368902 Thu Feb 08 04:49:40 -0800 2007 66 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 2271591 Hey I noticed this store front on Yonge, just north of Sheppard on the west side. I stopped to take a look and it's not open. Looks like they're renovating. Anyone know anything about this place?? DT Thu Feb 08 04:49:40 -0800 2007 11291 Davwud 1 2271784 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/366380?query=memphis%20purple%20pig Thu Feb 08 06:42:51 -0800 2007 2271591 14906 Food Tourist 1 2316469 The Memphis BBG in Woodbridge kicks serious ass:) Awesome place. As for the people trying to 'imitate' your style of restaurant...thats the business. Take it as a sign of respect...you are the best and they want to copy you! Lets just see what they can do themselves...you never know! So don't get gripey...just keep doing your thing. Wed Feb 21 20:10:04 -0800 2007 2271591 19505 The Macallan 18 2 2317185 Macallan, how variable is the Memphis BBQ in Woodbridge? I have only been once a few years ago and never returned. The food was just.not.good and Woodbridge is too far to just go by on a whim. by not good I mean: dry tasteless ribs, sugary sauce, scary coleslaw. I'd love to know what you love about it. Thu Feb 22 06:12:22 -0800 2007 2316469 45908 orangewasabi 1 2331011 I just had Memphis BBQ over the weekend and i really enjoyed. I'm a big time BBQ guy and it was the most authentic southern style BBQ i have had in TO. I ordered the Elvis platter which was very reasonable (RIbs, wings, pulled pork, fries, a slice of cornbread, coleslaw and beans). I have yet to try Phil's or HOP. I have already tried Dipomas (BLAH), Baton Rouge (Decent) and Purple Pig (not worth what they charge). Mon Feb 26 13:09:07 -0800 2007 2271591 77991 demeen25 2 2332316 what were prices like? out of all the things you sampled what was the best?? Mon Feb 26 18:54:37 -0800 2007 2331011 26815 hungryabbey 2 2333015 Are you referring to Memphis Style BBQ on Yonge or Memphis BBQ in Woodbridge? I just want to know if the Style BBQ is open yet. Tue Feb 27 04:35:54 -0800 2007 2331011 19816 Lazar 1 2333151 I'm talking about the one in Woodbridge. Don't know if Memphis Style is open yet... I think the platter that i ordered was $17. The best of the Elvis platter was definitely the Ribs and the Pulled porked. Very tender, good flavour and not dry at all. You could really tell that they smoked it. The beans were good, along with the wings and the cornbread (not to sweet). Slaw was alright. Tue Feb 27 06:04:20 -0800 2007 2271591 77991 demeen25 2 2333212 hm that sounds like a really good price, I wonder how the prices at the new Memphis Style will be.. Tue Feb 27 06:31:22 -0800 2007 2333151 26815 hungryabbey 1 2417090 Looks like these guys are ready to roll. I walked by yesterday and the front of house is completely done, and the staff were rolling up cutleries. So who wants to be the guinea pig here? :-) Sat Mar 24 10:13:06 -0700 2007 2271591 29169 climacus 1 2447603 The place is now open. It looks great, all shining and new. It's a real restaurant with a Memphis blues "theme" and looks like it would be a nice and cozy place for drinks after work. They have an impressive single malt selection for a small bar, though not one decent bourbon. Just like in Memphis? Blue Light on tap. Unfortunately, my intitial experience with the food is not encouraging. Right off the bat, I could not detect one iota of smoke when I walked in. Perhaps the have the best ventilation money can buy? Even if they do, and even if everything is smoked out back and then reheated in the kitchen, I should still be smelling smoke. A well smoked piece of meat will permeate it's surroundings with ease. I order the brisket sandwich to go. No complaints about the price, it was a good amount of food for $10. It comes with (from the freezer) thick cut fries that are actually not bad and the standard lackluster, watery coleslaw. The bun is a hamburger egg bun that does not stand up to the meat and quickly becomes a soggy, squishy mess. I toss it. Worse, the meat has not been smoked. While moist, it appears to be almost steamed. My guess is they used the standard cheat of wrapping the brisket in tin foil for most of the cooking time. It renders what looks like quality beef dull and flavourless. Also, the sandwich comes without any BBQ sauce. Now, I can live without sauce if the brisket has been cooked properly, but in this case I am forced to make an emergency BBQ sauce with packs of ketchup and liberal squirts of Suree Brand Sriracha sauce. This helps a little. Still, I'm very disappointed. You can't take shortcuts with BBQ. A long cooking time and the right amount of smoke are essential. To