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Over the speakers, the newly uncoupled Chris Martin sings a song about how we never change. But inside Piglet (17730 Pilkington Road, Lake Oswego, 635-7427, pineshedribs.com), everything is quite different. First announced as an adjunct bar for Pine Shed Ribs, Piglet is better described as the new face of the Lake Oswego slab slinger.
Rather than asking diners to order in a waiting room and eat at outdoor picnic tables or in a booze-free and character-deficient dining room, Piglet allows everyone to order inside, where the Shed pairs its smoked meat with beer from five taps and a small selection of West Coast wine. The Portland Monthly's superlative czar recently downgraded it from "the best barbecue in PDX" to "some of the best BBQ in the metro area." But the Shed's full sampler ($17) is better than it was when we reviewed the 'cue this time last year, with smokier brisket, extra-tender pulled pork and the still-excellent pork ribs.
The 10-stool bar, though, is the real game-changer, offering patrons the chance to order inside and grab a drink while they wait for pie plates piled high with meat to round the corner from the little shed that's now the kitchen and storage closet. There's espresso during breakfast hours, a huge lineup of desserts (the s'more tart with homemade marshmallow on a glacier of ganache is recommended) and five Oregon beers, each of which is a pale ale of some stripe. Pine Shed could use a little more variety on those taps, but that's nitpicking on what's otherwise a very happy union.
WWeek 2015