Meat, Good Smokehouse (Edmonton 30 in 30)

As mentioned previously, Edmonton has exploded in its food scene over the last 9 months since I have been gone. Likely due in part to the economic prosperity the province has been enjoying for the past few years, Alberta has become a hotspot for immigration and growth. With new people and new money comes new mouths to feed and like clockwork we see a growth in the culinary scene as well. What sets it apart is that it seems the majority of new restaurants offer quality unique food and are not simply chains setting up shop. One of those new restaurants in town is Meat, a take on the southern smokehouse.

Meat is located just off lively Whyte Avenue on 104th street. I am it is the sister restaurant of The Next Act and share the same owner (and building too). Jumping up to the tops of Urbanspoon's Talk of the Town, the word is certainly out on Meat's popularity. I love showing up at a restaurant and seeing a full and lively crowd, creating a unified voice of delight and excitement as they devour the smoked goodness in front of them.

The menu is simple. Taking inspiration from authentic Southern Smokehouses, they feature a selection of smoked meat and poultry and a few sides. The idea is that you order how much of each meat item and a few side dishes to share amongst the group. For those dining alone or wanting a smaller meal, they offer sandwiches featuring the smoked meats as well. On top of the small menu they offer a daily special and a large laundry list of alcoholic beverages. Curiously missing from the menu is any take on cornbread, a traditionally southern starch used with any almost meal.

Settling down on the table, you cannot help but notice the four bottles of BBQ sauce: Bourbon, Cherry, Mustard and and Spicy. We tried each sauce with every protein we ordered and found the Cherry sauce our favourite, a nice combination of tartness and sweetness with a hint of smoky flavour, it elevated every item we ordered.

Although you order each time separately, everything comes in a large platter. I like the simplicity of the presentation and am reminded of an upscale delicatessen. Furthermore the initial shock of having the platter plopped down in front of you induces a sense of excitement and anticipation of the food.

There were three of us dining there so we went for a trifecta of meats. The first was the Apple Glazed Smoked Chicken, a half serving of tender moist chicken with a sweet apple glaze. My first bite of the thigh meat was incredible with the delicate sweet, smokey and salty flavours dancing in my mouth along with the moist chicken. Unfortunately the other pieces, namely the breast, were simply average and devoid of any said smokiness. Although cooked well, it is clear that white meat chicken is not an adequate vehicle to carry the smokiness and the glaze.

Beef Brisket and Andouille Sausage made up the rest of our meats. The brisket was wonderfully tender with a nice crust but a little too dry for my liking. Furthermore it lacked any inherent flavours and felt like a vehicle for the BBQ sauces. The Andouille Sausage was much better with the strong inherent spiciness of the sausage mixing well with the bold BBQ sauces and hint of smokiness.

Mac & Cheese, the first side of the day, was excellent. Tender elbow pasta with a strong cheese sauce collide in this dish. I loved the extra touches in this dish, with a slight hint of pepper and the freshness of the scallion giving sharp contrast to the smooth creamy cheese and pasta.

The Garlic Fries were aptly named for their strong garlic-y aroma. Aside from that though, the fries were simply average thick cut deep fried fries and while I commend Meat for infusing a nice garlic aroma, there was no obvious garlic flavour in the fries. Furthermore the greasiness of the fries was readily apparent and I thought the dish lacked a aioli to cut through that fattiness.

The Brussels Sprouts were my recommendation to add some vegetables to our prominently carb heavy meal. The serving of sliced sprouts were nicely fried and had a nice balance of bitterness from the brussels, sweetness and pepperiness.

The best dish of the night went to the Baked Beans. The beans (you have the option of meat or vegetarian) were infused with large chunks of beef and had the perfect amount of smokiness. The fattiness of the beans and meat were interjected by a hint of sweetness in the sauce that all collided to form a nice umami flavour.

I cannot help but be underwhelmed by Meat. Perhaps my expectations were set too high by the litany of high reviews, but the smoked protein options here were simply average and seemed more like vehicles for the BBQ sauces rather than the stars themselves. Which is a shame really, because there are lots to like about the sides and the sauces, but a restaurant calling themselves as Meat needs to deliver on its namesake, and it sadly did not.