Lil Pig Lil Pig opening in Vancouver's Uptown Village to feature smoked pork and chicken

May 3-Move over, 3 Howls. Now there's something meatier.

Lil Pig Lil Pig will be the next establishment to open in the historic 1905 Beauregard house in Uptown Village. Brandon and Marci Rush's new restaurant, slated to open in mid-May, will replace 3 Howls Remedy House, which closed in November. The eatery will focus on smoked, slow-roasted and rotisserie pork and chicken.

"It's obviously a large departure from Remedy House, but this is a concept we've been toying with for quite a while," Brandon Rush said. "I'm big into smoking meats at home and really, we wanted to find something that we were passionate about and that didn't exist in Vancouver."

The husband-and-wife restaurateurs also own Thirsty Sasquatch bar, the neighboring Hungry Sasquatch pizzeria and the award-winning 3 Howls Distillery in Battle Ground. They co-own Silver Ball Social Club on Evergreen Boulevard. The Rushes also own the building at 2014 Main St., which formerly housed Pho Haven, Mint Tea and the long-lived Casa Grande. Lil Pig Lil Pig will have an order-at-the-counter format, Marcy Rush said, and will allow diners to eat on the premises or purchase meat by the pound and sides for a tasty to-go meal.

Humanely raised meats

The Rushes have hired head chef Ryan Slattery, who worked at the James Beard Award-winning restaurants Arrows in Maine and Rialto in Boston as well as managing kitchens under chef Rick Gecarelli, known for the Portland eateries Lardo, Grassa and Bluto's. Lil Pig Lil Pig's menu will feature no commodity animals - that is, commercially raised pigs bred for lean meat and fast growth.

Instead, dishes will contain only humanely raised, antibiotic-free meat sourced from places where animals have access to the outdoors, Brandon Rush said, because it's not only better for the animals but it also makes the meat taste better. That includes heritage breed pigs, such as Duroc, Berkshire, Red Wattle and Washington-raised Mangalitsa, a Hungarian breed known for its distinct curly hair. These breeds take longer to raise but their fat renders at a lower temperature than commodity pigs, giving them a greater depth of flavor, Brandon Rush said - especially the Mangalitsa.

"They're so cute," Rush said, "but they have an extremely high fat content."

Lil Pig Lil Pig will also serve porchetta, a moist, herb-filled boneless pork roast made from the belly or loin with a crispy, crackly skin. It can be served in sandwiches or as a main dish. There's no other place in the area offering this particular delicacy, Brandon Rush said. Other pork dishes include pork belly brisket and slow-smoked spare ribs.

Feeding local demand

It's a far cry - or perhaps a far howl? - from the menu at 3 Howls Remedy House, which originally offered vegan dishes to accompany its botanical-forward spirits. However, the customer base just wasn't large enough to support such an establishment, even after 3 Howls pivoted to include meat-based dishes. In the process, the Rushes said they learned a lot about what Vancouver diners want. Ultimately, Brandon Rush said, they're in the service industry, and they're here to serve the community.

"We are not vegans ourselves," Brandon Rush said. "I was plant-based for a period of time but I also grew up partially on a farm and was a journeyman horseshoer back in the day. From a culinary perspective, this is very much in line with everything my wife and I are doing."

IF YOU GO

What: Lil Pig Lil Pig

Where: 2014 Main St., Vancouver

Hours: Opening mid-May. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Information: lilpiglilpig.com

The menu is pork-focused, Brandon Rush said, but will also feature organic chickens, started in a smoker for deep flavor then roasted on a French Rotisol rotisserie. Most rotisserie models use radiant heat to cook meat, Brandon Rush said, but Rotisol rotisseries lick the meat with a live flame. Diners can drop in, pick up a rotisserie chicken and pair it with fingerling potatoes cooked in drippings and freshly baked bread to go. The walk-up counter will help keep costs down, Brandon Rush said.

"Nothing will be prepacked or pre-purchased. We are doing our own butchering, where we'll buy half a pig and break it down. We'll be able to make our own sausage," Brandon Rush said. "All of our sauces and rubs for smoked meats are made in house, as well as our hand-cut fries, which are mind-blowing."

Low, slow but elevated

The Rushes recently traveled to Colville in Eastern Washington to acquire an offset smoker, which uses hardwoods rather than pellets for traditional low, slow, overnight cooking. The method requires someone to constantly watch the fire and keep the flames burning evenly, Brandon Rush said, resulting in meltingly tender meat. The Rushes are also working with a company in Tennessee to get another specialized smoker, which should arrive in a few months.

Lil Pig Lil Pig will have 24 taps for craft beer and cider, plus cocktails made with 3 Howls Distillery gin, bourbon, rum and vodka as well as other regional spirits and wines. The restaurant will offer beer, wine and spirit tastings as well as a bottle shop so that diners who enjoy a particular libation will be able to buy it on the spot. Non-alcoholic options include kombucha, cold brew and mocktails.

"We wouldn't call ourselves a barbecue joint because we're doing things that are elevated," Brandon Rush said.

Rush said the restaurant will offer a monthly supper cub featuring four courses paired with Northwest spirits and wine - for example, Washington whiskeys. These will be ticketed events and not part of Lil Pig Lil Pig's regular menu, Marcy Rush said. These spirit dinners will also offer an opportunity for the chef to get creative with sides, such as Piggy Puddin', a bourbon bread pudding dotted with candied pork belly.

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