be fair, I just ordered one item and they have just opened. I will be going for a sit down lunch tomorrow and will be trying the ribs. Hopefully, this is just an off day and they'll be getting it right. Toronto has so few BBQ places (especially ones reachable be subway) that I'm really rooting for these guys. Tue Apr 03 15:47:01 -0700 2007 2271591 49045 Pantz 2 2447770 Just a couple of points to touch on. First, I've been told that it's illegal in Ontario to cook food outside for consumption inside. That from a restaurantuer. Secondly, while I agree you should smell smoke inside, the pit will take a good while to start churning out great bbq. I've been going to Dreamland in Huntsville, Al. It's been amazing to see how much better the ribs have been getting over the years. Thirdly, I'm glad to see a place that's selling food that isn't drowned in bbq sauce. It's alarming that they don't offer any as a condiment. DT Tue Apr 03 16:39:46 -0700 2007 2447603 11291 Davwud 3 2455073 Thanks for the feedback, Davwud. I agree that consistency over the years will define a BBQ joint. And that the application of BBQ sauce should be up to the individual, but it should be an option. I put it down to just-opened-jitters. I'm curious about your comment on cooking food outside for consumption inside being illegal in Ontario. I know Phil's has a large smoker in the backyard of the restaurant. Is there some kind of exception made for certain types of establishments? Is this something that would be regulated by the Ministry of Health, or do municipality's bylaws also come into play? Anyway, I'm glad to report my second experience with Memphis Style Smoke House is encouraging. Still not much of a smoke smell, but there's a faint scent of hickory in the air when we enter. There are four of us, so we order the BB King platter. For about $55 you get 1 whole rack of ribs, pulled pork, brisket, a whole chicken, buns, 2 ramekins of beans and 2 ramekins of BBQ sauce. For the ribs, we have the Memphis Dry Rub Style. We also order a half rack of the sauced version for comparison. On the table is a squeeze bottle of BBQ sauce, which they say they make on site using other condiments i.e. ketchup, vinegar, etc.. Nothing wrong with this; the sauce is nicely balanced, not thick or gloopy, with the emphasis slightly towards vinegar rather than sugar. They also offer other versions with your meal. We ask for their hottest sauce with the wet ribs, but I think there is a mix up. What we get is pretty much the same as the BBQ sauce with our platter, which is like the table sauce with a bit more molasses in it. I prefer the table sauce to this version. Now the platter - The Ribs are quite good. The Dry style are the best of the platter offerings, with nice, pink meat and a crispy exterior. They can be pulled apart instead of cut, but it's obvious they have been cooked with dry heat for several hours. No parboiling! Most of the fat has been rendered, so they are succulent but not too fatty. Best of all, they have a nice, slightly understated smokey flavour. They only lose points for the rub, which seems a bit dull. While they don't need any help, a few drops of the table BBQ sauce is a nice contrast against the richness of the meat. The wet style of the Ribs seems to be the dry version finished with some sauce. Not really improved by any grill caramelization as far as I can tell, so would probably not bother with them again. The Pulled Pork is really dry. We had asked for BBQ sauce on the side, so I'm not sure if they would normally sauce the pork before serving. Without the sauce, you can taste a faint smoke flavour and the rub. Seems like they may have shaked some rub over the pork before serving? Adding the Table Sauce improves the moisture factor of the pork and adds nice contrast. However, it overwhelms any smoke flavour. Would like to see the meat moist and with more smoke, but it's still pretty good. The brisket is much improved from the sandwich experience I had the day before. I can now taste smoke, though faintly. The beef is also a little dry. And no real exterior skin or "bark" to talk of. I would like to see something other than hickory as the smoke for the brisket. I know some have issues with mesquite, but I believe brisket is the one meat that can take that smoke on and not be overwhelmed. The chicken is the other big highlight of the meal. Moist, falling off the bone (both white and dark meat) and with the smoke levle as nicely balanced as the ribs. The skin, while not crisp (hard to do with the low or indirect heat) is nicely rendered of it's fat. The beans are just ok. They lack the richness that would come from longer cooking