Chez Piggy Restaurant & Bar (Kingston, ON)

On my last full day in Canada, the family made a three-hour trek each way to Kingston, Ontario, for my brother's graduation.  For our celebratory dinner, Lil Bro picked Chez Piggy, a distinctive restaurant he's heard a lot of but never had a chance to try.

I'm not quite sure how to classify Chez Piggy.  The menu prices are on the high side, and while the restaurant is beautiful, it is rather rustic and the servers dress in casual plaids as though they work at Cracker Barrel.  This is not so much a complaint as just an observation that the prices don't quite match the feel.  Having read mixed reviewed online prior to our visit, I also wasn't quite sure what to expect for the food.  Turns out, the food was exactly like the reviews - mixed.  Readers of my blog know I tend not to write about negative experiences as that's not what this blog is about, and I decided that, despite the few notable "misses" (including the sangria we shared and my Indian Curry Sole, which was a special that evening), the "hits" were actually really quite good, so I'm going to focus my post here on the positive aspects of Chez Piggy.

Dad and Lil Bro both went with the Table d'Hote, the nightly three-course special which on this day came with a Duck Liver Pate as an appetizer, Lamb Shoulder as the entree, and a choice of any dessert on the menu.  It was quite a good deal.  I would have gone for this option if they had offered something other than lamb for the entree (not being a fan of lamb myself).
 

Duck Liver Pate

Being a family that likes to eat family-style, I pretty much got to try a bit of everything.  I had several bites of the Duck Liver Pate and it was absolutely delicious!  Then I even tried some of the lamb.  It was very tender, which was good, and the only qualm I have about it is my own dislike for lamb itself, so it's more of a personal preference issue than anything else.  I do think they did a great job with the lamb.

Lamb Shoulder

I also had some of Lil Sis' Memphis Pork Back Ribs with Elvis Sauce.  I still don't know what "Elvis Sauce" was, but it was pretty good.  The ribs were well-spiced and tasty as well.

Memphis Pork Back Ribs with Elvis Sauce

After our entrees, I stole a few bites of Dad's dessert: Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.  It was fabulous.

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

And last but not least, the highlight of my meal:  My Lemon Coconut Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote, which was a special.  This cheesecake had a fluffy texture and a delicious blend of coconut sweetness and lemony-rhubarb tartness.  It's making me hungry just thinking about it.  Chez Piggy scores an A+ on this dessert!

Lemon Coconut Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote

 
Overall, it is a bit unfortunate that Chez Piggy's food is on the inconsistent side so you never know what you're going to get, but when they do a good job, they do a real good job.


Restaurant info:
Chez Piggy Restaurant & Bar
68R Princess St, Kingston, ON
(613)549-7673
On the web: http://www.chezpiggy.com