Opening just a few weeks ago on October 24th, after a little wait (due to building out their big space and the tragic explosion up the block), Greenwood’s FlintCreek Cattle Co. is from the same folks behind Fremont’s popular RockCreek. I recently ducked in to FlintCreek with my wife and a pal to check out the food and drinks, and here are three impressions.

The Drinks: There’s nine selections on the cocktail menu, including some classics, some fresh mixes, and some tweaks on the classics. The Montana Mule falls into the latter section: its vodka lime, and ginger beer standbys are herbaled up with the addition of Italian amaro, and it comes in a cute FlintCreek cup that’s reminiscent of what cowpokes used for coffee round the fire. The Nighthawk was another favorite, with Old Tom gin, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, a honey syrup and Saison-style beer combining into a tall flavorful refresher that will have you dreaming of summer (a good thing in the darker months). For those wanting something with a bit more kick, try the Riot Act, with its base of rye united into a lush sipper with sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, absinthe and orange bitters. There’s also a solid wine list of bottles and glasses, both local and international wines, and draft and bottled beer lists.

The Food: Even though the restaurant has a mission of serving responsibly-raised game and other meats, my carnivorous pal was surprised to see choices that spanned venison, wild boar, bison and more, a truly wide array. He went for the boar shoulder from the Mains, with garlic, sage, fennel, sugo and parmesan-potato gnocchi, and was overjoyed with his choice. You’ll find game in the Starters and Small Plates section of the menu, too. The Maui Nui Vension pâté, for example, received raves, both for the scrumptiousness of the meat but also for the accompanying tart-and-sweet English relish. It may sound surprising at a “Cattle Co.” but the non-meat selections are also done well. The Wild Mushroom Bolognese was sumptuous, with pine nuts, sage, roasted tomatoes, sofrito and parmesan served over nicely al dente homemade pappardelle. Save room for the Brulee’d Banana Split, too. The candied pecans and caramel sauce are worth it.

The Space: With room for 130, FlintCreek is an expansive room, but even with the 28-foot wood ceiling accented by massive iron I beams, it doesn’t feel cavernous; it’s broken up into a number of seating areas accented both by warm lighting and a friendly, bustling staff. In the main area there’s a long L-shaped marble-topped bar across from a row of bar rail-type seating (each “bar” with approximately 13 stools) and a number of wooden tables, plus remarkable large windows facing out onto Greenwood Avenue and 85th. There’s also a cozy spot just to the left of the door (saved for walk-in guests, much like the bar, which is a nice touch), and upstairs loft seating highlighted by big black and white photos of old-timey range scenes. The restaurant’s currently being packed with locals excited about FlintCreek’s opening; after stopping in, I can see why, and also think folks from other neighborhoods will soon be showing up, too.