Smoque N' Bones
Toronto, ON M6J 1G4
Restaurant Categories
The life of a pitmaster can be a complicated one. The lengthy list of concerns can include any or all of the following: marinades, brines, injections, rubs, wood, fire, sauces, smoke and of course, meat. Just about everything involved is time-consuming. But Alex Rad, owner and chef of the newly opened SmoQue N Bones, is keeping things simple.
โI like simplicity,โ he says. โYou shouldnโt complicate food too much.โ
His beef brisket, for example ($14.90 per half pound), is rubbed with a classic spice mix (paprika, cayenne, brown sugar and other herbs) and then smoked for around 12 hours. No brines, no injections. Same with the pork side ribs ($16.90 per half rack): theyโre rubbed and smoked for four hours. Most items are served with the sauce on the side, rather than slathered on during the cooking process.
Like many successful pitmasters (including Barqueโs David Neinstein), Rad is self-taught, and he does his smoking on a top-of-the-line Southern Pride machine. His wood of choice is hickory, but heโll also use pecan, maple, cherry and oak. He uses a mishmash of southern U.S. barbecue styles.
โI donโt have to follow rules with barbecue,โ he says. โEveryone has their own way of doing things.โ
His 29-seat restaurant opened earlier this month after a โnightmareโ four-month renovation, during which time the interior was mostly gutted (previously, the space was home to Ginoโs Pizza). Now, Smoque N' Bones is decked out in requisite reclaimed wood, exposed brick and filament bulbs.
Currently, the menu is anchored by ribs, brisket and pulled pork ($12.90 per half pound), but a SmoQue N Bones burger will be added to the menu next week.