Get Your Picnic On

I walked in to Beaker & Flask the other night and who should be sitting at the bar but Jacob Grier, main dude behind the bar at Metrovino.

"Are you here for the picnic?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Um, just meeting some friends," I replied vacuously, not having the slightest idea what he was talking about.

Well, turns out what Mr. Grier was referring to was the fact that this outstanding bar, also known since its inception as home to some stand-out crazy good grub, is featuring a Picnic Feast on Tuesday nights this summer. What that means is that they'll be roasting some whole animal, either a goat, pig or lamb, out in the parking lot during the day, then whacking it up and serving it for dinner that night.

Twenty bucks gets you a heaping helping of juicy, makes-you-weak-in-the-knees animal flesh, plus a choice of 2 of three sides. And for an extra fiver you can get a glass of one of two featured wines. On the night I was there the pig was the animal of choice, and a fine specimen it was, big hunks of piggy goodness with a covering of scattered cracklings. Of the sides offered that night, a half cob of grilled corn with roasted poblano aioli, a deviled egg salad with bacon and saltines or three summer squash fritters with an herb dipping sauce, I chose the corn and fritters knowing one of my companions had ordered the egg salad.

If this sounds like it might just be the ticket for you, the picnic starts up again on June 28th. And you won't be as clueless (but just as lucky) as I was when I wandered in.

Details: Picnic Feast on Tuesday nights starting June 28. Beaker & Flask, 727 SE Washington St. 503-235-8180.