and including some pork or beef bits. All in all, a very promising meal. I would return any time for the dry ribs and chicken. The brisket and pulled pork need more work. Right now, it seems they are getting it right with the items that can cook in several hours, but need to fine tune the items that take 8 to 10 hours or more. I would like them to be a little more aggressive with the smoke, but appreciate that they are being subtle with the amount, as opposed to overwhelming the food. Thu Apr 05 15:53:48 -0700 2007 2447770 49045 Pantz 4 2455460 Great review Pantz! Appreciate the detail - it's very helpful. Think I'll give it a try for the ribs:) Thu Apr 05 18:13:49 -0700 2007 2455073 47066 FresserGuy 4 2459531 I gave them a try last week and had the same experience. The texture of the chicken is correct (soft, moist, falls off the bone), but there is ZERO smoke flavour in the meat. The fries and buns are really underwhelming. It's not Phil's, but there is nothing like it in that neighbourhood either. They'll probably do decent business. Can't say I'm dying to go back until they find some smoke flavour. Sat Apr 07 14:38:31 -0700 2007 2455073 29169 climacus 5 2476044 Camp 31 is still undefeated in this town... sounds like Memphis BBQ are poseurs at best... Thu Apr 12 17:28:49 -0700 2007 2459531 30620 TexSquared 6 2477154 Problem is, Camp 31 is nowhere near this town :-( Fri Apr 13 06:47:47 -0700 2007 2476044 23411 embee 1 2473895 Also tried it and it's just OK. Not worth a detour. The dry rub on the ribs is way too bland. Needs kicking up a few notches. The pulled pork wasn't too dry (as mentioned above) - but it's definitely on the greasy side. The BBQ sauce is very acidic/vinegary - approaching a Carolina style rather than Memphis. But my overall impression was grease rather than smoke. Exemplified by a grease stain on the side of the plate that hadn't been cleaned off before presentation. So yet another disappointment. Maybe we'll eventually get a BBQ place in toronto that's worthy of the name. My best fix (although not smoky) is still the dry-rub ribs at Universal Grill! With sweet potato fries, of course. Thu Apr 12 08:46:01 -0700 2007 2271591 11134 estufarian 1 3739410 I was about to write a new post for this. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, my wife and I had to spend a night in North York. We were looking for a place to eat and spotted the Memphis Smokehouse on Yonge just north of Sheppard (on the west side near the Pizzaville). We weren't dressed for Chez Laurent and just wanted to get some food that wasn't the ordinary, so we decided to check this place out. Honestly, it was a little suspect at first. I had some serious doubts based on appearances. But there were lots of people taking doggie bags out of the restaurant proving that the portions were big and the food was good enough to take home. We ordered a combo of pulled pork and brisket. The brisket was pretty good, not as tender as I would've liked but the pulled pork was amazing (great sauce). The sides were beans (best ever) cornbread (great and I don't really like cornbread), green salad (the best everyday Asian dressing I've had) and cole slaw (most likely out of a package or at least it tasted that way). We realized we should've ordered the ribs so we got a plate of rib ends. They proved that the ribs were the way to go. As I was sitting there, post meal, picking my teeth, an older black man came out of the kitchen. Definitely a contrast to the Asian staff that took care of the diners. He came right over and introduced himself to me (southern accent and all) as Sam Moye from Memphis, TN. He gave me a nutshell of his life story and how he ended up running a kitchen in North York. His brother Robert is a popular BBQ chef in the states. A couple from Toronto visited his restaurant in Memphis and wanted to open one here. He saw our empty plate of rib ends and declared them junk saying that the ribs were the best thing on the menu and so was his smoked chicken. We're definitely making the trip from the east end back up to the Memphis Smokehouse again. I would strongly recommend it Sun Jun 01 12:22:42 -0700 2008 2271591 191951 air621 2 3740043 Nice review, air621. Makes me want to head up there soon. Oh wait...I'm going to Tennessee in a couple of weeks...maybe I'll wait. ; ) Sun Jun 01 18:07:44 -0700 2008 3739410 11490 Yongeman 2 3740061 How much were the entrees and apps approx? Sun Jun 01 18:16:12 -0700 2008 3739410 26815 hungryabbey 3 3740101 I think our combo (which was ordered off the menu) was 20.99, This would be too much food for one person. Then the rib ends were 8.99 for 4 racks. The pitcher of Stella was 17 or so. I'm