Review: Smokey Joe's BBQ

On a chilly weekday evening, some smokey, saucy, pulled pork, beef brisket, and spicy wings sounded like just the ticket. What started out as a routine restaurant escapade at Smokey Joe's BBQ, turned into a fabulous scoop session. 

I'd heard rumblings of a few changes taking place at this neighborhood watering hole and casual rib joint. After 18 years, I presumed owner Joseph Gencarelli, "Smokey Joe," was merely giving the place a face-lift; but upon entering, it was clear that the place received a total body makeover.

The rickety furnishings have been replaced with fabulous woodwork and red leather banquette seating; a new bar top and seats, new tile and wood flooring and a fresh lick of paint complete the downstairs revamp. Upstairs, the decor boasts a tasteful nautical theme.

Here's the scoop: Smokey Joe and longtime restaurateur Jimmy Love, best known for his popular Jimmy Seaside Restaurant and Bar down the road, have teamed up to create a dual destination of sorts, set to open next week.

"The Boat House will be upstairs," said son Frank Gencarelli, "And downstairs will remain as Smokey Joe's, with the self ordering/open kitchen we're known for."

The concept is simple and smart: the Boathouse upstairs is a full service, upscale-casual seafood, burger and BBQ restaurant and bar; while downstairs is all about the more informal, kid-friendly dining experience. No worries, the staff remains the same, most of whom have been with the Gencarellis since the place opened back in 1999.

The new Boat House menu had not been unveiled yet, which was fine by us carnivorous folks seeking BBQ ecstasy. Plus, we instantly had a reason to come back—and soon! We perused the menus on the wall downstairs and scanned all the great side dishes displayed in the steam table of the open kitchen Line cooks were busy pulling huge chunks of smoked pork butt from the bone. The air was filled with the intoxicating sweet, smokey aroma. I could take no more!

We head to the upstairs bar to begin the madness known as BBQ.  There's an art to eating BBQ, and that is to not overindulge in appetizers and cornbread; because when it comes to the "pork thing," eyes are always bigger than stomachs.

That said, we just had to sample their award winning Ma's White Chili, and we were glad we did. Likened to that of a potpie filling, large chunks of white meat chicken and turkey were enveloped in a peppery white sauce filled with garlic, peppers, onions and celery. It was hearty, flavorful, and a unique dish that I will no doubt be craving in the future.

Gumbo Soup was next on our "must try" list. A deep dark floury rue of peppers, onions, celery, and lots of Cajun spices seasoned small shrimp (too small), andouille sausage, chicken and white rice in a light broth. The dish is indeed soupy, a contrast to a more robust and thicker southern style gumbo, but nevertheless, quite good. Cornbread was served alongside, and was a real winner. Too often cornbread on a restaurant menu is far too sweet and dense. Here, it is almost cake like, not too sweet, and evoking a toasted corn flavor.  Now that's what I'm talking about!

As for the BBQ, combo platters are the way to go here, all of which come with a choice of two side dishes.

We started with the Beef Brisket. Portions are ample, and dishes come sans garnish—just meat on a plate. Thick slices of fall-apart brisket were tender with a light touch of smoke. The smoking process has a tendency to somewhat dry out the meat, so a little BBQ sauce was in order (house sauce comes mild, sweet, and hot).  Next time I will order the brisket in a sandwich with sautéed peppers and onions and Swiss cheese to liven up this wonderful beef.

The Garlic H-Bomb was a tasty surprise. Basically, it's a pork roast stuffed with lots of garlic, spices, and chopped jalapenos, and then smoked and served thinly sliced. It's quite potent. I enjoyed eating it with the side of tender, salty collard greens and the more mellow mashed red bliss potatoes mixed with an "unknown" (their secret) combination of perhaps sour cream, heavy cream, cream cheese, and butter, then topped with cheddar cheese and scallions. We called it the "lactose bomb," and it was soooooo good.

Round two had us at hello with three baby back Ribs (you can order the platters with as many types as meats as you wish) and a mound of Pulled Pork. I prefer my ribs with just the dry rub, and the rub here was peppery, not sweet, and I could really taste the paprika. Scott doused his with the spicy BBQ sauce, which boasted a sweet tomato base with a hint of heat. Both meats were fall-off-the-bone tender. The smoke component in all of the meats was not overwhelming. For me it was just enough; Scott would have preferred a little more.

We had to have beans with our pork. The red pinto Ranch Beans were flavorful, and though they seemed to be in a long simmered thickened broth, the beans kept their firm texture.

A finely diced Southern Style Slaw was a cool and refreshing side dish with a vinegar base as opposed to the standard creamy concoction. It cuts the richness of the pork nicely.

Pleased with our BBQ experience, and looking forward to all the great things happening at the new Boat House and Smokey Joe's, we shall return. The place seems to have fallen below the media radar, but with the re-introduction and new concept, Darien may see a new hot spot on the border.