Little Piggy's
Thornhill, ON L3T 5W2
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There are many Korean BBQ options across Bloor West, but few are located east of Bathurst, a move that Little Piggyโs owner Joeun Kim says was strategic.
โWe didnโt want to be in Koreatown. We wanted a more mainstream area,โ she explains.
Of course, itโs only a few blocks east, but the name Little Piggyโs might still ring a bell to the K-BBQ connoisseur. The sister restaurant to Piggyโs in Markham, a 5-year old staple thatโs oft featured on the best of lists (especially for their naeng myeon โbuckwheat noodlesโ), has made its way to the Annex and brought the same brand of traditional Korean food for a โyounger generationโ.
Kim moved to Toronto nine years ago from Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, a district in southern Seoul. Her mother operated Korean restaurants back home and she wanted to bring the traditional flavours and dining customs of her country to Toronto.
โBe sure to realize that a Korean dinner is a group affair. It's likely that you won't find the server willing to give a dinner menu when you come in alone,โ a fact that took some getting used to when I moved to South Korea back in 2010. โEven though we're busy and eat on the run, you'll find that Korean dining means for two or more people. And I do think it's still preferable for many reasons to eat a meal together.โ
Soju is also one of those beverages thatโs best enjoyed with company, especially since thereโs serious superstition surrounding pouring yourself a shot. Thereโs comes straight by the bottle, of course, or mixed in one of their super sweet signature refreshments โ blue lemon soju or grapefruit soju ($7.95/glass, $19.95/bottle).
When it comes to dining solo, Little Piggyโs has a few options, like bibimbap ($9.95) (spelled โbibimbobโ on their menu), the classic mixed rice dish served in a hot stone bowl, various soups and stews like the iconic gamja tang โpork bone soupโ ($8.95) and duejeon jjigae โsoybean paste stewโ ($7.95). For their unique UFO rice ($12.95), your choice of fried rice comes with various proteins and veggies served on a sizzling pan, surrounded by steamed egg.
Geared towards the neighbourhood students, they also have a takeout window serving โbob-to-goโ ($7 tax in) rice bowls and affordable lunch specials ($7.95-$9.95) on weekdays.
For groups of two or more you can indulge in their remarkable induction grill system used for their table cooking. Various cuts of beef or pork ($17.95-$22.95 per order) are on offer, and require a minimum of two servings purchased per order, as is standard back in the ROK (Republic of Korea). They come with a cute lunchroom style metal tray with raw garlic, housemade samjang (soybean paste) and wasabi marinated onions, lettuce wraps, as well as a plentiful array of banchan (side dishes). If youโd like rice or a soup on the side, toss an extra toonie onto the bill.
Table cooking combos will mix several types of proteins and cuts, and are priced per couple. The mix BBQ combo ($41.95 for two) includes pork belly, garlic pork and korean style beef. Hungry diners will likely want to add a side order of tteok bokki โspicy rice cakesโ ($7.95) which can be pimped out with proteins like chicken, fishcakes and seafood, various types of noodles, or cheese for an added $2.95.
Soft serve ice cream, or more soju are always available for dessert at Little Piggyโs.