyone populating their Vancouver "To Eat" List!