Smoque N Bones

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Smoque N Bones

The Big Smoke has been set aflame with the opening of a new barbeque joint, Smoke N Bones. ChefAlex Rad and his kitchen staff meticulously prepare southern comfort food for hungry customers. I had the chance to sample a few of his culinary creations and was most impressed. 

To create the flavours of authentic barbeque, Chef Rad uses a Southern Pride smoker to infuse meat with hickory smoke. The aroma of the meat, smoked for well over 12 hours, is wildly intoxicating. Once I took my first bite of the succulent pork ribs, I was hooked. While the meat does not effortlessly fall of the bones, there is a lot to be said for its distinctive taste. Tender, juicy, and bursting with flavour, the hickory smoke completely penetrates the ribs, and the result is absolutely delicious. It is unnecessary to slather the accompanied barbeque sauce onto the meat, as the flavour is bold and perfect on its own. 

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Byblos

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Byblos

Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji are royal mavens in the hospitality industry. They have the Midas touch when it comes to the restaurant business, with the likes of Patria and Weslodge as their hip and happening hot spots on King West. Their newest venture, Byblos opened this month with great fanfare. Byblos' menu is the brainchild of executive chef, Stuart Cameron of both Patria and Weslodge fame. He has created unique Eastern Mediterranean infused fare and is mainly concerned with providing fresh ingredients and fine dining with flair. 

His Georgian inspired dish, the cheese acharuli with quail egg, brioche and za’atar is reminiscent of Turkish pide. The brioche base cradles brined feta and halloumi cheeses accompanied with spicy harissa. The dish does not possess a distinctive flavour, as all of the cheeses meld together and the textures are lost due to the small portion. Nevertheless, the little nibble was very delicious. 

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