I've been travelling and a wonderful thing about the web is that you can post from anywhere. The downside is that if you're posting, you're not doing something else. Considering it was my first visit to Paris and I was running around I am asking for a pass... I'll get to the wonderful places with pictures but there is a more pressing summer issue. B-B-Q.
Smoque has been getting lots of attention for a long time as being some great BBQ. Given my obsessive relationship with brisket I was a little embarassed to admit that I've never had smoked brisket.
I've been planning on smoking a brisket for the family but chicken out at the last minute when they pull out the "That's not how you make a traditional brisket" and are you sure it will work... that's a $100 kosher brisket. These comments are usually in the guise of "But we love your brisket, why change it?"
Of course my response should be... a) where do you think traditions come from and b) of course it will work. But I always relent and mess around with the standard boring but fabulous brisket recipe.
Needless to say I stopped in at Smoque early enough for them to still have meat to sell. I think that they sell out every day is funny as hell. Franchise THAT. I tried the applewood-smoked pulled pork and the oak-smoked (very Chicago bungalow) brisket. The meat was soft and smoky- what else. The pork was juicy and both soft and crispy. The sauce was good but wholly unnecessary and the soda machine was accessible for refills. It's on Pulaski and Irving and parking is pretty good.
On their website is the best kid's menu ever:
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They also have this Manifesto about BBQ and anyone who writes even 4 pages on BBQ is 4 paces closer to Nirvana in my book.
All I can say is that this summer I will be smoking briskets and sitting around outside drinking Pimm's #1 Cup. Can you smell it?
This is step one of my 3 or hopefully 4 step BBQ immersion that continues this weekend at Fat Willy's and then moves to Austin/Lockhart/San Antonio to see how the other half eats.
Smoque
3800 N. Pulaski
Map It!
Yeah, it's good stuff.
Posted by: J | May 18, 2007 at 12:15 PM
Is Smoque good BBQ? yes. Is it worthy of all the hype that surrounds it? not so much. Smoke Daddy on Division offers much better BBQ without having to worry about whether they'll have meat leftover. Better location+better atmosphere+better meat=better BBQ
Posted by: Bradley | May 28, 2007 at 06:39 PM
Was at Smoque this weekend for the debut of their new Texas made hot links. They were amazing. Lean and spicy. They are made in Taylor Texas, home of the Mikeska Barbecue Family and got to meet one of them at Smoque last Saturday. Nice man, great sausage
Posted by: Mary | May 21, 2008 at 01:02 AM