It’s not everyday that Madisonians are able to feast on such fine delicacies as foie gras and porchetta, unless, of course, you are as enamored with A Pig in a Fur Coat as I am. This delectable gastropub (a high-end beer and pub joint) has emerged as a true fixture on Willy Street and dishes out rather impressive meals. The restaurant follows the growing trend toward smaller portions emphasizing shared plates and communal dining. This change in strategy is becoming increasingly evident amongst restaurant enthusiasts lately, as culinary institutions begin to place emphasis on quality over quantity. Truly, one dining experience at this place and your pre-standing notion of “quality” will be elevated to new heights.

With a menu that rotates based on seasonality, you’ll want to experience everything on the menu before the featured dishes disappear. To accomplish such a feat, I’d advise gathering up a group of hungry souls and heading to this delicious spot. In this way, you can dabble into a wide span of their dishes and not miss out on any gems. That said, when narrowing down options be sure to order a medley of dishes that feature a healthy array of ingredients. You’ll be amazed by the flavor pairings the chef contrives. It is fascinating to note the simplicity of each dish and how just a few ingredients result in a plate that will set your taste buds in a frenzy of infatuation.

If there is one item that you must experience at this lovely restaurant, it is surely the poutine. Luckily, poutine has been sprouting up on menus left and right these days, making it quite easy to get your cheese, gravy and french fry fix. However, it’s the poutine at A Pig in a Fur Coat that is certainly notches above the rest. The already rich dish is supplemented with a nice helping of fatty foie gras, which compliments the cheese-gravy medley perfectly. Each ingredient is bold on its own, but they surprisingly are not overwhelming when combined in this dish. Equally represented and equally flavorful, the fries, cheese curds, sauce and foie gras makes for a cohesive, memorable plate of deliciousness. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better plate of poutine elsewhere.

Another item that is worth great mention is the rabbit rillettes, a meat-based spread, with pistachio and pickled cherries. When visualizing the rillette, imagine slices of toasted bread smeared with an intensely flavored butter of sorts. The savory quality of the butter is complimented by the tart sweetness of the cherries, followed up by a saltiness from the pistachio. Bugs Bunny, you are indeed delicious.

Also worth noting is the Octopus, the Porchetta and the Guinea Fowl. The Octopus is exquisitely grilled creating lovely char marks and eliciting a smoky taste. The dish is then served with mussels, clams, swiss chard, crazy water (cooking broth) and leeks, all of which add a lightness to the powerful grilled flavor on the exterior of the octopus. The porchetta and guinea fowl are both served as slightly larger entrée portions. The meats alone are quality, and the other components of the dish are beautifully combined. The Porchetta is supplemented with potato, Anaheim pepper, ‘nduja (spreadable pork sausage) and almond. While the Guinea Fowl comes with chorizo, fregola (type of pasta from Sardinia), summer squash, bacon, leeks and feta.

Their menu may rotate frequently, but the restaurant has shown its expertise in pairing wonderful flavors together so each future dish is sure to be fantastic. And despite the concept of small plates, the intensity of the various flavors will leave you more than satisfied. While you’d expect dramatically downscaled amounts of food for each menu item, you’ll find that such dishes do provide a hearty serving in terms of flavor. And that is the beauty of A Pig in a Fur Coat.