Smokehouse

 

63-69 Canonbury Rd

London

N1 2DG

Smokehouse has replaced an Islington pub called The House, and I am grateful – for some reason I never really liked The House and found their food overpriced for the quality. Smokehouse, on the other hand, is certainly not cheap, but at least a lot of effort goes into the food and they’re serving dishes I would never dream of making at home. Plus the beer selection is broad and varied, which makes it easy to convince A to visit. We started with the chopped brisket roll & gochujang – shredded brisket meat is shaped into a cylinder and then breaded and deep fried and served alongside a kicky Korean-inspired dipping sauce. I could have happily eaten an entire one on my own but A and I are getting better at sharing. He had the peppered ox-cheek with cauliflower cheese & gravy, while I was so overwhelmed by choices I opted for three sides for my dinner - Smokehouse salad, which consisted of a garden’s worth of vegetables smoked and grilled to impart some extra flavour, the lamb stovies which was quite a hearty dish of lamb stewed with potatoes, and the Korean pulled pork, which is exactly as fall-apart-tender as it needs to be. I think we had a dessert too – the krun chee nut – but I’d skip it next time as I think their strengths are really in the savouries.