not sure how much the extra ramekin of beans were (they were worth whatever we paid) With a generous tip and tax the total bill was $70. Sun Jun 01 18:30:28 -0700 2008 3740061 191951 air621 4 3740708 thats pretty good, thanks! Mon Jun 02 03:32:31 -0700 2008 3740101 26815 hungryabbey 1 3740129 Just want to add that I think the place in woodbridge is terrible The pulled pork is almost inedible, the ribs are alright although quite fatty... Overall I much prefer Sweet Smoke in Oakville, their pulled pork sandwich is the best I've ever had in Ontario by far Sun Jun 01 18:42:38 -0700 2008 2271591 115105 duckdown 2 3740391 Obviously not run by the same guy as in North York Sun Jun 01 20:36:16 -0700 2008 3740129 191951 air621 3 3740493 Definitely not -- your review sounds great I think I'll head over there tomorrow Does anyone have an exact address or intersection by any chance? I'm not familiar with the area Thanks Sun Jun 01 21:26:43 -0700 2008 3740391 115105 duckdown 4 3740867 4916 Yonge St. North York, ON M2N 5N5 It's on Yonge, just north of Sheppard on the west side. DT Mon Jun 02 06:00:16 -0700 2008 3740493 11291 Davwud 2 3740798 I second Sweet Smoke in Oakville -- the pulled pork is fantastic! I tried the crabcake sandwhich the last time I was there - it was ok. I prefer the pork Beans as a side were also very good - had excellent snap to them and there were real hunks of pork/bacon in them Mon Jun 02 05:15:31 -0700 2008 3740129 174497 mac n cheeze 1 3740492 Was at the Woodbridge restaurant and was not impressed at all. Had the ribs which where dry and lacking smoke flavour nor could I see a smoke ring. The pulled pork was better than the ribs, but not as good as the pulled pork at Lickin’ Chicken on Airport Rd. I was told by a friend that the chicken wings are very good at the Woodbridge location; I have not gone back so I never had the wings. Never knew that there was a bbq in Oakville, I’ll check out Sweet Smoke very soon, thanks duckdown. Sun Jun 01 21:26:07 -0700 2008 2271591 193247 Pastryrocks 2 3881802 Lykn Chicken has pretty good smoked chicken (can be inconsistent) but I didn't realize their pulled pork was slow smoked bbq. I'll order the pulled pork next time to check it out. http://www.lyknchicken.com/menu.html Fri Jul 18 15:17:52 -0700 2008 3740492 14906 Food Tourist 1 3765483 So I *finally* got around to stopping in for a beer here tonight. Had to take somewhat of a detour on my way home but honestly, I enjoyed it. Now admittedly I only stayed for 2 quick pints and ordered their special of the day (A pulled pork dinner) but needless to say it was very good. I did not find it greasy, nor dry or anything like that as someone above me had said. it was leaps and bounds better than Memphis BBQ in Woodbridge, not even in the same league. The BBQ sauce the pork was coated with had a fruity background to it, as Sweet Smoke's sauce is slightly "orange-y" I think I detected lemon in this one. As I finished my 2nd pint and was about to pay my bill an older African-American gentleman introduced himself as the main chef of the restaurant, he had lived in southern USA for his whole life and was brought out here to play the role of "executive chef" by the Korean owners of the restaurant. I told him I really enjoyed my meal and would definitely be back for the ribs.. He told me don';t forget the chicken either, so my next visit I'll be buying the smoked chicken & ribs combo Overall, a nice meal and I would definitely return. I've had FAR worse in Ontario (cough, phils or memphis woodbridge) Mon Jun 09 20:11:25 -0700 2008 2271591 115105 duckdown 2 3768548 That was Sam Moye. He was really nice when I met him. And he talked up his chicken to me as well Tue Jun 10 18:15:31 -0700 2008 3765483 191951 air621 1 3773351 I'm not sure it we're stillt alking about the place in Woodbridge or the one on Yonge north of Sheppard anymore but I'd like to offer my $.02. I've had both and the one in Woodbridge is far superior to the the Sheppard/Yonge St. Location. I took out from Sheppard/Yonge on Monday and it was absolutely awful. Tasteless, fatty, side ribs with limp undercooked fries and a miniscule amount of beans. At least in Woodbridge you have a variety of options for wings and much better ribs. Thu Jun 12 06:33:10 -0700 2008 2271591 21599 airsey 2 3774113 I can't believe anybody would think the Memphis BBQ in Woodbridge is superior. I've eaten there many times and am consistently disappointed.. Teenagers working the grills, ribs that have a boring dry rub and are grilled before serving until they are no longer tender but charred instead, and a pulled pork sandwich that tastes like rubber. Their wings are good but they