Assembling a dream team
What happens when a card carrying barbecue judge from the Kansas City Barbecue Society (America’s number one panel of BBQ judges drawn from across the country), opens a restaurant and hires a chef who trained in the best culinary program in the country? Find out at Smoke Bar BQ, an unassuming restaurant serving up some of the best dry-rubbed and smoked meats within 100 miles since opening in January 2014.
The exterior of the barbecue joint recalls a simple mom-and-pop spot, but any trepidation will melt like butter when you walk inside, Smoke offers a flashy rock and roll atmosphere, supported by accommodating and super-friendly staff.
Chef Chris Kohlenberg, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, runs the back of the house and Smoke’s key kitchen apparatus: a giant red smoker.
“When I saw it, I got goosebumps,” said Chef Kohlenberg, grinning. “I think I started sweating butter.”
“Hold onto your (pork) butts”
Owner, John Brown, will tell you that the secret to good barbecue is time. The pork butts are dry-rubbed and then smoked for 18 hours on top of a special blend of hardwoods, to permeate the meat with true BBQ flavor.
A prime example of Smoke’s recipe for success is the smoked prime rib sandwich. The prime rib is slow cooked until soft and tender, cooled overnight, sliced, and then dipped into a luxurious au jus before being stuffed into a sandwich to be devoured by swooning guests.
That’s just one item on the menu, folks. We haven’t even gotten to the ribs, chicken, pulled pork or burgers, all of which receive a similarly committed treatment. The menu also offers creative, fun appetizers ranging from deviled eggs to bites of fried creamed corn, a crispy snack that falls somewhere between a sweet hushpuppy and savory fried cornbread.
No laughing platter
When I dined at Smoke, I opted for a barbecue platter, piled high with ribs, pulled pork, and pork loin, and served with sides of cornbread and baked macaroni and cheese.
The ribs were my favorite. Just like good ribs should be, Smoke’s ribs don’t slide off the bone, but instead protest with a little bit of tension and bite. The texture of competition grade ribs should be like wrestling with your kid brother: there will be a little bit of resistance, but you never doubt who will win.
Smoke offers three sauces with their BBQ: a traditional vinegary sweet sauce, a fiery hot BBQ sauce (with just enough kick to perk you up), and a tangy and wild mustard sauce, which is a fantastic complement to the dry rub seasonings.
Backstage pass
And if the food isn’t enough to get you in the door, Smoke also hosts a special club touting their Bourbon Trail selections. Besides a fully stocked bar and six taps of seasonal brews, Smoke offers a wide range of artisanal bourbons. If you sample each of the bourbons on the menu (not all at once, please), you will be awarded entrance into the Bourbon Trail club. Bourbon Trail blazers are granted access to monthly members-only dinners and events, as well as a t-shirt and an embossed whiskey flask. Most recently, club members enjoyed a NY strip steak dinner with full trimmings and, of course, a bourbon on the rocks to wash it down.
After my mouth-watering meal, Brown came out to shake my hand. With a warm smile, the barbecue master said, “Tell ‘em if the lights are on, we’re making barbecue.”
4pm-midnight Monday-Saturday
Smoke Bar BQ, 2556 Tremainsville Rd.
419-214-0404
