There is perhaps in everyone, or at least every man, a prime-ordial connection to the fire and brimstone of combining meat and flame. The base desire to turn the thrill of the catch into the joy of communal mastication is a dance as old as human time itself.
It is this, almost visceral, call of the wild that carries on the scent from the amusing and memorably named Slap and Pickle Low and Slow BBQ.
Low and slow refers to the protracted grilling and smoking of meat, it certainly does not in any way speak to the quality of the output or the speed of the service. Neither low or slow service is delightfully and skillfully engineered by Chef Daithi’s other, some might say better, half, Chloe.
The menu is a veritable smorgasbord of barbecue perfection, and caters for those fully immersed in the art of the pit and the smoker to those who are new or just dabblers in the dark arts of cooked meat.
The venue on Shield Street is a virtual tribute postmodern curation. An eclectic mix of souvenirs, American tinged with Shamrock accents and all set around a big metal box that does all the fancy business of turning high quality butchering into edible masterpieces. The chef and co-owner Daithi Spalding, is a 100% import but not from Texas fire pit, on prairie plains, he is a forthright and good humoured Irishman, hailing from the less barbecue orientated Donegal.
Selecting from the menu is a minefield of FOMO and, on Chloe’s recommendation we plumped the mixed plate. Although this initially felt like the coward's way out, the shareplate for two was an exquisite demonstration of the cuisine on offer and the just reward of the courageous.
Featuring a slew of low n slow smoked meats and accompaniment - brisket, pulled pork, ribs & irish recipe pork sausage, chargrilled corn with chilli & lime butter, 2 slider rolls with butter, 2 brisket & bacon jalapeno poppers, sided with the excellent house slaw, and some sympathetic sauces. The only addition we made was some craft beer and extra Jalapeno Poppers which are arguably the best in town, or maybe joint best when sat next to those from Cavaleros on Draper.
The smoker, a large metal box replete with chimney and tricolour/Shamrock branding was in full swing throughout our sitting, tended frequently by chef Spalding moving juicy meat racks to and fro the rear kitchen. The overall effect of this centrepiece, beyond the enthralling theatre, was to fill the restaurant with the odour of smoke and roasting meat. This proved an irresistible draw, as passers-by visibly slowed their pace, many coming in following the olfactory nudge and cheerful din from within.
The Slap and Pickle Low and Slow Smokehouse is not fad or a trifle, it is a way of life and in restaurant terms a destination. One to be experienced by real men and real women, who want real flavour and a direct conduit back to an age of fire, meat and celebration. Perhaps not a recommendation for vegans, but everyone else should go.
