SAY MERCY! || A Perfect Marriage Between Italian Classics and American Barbeque
Bread is my first love and pasta comes in at a close second.
Fortunately for me, delicious renditions of both can be found at Say Mercy! on Fraser Street. I could see why Bailey introduced the Parker Rolls as the item that ‘everybody raves about’ because now I can’t stop raving about them.
Say Mercy!’s team is also known for its other hidden gem in Vancouver, The Mackenzie Room, which is tucked away just east of Gastown. I have also repeatedly told everyone who would listen how in love I was with the innovative and rich flavours of the menu at The Mackenzie Room, so I couldn’t wait to experience Say Mercy! when the opportunity presented itself.
Chef Sean Reeves envisions Say Mercy! as a neighborhood spot where people can bring a date, their kids, parents, and grandparents and still feel at home. “We want to see the same faces and see them often!”
THE CONCEPT & EXPERIENCE
Usually, we talk about the interior design of the restaurant, but Service Director Bailey Hayward shared a refreshing view of hospitality and how the restaurant sees the dining experience.
“We talk a lot about hospitality. We think hospitality begins the moment a guest conceives of coming to the restaurant. So how do we extend the road from our building all the way to wherever you are, across space and time? For many of us, hospitality is the thing that brought us into this industry — the opportunity to help someone be seen and heard; to be in service to and help curate an experience; to share the information and the stories that excite us.
We have a heavy focus on creating ‘guests for life’ -- we want guests to feel like they’ve been coming here all their life.”
This vision for providing customer service may be why the interiors from the tables to the forest green booths showcase a lived-in vibe. The geometric wall pattern, though captivating and bold, is still presented in a welcoming, earthy colour palette. Pops of greenery, cabinets made of polished wood, much like a furnishing piece one would see at their parent’s or grandparent’s home, and simple hanging lighting fixtures all come together to make the restaurant feel like a neighborhood hangout.
It would be the restaurant I run to on a rainy day because from the outside looking in, one will see the delicious plates being shared amongst friends and family, and know that beyond the glass door entry a welcoming smile and cozy booth awaits (and of course warm Parker Rolls!)
Every detail about the restaurant depicts a lived-in and inviting vibe
“Say Mercy! is an unexpected love story between two cuisines whose characteristics are so distinct and unique, that it’s easy to miss that they are united by very common core values.”
THE FOOD
Say Mercy! features an innovative menu, pairing Italian and American Barbeque flavors together. The menu is designed by finding commonalities between Italian and Southern cuisines — while also considering what’s fresh and in season from local farms.
The team describes Italian food as a cuisine of contrasts — and they are most intrigued by the distinctions between the North and the South.
“In the North, the vast plains give way to a rich array of livestock bringing forth such world-renowned items as Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano. The influence from nearby French and German borders provides the North, respectively, with a distinct richness and fine-tuned preservation techniques."
In the South, we find a culinary landscape greatly influenced by its access to the mountains and the water, which gives way to fresh seafood, tomatoes, and dried pasta from their wheat fields. The cuisine is informed greatly by their relationship to The Moors through items like nuts, fruits, and spices.”
Church Tea (BC Negroni) - Ampersand Gin, Woods Aged Amaro, Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth
Broken Vespa — Stealth Corn Vodka, Beaufort Vermouth, Orange Bitters
American Barbeque, on the other hand, features simple flavours that develop character through low and slow cooking.
“American BBQ and Southern food have honest integrity to it borne out of necessity. Simple flavours develop deep character through low and slow cooking, humble and true. The American South showcases the bounty of its region and focuses on seasonality, preservation, and rediscovery, while being supported by West African grains, seeds, spices, and legumes, and benefiting from the Creole influence of classic French culinary techniques.”
When asked why they decided to select these seemingly unrelated and different regions to combine their flavours onto one menu, the team shares that the food in these two regions “is a tradition unto itself, and has deep familial roots, whether simple or elaborate, with a purpose — to bring everyone around the table, together.”
Veal & Tuna
Parker House Rolls
Some of the signature dishes we would recommend would include the Veal & Tuna, an item that has been on the menu since day one. The veal is lightly smoked and spice-crusted with a tuna-anchovy dressing, salsa verde, caper berries, pecorino fresco, and celery. I have always loved the unique flavours presented by Chef Sean Reeves, and with your first bite, you will see why this has been a key menu item.
Also, as I mentioned, there is no way one could forget about the Parker House Rolls. Chef had graciously prepared a portion for me to try during my visit, and the warm, fluffy, buttery rolls are addictive like candy. Topped with sprinkled maldon salt, the texture is like cotton candy and melts in your mouth.
A brand-new item on the menu is the Dorado Crudo, featuring a smoked carrot vinaigrette, serrano oil, treviso (from Zaklan Heritage Farm), daikon, granny smith apple, and tarragon. The fish is firm and tender, and the ingredients together present a refreshing medley of taste to kickstart one’s appetite. The hint of sourness from the granny smith apples does the trick.
Dorado Crudo
BBQ Bolognese - sweet & smoky perfection
Now, onto the highlight of my visit. I love pasta, and the texture of this BBQ Bolognese is phenomenal. The bucatini noodles are hearty and perfectly cooked with a generous serving of BBQ Bolognese sauce. Using smoked pork butt, pancetta, grana padano, Chef expertly blends American Barbeque flavors with a classic Italian dish. The aroma of the dish making its way to your table will already make your mouth water.
For those who prefer their ravioli, the Corn Succotash Ravioli serves up bountiful Italian flavors with porcini mushroom ravioli, potato farce, corn, parmesan foam, and finished with roasted chanterelle mushrooms — a foraging treasure of the Pacific Northwest.
Corn Succotash Ravioli
Now, if you have room in your stomach after the rolls, appetizers, and pasta, we highly recommend you order the Banana Pudding Cannoli. This classic Italian dessert is a must to complete your meal, with sugar dusted over the fried pastry and chocolate sprinkles on either end and creamy banana pudding inside, how could you leave without having at least one?
Banana Pudding Cannoli
A dinner spread no one can say no to
Say Mercy!’s cozy interiors that remind us of a friend’s home and a delicious menu serving an adventurous pairing of Italian and American Barbeque flavors are a must-try, and we dare say that once you have visited once, you will return again and again to satisfy your comfort food cravings. If you live in the neighborhood, we are sure you will find yourself at Say Mercy! enjoying a hearty pasta more than a few times this winter season.
For those who would love to try the delicious dishes we shared in this story but from the comfort of your own home, you are able to order delivery on UberEats. Although at this point I may sound like a broken record, make sure to order the Parker House Rolls so you can try them at home!
