On Saturday 4 July, London's Smokestak will throw open its doors and welcome guests back to the Shoreditch restaurant following a period of closure as a result of the pandemic.
Following on from the success of Smokestak’s Saturday barbecue takeaway, chef and founder David Carter will be reopening the restaurant with a simple, stripped-back menu that focuses on meat that has been gently wood-smoked overnight, sold by the 100g, and then sliced and diced to order.
Carter said, “We’re looking forward to re-opening our doors on the 4th and we’re excited to go strictly old-school barbecue with the menu - no grill, no stove, no oven.
'This will be a trial of what life will be like post-COVID, and a gentle reintroduction to opening our restaurant. We hope to adapt and evolve as we settle in and are taking a step by step approach to ease ourselves and our team into it gently and safely.”
As summertime gets into full swing, diners can kick things off with frozen margaritas and blue corn tortillas with a choice of smoked cod’s roe, seabass ceviche, charred corn salsa or smoked ox cheek.
For the main event, meat has been carefully sourced from long-standing suppliers Philip Warren Butchers and Swaledale and guests can take their pick from a choice of chilli and fennel sausage, native breed pulled pork, dry-rubbed pork belly, point-end beef brisket, all sold by the 100g, and a 30-day dry aged beef rib.
Fans of Smokestak’s cult favourite buns can order theirs stuffed with native breed pulled pork with ginger slaw; dry-rubbed pork belly with pickled cucumber and point-end beef brisket with pickled chilli.
On the side, there are barbecue classics such as burnt end beans or skin-on chips with aioli, or fresh salads with an emphasis on seasonal produce and herbs, such as fennel and mint salad, citrus dressing; bull heart tomato, shallot, tarragon; and a crunchy ginger and green chilli slaw.
To finish with something sweet, waffle cones come topped with a choice of one, two or three scoops of gelato or sorbet: there’s pistachio, salted caramel, or almond and cherry gelato, and lemon, mango, or raspberry sorbet, as well as David’s signature sticky toffee pudding with clotted ice cream.
Walk-in guests can grab a table on the terrace to dine alfresco, while the capacity of the dining room has been reduced by 30% to allow for one metre social distancing in line with government guidelines. Those on the go will be able to order the full menu to take away and enjoy at home or in the park.
Smokestak at Home will continue with London wide delivery launching on Friday 3 July, followed by nationwide delivery on Friday 31 July. Barbecue aficionados can order the signature smoked meats by the pound and bun kits directly to their front door delivered via overnight courier.
All meat will be gently smoked over kiln-dried English oak for up to 15 hours in David’s Ole Hickory wood-fired smoker imported from the barbecue heartland of Cape Girardeau, Missouri before being chilled and vacuum-packed for dispatch nationwide in a thermally insulated and recyclable box. Reheat and assembly instructions are included in each box which can then be enjoyed at leisure.
Smokestak will respect all social distancing and government health and safety guidelines to protect visitors and staff.
