Overview
Location: Shoreditch
Price per head: £45 – £60
Our opinion: Good value
Summary: A well located restaurant delivering good value barbecue dishes. Smoked and grilled meats, charred veggies, and an industrial decor make for a fun and tasty experience.
Restaurant Review
How have I not written about any Shoreditch restaurants yet? Today I am remedying this by talking about a barbecue joint called Smokestak.
Shoreditch has changed a lot over the years. Whilst some people still refer to it as a ‘hipster’ hub I think it outgrew that title a fair while ago. It has been fully gentrified. It is world famous and high up on the to do list for many tourists. When young people move to London it is often the place people want to live near, or go out in. Just ask the thousands of Aussies who have set up shop there.
It used to be the place that my friends and I would want to head to if we were having drinks or going for a night out. This isn’t as common anymore (and not just because we are getting old and nights out are rearer and rearer). I personally feel that Shoreditch has become a little plastic, with the drinks venues becoming fairly homogenous, and there just aren’t places that really pull me in. I love nice wine bars and traditional pubs, but Shoreditch doesn’t offer enough of either in my opinion.
One thing that Shoreditch does do very well however is restaurants. There are a great variety of places to choose from, across a number of cuisines, and catering to a range of budgets. From great value pasta at Padella, to the 2 Michelin starred Clove Club, and everything in between, Shoreditch has something for everyone. Louise and I have a number of places we adore in this area and you can expect a number of podcasts and blog posts covering some of our favourite spots to be heading your way over the coming months.
However, today we are here to talk about Smokestak, so I will get on with it.
This is a spot that I have been to a number of times now. It serves smokey barbecue dishes, predominantly meat, but some very nice vegetable dishes too.
Located 2 minutes from Shoreditch High Street Station, it is a spot that is easy to miss. With a dark facade, darkened windows, and large rusty doors, you could be forgiven for thinking it was an abandoned warehouse at first glance. However, open the (incredibly heavy) door and step inside and it all changes. Designed to feel industrial, with darkened woods, dim lighting, metal everywhere and smoke filling the room the scene is set as soon as you arrive. You can see large pieces of meat being grilled over coals in the open kitchen. There is a good amount of seating, both along the bar and on tables. There is an upstairs and a downstairs, with the former having more of an atmosphere and fitting the aesthetic better, but the latter is a little quieter, so take your pick.
I have always managed to get a booking at this spot relatively easily. As I write this post on a Tuesday evening I can see they still have availability for tonight. All this being said, whenever I have been it has felt reasonably busy and has had a good atmosphere.
I really like the food here. The meat is always cooked really nicely, and there are a good number of dishes on the menu so I have always been able to try something different. I haven’t been disappointed yet. They also have some really nicely done vegetable dishes and tasty sides too. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend this place to a vegetarian. The food is pretty good value too considering the flavour and quantity, so for me this is a really great option if you are looking to eat in Shoreditch (particularly if you have left booking quite late).
Let’s have a look at some of the dishes I have enjoyed.
The Food
Crispy ox cheek, anchovy mayo
The crispiness comes from the fact that these are essentially ox cheek croquettes. The slow cooked flavoursome meat is breaded, somehow cube shaped, and deep fried until there is a wonderfully golden and crunchy exterior. The salty anchovy mayo is a nice addition and the dish works well together.
Wood roasted bone marrow, sourdough, parsley + shallot
Something I only get when not with Louise as she isn’t a fan of eating fats or marrow like this. It is a real treat for me because I love the stuff. This is a really well executed roast bone marrow too. Incredibly deep flavoured marrow is spread across well toasted bread, and it is all just very good. The marrow is soft and melts in the mouth. The bread is rustic. The salad is sharp and cuts through it all nicely. It’s a bit messy, but it’s meant to be. A* from Tom.
Rotisserie ‘souvla’ flatbread
A slice of homemade flatbread that has been toasted on the grill, delivering a meaty & oily base is topped with a tzatziki of sorts, grilled pork, tomatoes and spring onions. This is really great. The pork tastes like greek souvlaki (hence the name), but a really good one. The bread is tasty and soft and the vegetables and sauce bring lighter elements to the dish and help cut through some of the grease. It’s not a huge portion and I could easily have ordered more.
Charred pork belly rib, pickled cucumber
One of the larger dishes on the menu, this is a decently sized slab of pork belly that has been glazed in a sticky BBQ style sauce. The meat is soft on the inside with some nicely charred and caramelised bits on the edges. Pork belly is one of my favourite cuts of meat generally and I really enjoy this dish here. The homemade pickled cucumbers are nice, although personally I would like them to be a little less sweet and a little more sharp, but that is a matter of taste. This is a good dish for the pork lovers out there.
Beef brisket, mustard barbecue
2 slices of brisket served with a sharp and tangy mustard based bbq sauce. I have had this brisket a couple of times here. The first time I thought it was outstanding whereas the last time I thought it was just ok. I am not sure whether we got a less flavoursome piece of meat for whatever reason, but based on all the other dishes at this spot I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. It is clearly a very nicely cooked brisket that has good smokeyness and a delicious layer of fat along the top.
Pickled red cabbage + mint slaw
Fresh, zingy and minty, and importantly not meat! This is a tasty side that works great to break up the onslaught of meat that you are likely to get at this restaurant.
Charred greens, tahini, pomegranate, roasted peanuts
I love greens that are cooked over an open flame. It gives them a lovely deep flavour and really brings out all the elements of the vegetable. This dish is no exception with nicely charred kale topped with a creamy tahini dressing, some sweetness delivered by the pomegranate and some essential crunch and saltiness coming in the form of peanuts. This isn’t just a vegetable dish because you think you should order something green, this is something you should order because it will be delicious.
Coal roasted aubergine, red miso, feta, toasted cashew
A standout dish for me. This aubergine is cooked over coals to deliver a deep smokey flavour. The aubergine flesh is lovely and soft and complemented well by the salty feta and the umami flavour of the miso. Some herbs on the top provide an element of sharpness and the cashews again deliver some crunch. This is a great dish for the veggies out there, but as an avid meat eater I always want to order it too.
Conclusion
Smokestak delivers really nicely cooked meaty dishes in a restaurant that has a great atmosphere. The portion sizes are reasonable and the menu has a good amount of options, and overall the value feels good. As somewhere that is so well located and so easy to book, I think it is a great place to consider when looking to eat out in Shoreditch. I would not suggest this be high on the list if you are not a meat eater however!
