Memphis Blues Barbeque Suckling Pig Roast
Posted by Degan on October 30th, 2012
It feels like this has been the year of the pig with our pig’s head party at Fat Dragon BBQ, ReFuel’s P.I.G. dinner, whole hog picnic, and pig butchery class at Pete’s Meats but the folks at Memphis Blues Barbeque House wanted to remind us that the year isn’t over with a suckling pig roast. When I arrived they were just starting to carve and I started to snap away with my camera as they piled crackling in a bowl and started making sliders with the roast meat but what I really wanted to capture was the smell. Good barbeque is hard to come by in Vancouver and Memphis Blues does a great job of it at several locations but even on regular feast days it doesn’t smell like this. That deeply satisfying meaty smell that fills the room can only come from a large animal slow-roasted for hours. The feeling is primal and the sense of safety and community that comes with it is certainly heightened when you duck out of the rain into a room full of people. The cocktails help too.
Their regular menu sticks pretty close to traditional fare; ribs, brisket, pulled pork and all the sides but Memphis wanted to showcase their catering menu as well so in addition to the pulled pork sliders fresh off the pig with coleslaw and house-made barbeque sauce we had bite-sized catfish cakes with a dollop of gremolata on top, brisket flautas with guacamole and individually-sizes pecan pie and peach crumble tarts. It would be a bit of an unconventional Christmas party if you were to have their catering department handle it, but the canapés were quite tasty I can see what they’re getting at here.
One of my favourite items came from the bar (no surprise there) and probably doesn’t travel to events very well but “the bossman” cocktail is boss; Wild Turkey bourbon, grapefruit, bitters and lemonade. I’ll be going back for that one soon, alongside some brisket.
Memphis Blues is at 1465 West Broadway Avenue in Vancouver, as well as several other locations.