try to cut corners by giving you their deep-fried wings rather than the smoked ones (unless you specifically ask for them) I have to say from everything I could see from the location, to the bar (woodbridge doesnt even serve beer.. no beer with my ribs?), to the quality of the food, the one on Yonge st. blows it away (in my opinion) of course differing opinions is what keeps things interesting though so I enjoy reading others reviews Guess we'll agree to disagree :) Cheers Thu Jun 12 10:06:44 -0700 2008 3773351 115105 duckdown 3 3879920 My sister, BIL and I finally went to Memphis Smokehouse yesterday evening and the general consensus is that the ribs are "very good." Not great, but "very good." From the BIL, the rib master, that is high praise indeed! LOL We began with the Pulled Pork Nachos, a definite hit with us. Just the perfect portion size for three people. Cheese, jalapeno, black olives, tomato, lettuce, onion, pulled pork, with BBQ sauce, sour cream, and salsa on the side. You could also choose pulled chicken or pulled brisket for the nachos. My sister ordered the Rib & Brisket combo, my BIL ordered the Rib & Pulled Pork Combo, and I stuck with the Rib Platter (Heavyweight, meaning 6-7 ribs). You have your choice of fries, salad (including garden or ceasar), or rice. You can also choose wet or dry ribs. Each meal came with a small triange of cornbread, a small containers of baked beans and coleslaw. Just enough for a couple of mouthfuls. We all thought the side dishes were nicely done, especially the baked beans. There is a choice of sauces- mild, Auntie's BBQ, and Hallelujah Hot. We loved the hot sauce. It's a slow, sly burn at the back of the throat and by the time you finish your ribs you are truly feeling it! LOL My portion of ribs I found greasy- there was grease running down my hands as I ate it. I've had lots of ribs and that has never happened before. My sister and BIL did not have that problem, though. So I'm not sure what happened. Also, I'm not a fan of ribs when the rib tips/ends are left on, it just turns into this giant piece of chewy fat at the end. That's just my personal preference. But the meat did fall off the bone. The brisket was wonderfully tender and delicious. We could see the smoke ring. The pulled pork was tasty but a little dry, and again you could see the smoke ring on the ends. With sauce, it was really good and it added the moisture it needed. Sam came out and greeted us and told us a lot about his history. He is such a sweet man. He was a retired military man (22+ years) when his brother, the owner of the Corky's rib empire in the US, called him to go cook in Toronto! Sam was living in Atlanta, GA at the time. The owner is actually Korean, hence the staff being all Asian. Sam said that he cooks all the meat, the sauces, the cornbread, the baked beans, but not the coleslaw- he said it's not the way he would do it, but, the owner is adament that it stay the way it is. He showed us his smokers, each one fits 300 slabs of ribs. If I understood correctly, he can only work one because of fire code regulations. As for the lack of 'smoke' smell, it has to do with the extensive fan system they had to install to meet those fire code regulations. Sam said he's disappointed, because his brother, at just the Corky's Memphis location, has 8 smokers! LOL Sam is also in love, he said he met a woman seven weeks ago and the food tastes much better now because there is more love going into it- like I said, a really sweet guy. So, an appetizer, three meals, 2 beers, 3 ice teas came to $102.00. Not bad I think, for three full bellies and a meet & greet with the chef himself. The service was great- if we asked for extra sauces or water or napkins they were brought out right away, and the meals were served right on time. We'll definitely be returning. Fri Jul 18 06:16:22 -0700 2008 3774113 102010 czthemmnt 4 3881810 Will definitely check it out. (Will have to combine a trip to Memphis on Yonge with a trip to Cuisine of India for their stellar tandoori paneer - hope it hasn't gone downhill in the past couple of years. I still dream of it!) Also reminds me that I haven't yet visited Tyrone at the blue Royal Burger BBQ shack on the boardwalk at Lakeshore West and Ellis/Windermere this summer. Fri Jul 18 15:21:12 -0700 2008 3879920 14906 Food Tourist 4 3882625 Hey there :) yeah i liked it too -- i didn't find mine greasy at all so im not sure what happened, but i agree 100% about the 'rib tips' being left on. I absolutely hate that also, i've mentioned it on here before i had both the pulled pork and the ribs and i thought both were quite good, although others here did not care for the pulled pork