What’s on the menu at Smoke Signals Bar-B-Q, a new smokehouse that serves Frito Pie
Name: Smoke Signals BBQ
Neighbourhood: Little Portugal
Contact: 1242 Dundas St. W., 416-588-7408, smokesignalsbarbecue.ca
Owners: Diego Bergia and Nick Chen-Yin
Chef: Nick Chen-Yin
The food
More on Toronto's Barbecue
While working as a designer for Vice, Chen-Yin picked up a niche hobby: building oil drum smokers. Back in 2007, his only kitchen experience was working at A&W and Golden Griddle, but his dad’s stories about growing up in Jamaica kindled a latent barbecue obsession. The menu has no allegiance to any particular style of barbecue. After travelling through the south, and staging at Austin’s Stiles Switch, Chen-Yin chose his regional favourites: Carolina pulled pork, Tennessee pork ribs, Texas brisket. Although the meats are traditional, Chen-Yin’s a bit more playful with the sides. The burnt end–studded baked beans and his mac and cheese might be by the book, but a few others—like the coleslaw flavoured with pineapple, fish sauce and mint—have Southeast Asian twists.
The drinks
Lighter beers to cut through all of the salt and fat (Coors Banquet, Woodhouse, Lost Craft), a short list of bourbons and a few wines. There’s a single four-ounce cocktail on the menu: The 13th Floor Elevator is made with smoked black tea, yuzu, peach schnapps, vodka and lemon ($23).
The space
The split-level space seats 50 at communal tables. Chen-Yin’s hoping it’ll become a hot Tinder date spot, though we’re not sure how first-date friendly caveman-sized beef ribs are.
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
