I recently made my first trip to Burgoo (3096 Main St.) and
left feeling the way everyone loves to feel after dining out for an evening: full
and still with a few spare bills in my wallet. 
This visit convinced me that, pound for pound, few restaurants can offer
up the same hearty portions, great prices and friendly atmosphere for which
Burgoo has become so well known.

But let me tell you…my experience is based on appetizers alone.  I’ve yet to sample an entrée, but if they’re
anything like my appetizers, I may need to skip them next time and go straight to
the main course.

Burgoo is at the former site of a laundromat and, more
recently, a Subway Restaurant.  Outside,
the patio is perfect for casual summer drinks and dining, with an attractive
wood and stone exterior and a neon sign.

Inside, the dark, rich, Tudor-trimmed interior evokes images
of working-class England
and Ireland, with
stonework and tile creating a more elegant balance that perfectly reflects the
upscale, flavourful pub food served at this budding establishment.

My visit here was brief, so I was only able to sample the
Burgoo Biscuits ($4.99) and BC Pacific Chowder. 
What I didn’t realize was how satisfied I could be from such a seemingly
innocent snack!

The biscuits were soft, moist and perfectly infused with
parsley and cheddar cheese.  For someone
who spent two years in the gravy-and-biscuits-rich southern United
States, I didn’t think I could find such a
worthy offering so far from my old home.

I did manage to save two of the four of my biscuits
for my BC Pacific Chowder ($8.00), which was a rich and flavourful portion with
satisfying chunks of smoked salmon and potatoes folded perfectly into a fishy-but-not-too-fishy
thick broth.  The staff was friendly and accommodating,
adding yet another highlight to the first-class experience.