We love it when street food finds a good home, and Smokestak seems to be settling in very nicely in Shoreditch, just moments from Boxpark.
You’ll smell it before you see it. That glorious smoky fog that clings to your clothes – which you only find in a proper BBQ joint – hits us before we take in the purposefully dilapidated windows and seats spilling out on to the street. Inside, tables are solid wood with a view of the boisterous kitchen. If you haven’t booked there’s also a cocktail bar downstairs where you can hang out whilst you wait for a vacant seat.
Whilst some BBQ restaurants leave us with the meat sweats, Smokestak’s menu is a lot more refined than that. Aside from the must-order meat cuts, there’s plenty of superb veggie dishes that shouldn’t be overlooked.
We started with a few small plates to share but you don’t need one each, they are pretty hefty portions. Padron peppers served tempura style are a good little snack to get you started. We tried to balance out all the meat so started with thinly sliced raw sea bream, cured in grapefruit and jalapeno. The salt baked beetroot with goats cheese and tons of hazelnuts was delish, and decadent, even if we couldn’t quite finish it. If you haven’t tried one before, make room for a cute little brisket bun – it’s what these guys are famed for and they won’t disappoint.
For the real deal centre your main around the Beef Brisket, served with a splodge of mustard barbecue sauce. It’s GORGEOUS! We also shared the mackerel, served head on with grapes and tangy lime salsa and the coal roasted aubergine, served all squidgy with miso and toasted cashews.
We really loved the side salads too – a much needed addition to cut through the meat. Go for the charred greens with tahini or the grilled baby gem with walnut gremolata & bacon.
You probably won’t need dessert after that but we find it hard to turn down a sticky toffee pudding – this one’s served with clotted (ice) cream.
