Smoke offers more than barbecue, tacos to savor
The scent of burning wood — of sweet maple and cherry balanced with bold oak — wafts through Smoke Barbeque Taqueria, adding to the ambience of this Lawrenceville eatery that specializes in house-smoked meats on homemade tortillas, and in barbecue.
Owner chef Jeff Petruso and his partner, Nelda Carranco, moved to their present location from Homestead last year because they wanted a larger space. They have expanded their hours to include lunch three days a week, Sunday brunch, and a late-night sandwich and taco menu.
The couple spent nine months gutting what had been a discount store, doing much of the work themselves and hiring local artisans to create a rustic-but-chic interior of exposed brick and repurposed wood. Pine flooring salvaged from an old distillery was transformed into thick slab-like tabletops, and a 1950s garage door creates an open-air feeling in the bar. An inveterate collector with a background in interior design, Carranco has filled the restaurant with “finds” she has purchased at curio shops.
The wood-fired Oyler pit smoker is the heart of the restaurant since most of what is served is prepared there, including Burnt Ends, the twice-smoked, Australian wagyu beef brisket on the sandwich, barbecue and starter menus. Other starters include smoked St. Louis-style ribs, black-bean smoked-onion dip with house-made toasted brioche and smoked poblanos (mild chile peppers) served with flour chips.
Tacos are made with fresh flour tortillas, and include brisket with sauteed onions, hot peppers and mustard barbecue sauce; Berkshire pork with caramelized onions and apricot-habanero barbecue sauce; and Gerber chicken apple-bacon and cheese with jalapeno mayo.
Barbecue plates include ribs, pulled pork, brisket, or chicken with choice of sides, such as potato salad with leeks and bacon; smoked cornbread with grilled cheese; black beans with serranos (chile peppers); and mac and cheese made with aged white cheddar and queso Chihuahua.
Sandwiches range from the chorizo black bean burger to the veg, which is meatless and served with smoked corn.
“The concept for Smoke came from our own love of barbecue and tacos,” says Carranco, a Texas native who met Petruso in Colorado, where he owned a restaurant.
The couple also curates the bar based on their own tastes by augmenting classic cocktails with original creations and offering a select array of wines and craft beers. Petruso, a Meadville native, is a former assistant brew master at Church Brew Works.
Everything at Smoke is house-made, including ketchup, pickles, hot sauces, barbecue sauces, tortillas and even the sours and cola used in drinks.
“We grind our own sausage and cure our own bacon,” says Petruso, whose desserts include homemade ice cream, old-fashioned blueberry glazed donuts, individual fruit pies or whatever else he feels inspired to bake on any given day.
“If you're going to have a kitchen,” he says, “everything should be made from scratch.”
Deborah Weisberg is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
Broccolini & Corn
One of the most popular sides on the Smoke menu is based on a dish Petruso's mother prepares at Thanksgiving. Broccolini — a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale — has thinner, more tender stalks and smaller florets than broccoli and a milder, sweeter taste.
Proportions aren't crucial. A little more broccolini or a little more corn based on preference is fine. Makes about 4 servings.
2 heads broccolini
2 cups corn (4-6 ears depending on size)
2 cups cheese sauce
1 cup shredded white cheddar
1⁄2 cup corn dust (ground or crushed corn chips)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Smoke the broccolini and corn for about 15 minutes. As an alternative, they can be grilled or blanched instead. Remove the corn from the cob and cut the broccolini into 1 inch chunks, discarding the lower 1⁄4 of each stalk.
Heat the broccolini and corn in a saute pan over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add 1⁄2 of the cheese sauce and continue heating for 2-3 minutes. Place mixture into oven-safe serving vessel, top with remaining cheese sauce, shredded cheese, and corn dust. (This can be made as individual servings or as one larger dish. The preparation is the same either way.) Place in 400 degree oven or under a broiler until lightly browned. Remove and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
Cheese Sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄3 cup flour
4 ounces unsalted butter
10 ounces cheddar
4 ounces mascarpone
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Warm the heavy cream over low heat. Make a roux by mixing flour and butter, whisking constantly over medium heat until smooth (for 3-4 minutes). Add the warmed cream and whisk until smooth. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue whisking the mixture until a boil is achieved. Turn off heat. Add cheddar and mascarpone and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