shrug you should check out mississauga rib fest this weekend for lots more southern smoked ribs cheers and thanks for the review :) Fri Jul 18 23:12:04 -0700 2008 3879920 115105 duckdown 5 3883011 Went to Phils Original BBQ last night for the first time in a long time - wanted to see what it was like after Restaurant Makeover paid them a visit. Food is still the same - delicious. The combo platter is pretty darned large - chicken, ribs and brisket with sides of coleslaw and excellent baked beans (mixed with pieces of meat). You smell like smoke as soon as you enter the place - service is always with a smile. You won't leave hungry, that's for sure. We arrived within an hour of closing time, and weren't rushed a bit. I'd recommend it. I live not too far from the North York Memphis BBQ place, and have wondered about it. With the many mentions in this column, I guess it's worth a try. Anyone been there lately? How are the ribs? Sat Jul 19 07:18:06 -0700 2008 3882625 194502 jillvis 4 3883119 do you recall the approx. price of the combos (ribs and pork for example)? Sat Jul 19 08:07:49 -0700 2008 3879920 26815 hungryabbey 5 3883171 Hungry, this should answer most of your questions. See, this is why I always include a weblink AND always use the correct name and spelling unless I'm slagging a place. Makes the search for information soooo much easier. Adding "style" to their name just made it difficult for people to find them. Rant over. http://memphis-smoke.com/index.html Sat Jul 19 08:35:08 -0700 2008 3883119 12072 Googs 6 3884143 oh thank you!! I KNEW i had seen a website before I just could not find it anywhere. Sat Jul 19 17:41:49 -0700 2008 3883171 26815 hungryabbey 6 3884150 From your link "This is the real Southern-style Memphis barbeque, cooked the old fashioned way while utiliing the latest in rotisserie technology" - does this sound authentic? And I'm still not clear whether the style has changed from their original formula (which was over-greasy and certainly not memphis-style). Incidentally memphis-style was the least desirable of all the places I visited in the past couple of years - didn't find a single place that did more than one type of food well (and wrote it up on the Memphis Board). What I want is some Kansas City style (much better) or some New Mexico style (my biggest surprise - didn't have a poor meal in either Albuquerque or Santa Fe). And the second-worst was Nashville - also Memphis style. (I exclude South Carolina style from the evaluation as it's so different - just not comparable). Assuming that Memphis Smoke House has indeed changed its preparation (even though its name hasn't changed) can somebody tell me how the food has changed from the original disaster I tried last year, as their publicity blurbs have completely confused me. What exactly did they change "after their vacation" and when was that vacation? PS Kansas City BBQ is also 'hickory smoked' - can anyone explain what is 'Memphis' about this place. On re-reading before hitting 'post' it seems as if I'm being over-critical - I really just want to know what, if anything, is good about this place - particularly in light of the awful meal I had last Fall. I don't want a long trek to find a repetition. If it really has improved/changed, tell me how. Sat Jul 19 17:47:54 -0700 2008 3883171 11134 estufarian 7 4025948 OK. Couldn't wait any longer. Was in the area so decided to give this place another try. REALLY WEIRD! First, no sign of any Southern Gentleman in the kitchen. ALL the servers employees were Asian (actually I've had some decent Asian ribs - but not really any that could be termed Memphis-style). And indeed the food didn't resemble anything I've had before that called itself memphis-style! First, nothing resembling Wonderbread (a staple for every memphis BBQ - although, for me, it's one of things I dislike, so possibly a plus). And they served cornbread - again, never seen this with any Memphis BBQ before. And the sauces all seemed to be the type that are normally served with chicken-wings (rather than pork). HOWEVER, the meat itself wasn't bad. The smoking was very light and seemed to be on one side only (possibly didn't turn them in the smoker). Didn't detect smoke in the beans, which were OK but not particularly BBQ style. I had both the pulled pork and the ribs and both were perfectly acceptable - certainly equal to any other BBQ in Toronto (I know, not a particularly strong comparison). I did like the textures which were the best part of the meal for me. Both the pulled pork and the ribs had some 'resistance' to them (Erly please note!), not the 'mush' (sometimes described as 'fall-off-the-bone') that is sometimes