Hello fellow foodie lovers! At the time of this post being written it is cold and here in Toronto we are nearing winter season. I already miss summer (and spring), and am in need of some sun, heat, and BBQ food. This restaurant review features one of my favourite BBQ spots that I discovered this past summer; Smoque N’ Bones.
The Smoque N’ Bones restaurant that I visited is located at 869 Queen St West, Toronto. As you can clearly see from my pictures, the food served is GOOD! As you can see in the first image, I’m sharing with you a set of the most flavourful, juicy, 1/2 rack of ribs I’ve had in a long time. These ribs were fall off the bone goodness that were seeped with flavour. They also came with a side of BBQ sauce to coat your ribs with too but in all honesty that extra sauce isn’t needed. These ribs were smokey, sweet, and packed with flavour with hints of garlic, onion, paprika and other classic Southern BBQ flavours.
As I was enjoying my ribs, I was also nibbling on some perfectly done cornbread. This cornbread doesn’t look like much but it’s packed with the best flavour and texture. It came to our table warm with a side of creamy brown butter that provided the perfect balance of sweet and salty to the cornbread. As I bit into this bread, it was so soft with gentle granules of cornbread dispensing in my mouth. It was not too sweet and did not lack flavour at all! If I could have eaten more then one of these (like 3) I would have…but I didn’t because of that whole healthy lifestyle thing that I’m living 😉
I’ll admit, the beef brisket wasn’t my favourite out of everything I tried. It was sadly underwhelming in my opinion. Yes it looked great but from my experience it wasn’t as full of flavour like the other meats that I had consumed, and it was a bit tough to chew. As you can see it came with a side of sauce which honestly didn’t make the meat any better. Personally, when I revisit this restaurant I will not be ordering the beef brisket again.
I like chicken, a lot. I especially like this chicken. It was the perfect BBQ chicken in my opinion. It had the perfect amount of charred bits, tangy, and sweet BBQ sauce and juicy tender, fall off the bone chicken to bite into. It was perfect. This chicken also came with a side of BBQ sauce but honestly it wasn’t necessary; it was good on its own without the extra sauce.
I love a good mac and cheese. I’ll be honest, I’m not used to mac and cheese made with white sauce. However, in this instance I am! The macaroni was perfectly cooked; not too soft or hard. The sauce was creamy and smooth; not overly salted, with a hint of fresh black pepper adding some spice. This macaroni was topped with what looks to be fresh bread crumbs that added some crunch and texture. I would have eaten a lot more of this rich macaroni if I could!
Lastly, I had the brussel sprouts. I know you are probably reading this and are thinking “what’s so special about brussel sprouts?” Normally I’d say nothing, but in this case – everything! These brussel sprouts are cooked in caramelized onions. They have a sweet and smokey maple flavour that I couldn’t get enough of. If you are not a fan of vegetables you must try these; they will change your mind.
Let me know in the comment section below what restaurant do you currently have your eye on?
xo,
Eseeri
