If anyone suggested going for a barbecue last night, I would have thought they were mad, but in this case I would have missed out on a real treat. Believe me, we have really beaten the weather – this barbecue is indoors.

Smoke Barbecue, found on Merrion Way, offers an exciting choice of various meats appealing to a variety of tastes and preferences. Go through some large glass doors and you will be met by a large contemporary space, which cleverly marries elements of the outdoor with soft lighting and trendy background music. The warmth of the surroundings was easily matched by the warmth of the welcome – friendly staff were helpful without being overbearing and the service was fast and efficient.

Forget the half cremated, half raw sausages your dad proudly serves in the back garden on the occasional summer’s evening. The food here offers an ambitious choice; pork, chicken, beef, ribs – as well as those sausages if you really must! After being sat at a contemporary metal table with a picnic style wooden bench, we were immediately brought a glass filled to the brim with barbecue flavored popcorn. This was a very nice touch and gave us an opportunity to get into the barbecue spirit whilst choosing our main courses.

I chose the Bacon Mac and cheese burger, which comes with a large portion of twice-cooked chips. The succulent meat combined with the creamy macaroni is a real indulgence and definitely does not disappoint; the burger was of very good quality and cooked to perfection. My companion opted for the baby back ribs with a side of crisp onion rings. The meat again was beautifully cooked, and the barbecue glaze was delicious without being too sickly. The food was well presented on silver trays, allowing an extremely good portion size and complementing the restaurant’s casual, no fuss attitude that recommends a ‘put the fork down … it’s time to get dirty’ approach. A range of traditional desserts were offered, ranging from homemade chocolate cake to cheesecake. My friend and I shared a banoffee pie, which came in a small metal ramekin and was decorated with melted chocolate and a dusting of sugar. While the portion was on the small side, this was undoubtedly a good thing, considering the large main courses. The small dessert allows you to treat yourself to something sweet, avoiding being over-whelming.

Whilst the main course portions were substantial, perhaps the pricing is a little high – £11 for a burger might break the budget for many students. Perhaps they might consider a student discount with a NUS Card, or a special offer during the week? Nevertheless, this might well be the place to go for that no holes barred blowout.

And so, a new kid on the barbecue block has opened up, and you will not be disappointed.

 

Hannah Lawrence

 

Image courtesy of www.frontlinepresentstheblog.com.