found. So for $25 (with a beer) not a bad deal. I note that the 'lurkers' who came out of the ether to rave about this place seem to have retreated again. Last night only about 5 tables were occupied and the servers were pushing the alcohol very hard (albeit in English that was sometimes difficult to understand). So the line-ups previously mentioned seem to have dissipated. But, overall, worth a try if you're in the neighbourhood and don't want fine dining. But definitely not worth a detour. And it's within walking distance (10 minutes) from Jersey Boys (although I wasn't overly impressed with that show either). Thu Sep 11 06:00:22 -0700 2008 3884150 11134 estufarian 8 4027110 Odd, every time I've been there the southern guy has come out to ask how the food is. It is true that they hire entirely asian wait staff who's english is absolutely HORRIBLE -- I don't know WHY they do that. They also have NO understanding of the items you are buying off the menu... But whatever, I usually just sit at the bar anyway I haven't been in a few months but I enjoyed it the last time I was there. Pulled pork had a decent flavor and wasn't overly sauced, I've had far worse in the GTA Disappointed to hear they still are using the terrible waitrresses though for sure, and not sure where their chef was. Thu Sep 11 12:45:09 -0700 2008 4025948 115105 duckdown 8 4217688 "Smoking was very light and seemed to be on one side only." You shouldn't need to turn it. Unless it's sitting on a table or something that won't let smoke get at an underside. I'm sure you've seen smoke before, it goes everywhere. DT Wed Dec 03 11:02:35 -0800 2008 4025948 11291 Davwud 9 4242336 Exactly my point. How come it seemed to be on one side only? Was it really smoked? I guess I was too subtle. Fri Dec 12 12:32:34 -0800 2008 4217688 11134 estufarian 7 4025997 estufarian, traditional smokers large enough to supply bbq for a commercial establishment used to be large offset cookers, or brick pits as seen in Texas BBQ joints. With today's health codes and zoning laws these types of pits aren't feasible to be used in an urban setting. What has emerged is modern commercial pits made by companies such as Southern Pride, Ole Hickory, Friedrich, Cookshack, J.R. Manufacturing etc. These units can be disassembled and properly cleaned. Most of these use rotisseries for ease of loading, and even smoke penetration. I haven't been to Memphis Style Smoke House but I am pretty sure you'll find one of these cookers in their kitchen. Google the product names for more info, they're pretty neat machines. Thu Sep 11 06:23:06 -0700 2008 3884150 45153 Dr Butcher 7 4338177 This is nonsense. Memphis style can be made with any equipment and it isn't necessarily hickory. Classic Memphis style is ribs cooked with dry rub and no sauce. It is a very simple style. This how they make their ribs in Memphis Style, so they are making classic Memphis style exactly right. The problem is that they don't do it very well. Mon Jan 19 05:44:33 -0800 2009 3884150 227391 evansl 1 3949690 Went to Memphis style smoke house on Yonge on the weekend for dinner. I liked the atmosphere, it was a clean room and the patio looked like it would have been nice (if we ever have a nice evening to eat on it). Service was also really great, the young lady was very attentive and remembered every little detail of our order (there are alot of choices with these meals, ie. dry, which sauce, which side etc). Onto the food: we started with the nachos with beef brisket. The brisket was good, but I would have prefered it if it were tossed in the bbq sauce as apposed to it being served on the side (its hard to dip nachos in sauce while all of the toppings are spilling off). I also think the chips were a little bit stale. For mains we tried the following combos: Ribs and wings, ribs and pulled pork, ribs and quarter chicken. We all got the ribs dry with the Aunt Shirleys BBQ sauce on the side and chose fries as our side. The meal was also served with baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. The ribs were very large, but I did find that alot of what was on the bone was big chunks of fat that I really just had to cut off. Now, I know that ribs are not a lean meat choice, but I did find they were fattier than usual. The sauce was sweet, a bit smokey and had a tiny hint of spice. I liked it and would try it again if I were to return. The pulled pork was good, but not great. Again it was served dry with a little squirt of bbq sauce on top and I really prefer when the pork has been mixed with the sauce. The quarter chicken was proclaimed juicy and crispy on the outside and the wings were "very good, but not the best". They were apparently a little bit dry as well. I tried the coleslaw, it was good, the vinegar variety and the baked beans were a bit bland (could have used more spice and sweetness). The cornbread had great flavour but was really dried out. I assume it had been made fairly early in the day and had just sat around until dinner. Fries were steakcut style, I think were probably frozen but I still enjoyed them. All in all, it wasn't an amazing experience but we all left happy. There are a few things I was disapointed with but I would probably try it again if I were craving ribs. The bill with 3 pops, 2 beers, 3 combos and nachos was 96$ after tax before tip. Tue Aug 12 06:28:21 -0700 2008 2271591 26815 hungryabbey 2 4277550 If the slaw was vinegary, then again, I don't believe that's Memphis style, either. On Food network the show on Memphis BBQ showed a creamy-yellow slaw-when I googled Memphis slaw the recipe called for mayo and Dijon mustard, among the other things. Sun Dec 28 09:18:39 -0800 2008 3949690 10789 Wiley 1 4274666 We made a reservation at this restaurant 3 days in advance for a small birthday party for Friday evening, Dec 26. We had guests driving in from beyond Hamilton. On Friday afternoon a voice mail message was left informing us that the restaurant would be closed. This caused a lot of anxiety, multiple phone calls to try and find another venue at the last minute, and attempts to re-route people in transit. It doesn't matter how good the food may be, this type of customer service is unacceptable unless there was some last minute over-riding emergency. Thanks a lot Memphis Style! Fri Dec 26 15:44:09 -0800 2008 2271591 73484 torontovore 2 4274811 At least they called. There's numerous posts from people who show up at places only to find them closed with no explanation or a "Family emergency" which can be dismissed as not true. DT Fri Dec 26 17:12:51 -0800 2008 4274666 11291 Davwud 1 4336777 I've been to the Memphis north of Sheppard twice in the last month and have really enjoyed it both times. The ribs are great, the meat just falls off the bone. I also love the wings. Don't know if I can go back to deep fried chicken wings after having these! They are great. I do have a few issues with the customer service: -very difficult to understand our servers. The language issue needs to be addressed. -on our first visit they completely forgot about an order of fries. The place wasn't busy, in fact there was only one other couple in there. -too hard to get drink refills. When I finish my beer I put the empty glass near the edge of the table to someone can see it and come over to see if I want another. If I am still eating my meal, I am going to want another. Last time I ended up only having two beers where I easily could have had 3 or maybe even 4. Multiple wait staff would walk right by my empty glass while I am just sitting there (I stop eating when I don't have a drink to go along with my food). Aside from these issues, the food is so good I will be back soon. Also should mention that Sam is a very friendly and kind man who does seem to care if the customers are enjoying themselves. If he ever leaves, this place is finished. Sun Jan 18 12:06:28 -0800 2009 2271591 53079 Beauvoir 2 4336897 Seems there are two 'camps'. One wants 'fall-off-the- bone'; the other wants tender, but with a bit of consistency - sort of 'al dente'. I'm in the latter camp (which seems to be the most vocal). That's the style in Kansas City (for example - as it has been my favourite style overall). But, given that this place calls itself 'memphis' style, I'll cut them some slack as I do find that style to be a bit more tender - although fall-off-the bone is stretching a bit too far. But overall, Memphis has settled down to a level of 'competent' (in my opinion). It has certainly improved to the point that I don't mind going if in a group and I'm in the area (not worth a special trip). The service is indeed atrocious! At least you saw multiplt wait-steff. I assumed it was one server and some visiting friends. Hence I got up and walked to the back when I needed service. And I've never seen the 'rumoured' Sam. He's never been in the place on any of my visits (twice in 2008 after the re-opening). And it would be helpful if they hired someone who spoke fluent English (as we tiptoe around this issue once again so as not to appear racist). Sun Jan 18 12:54:03 -0800 2009 4336777 11134 estufarian 3 4336950 Perhaps they could address the language issue and the uncomfortable feeling their patrons must have when struggling with it by numbering their menu items. Everybody goes home happy. Sun Jan 18 13:13:11 -0800 2009 4336897 12072 Googs 3 4337039 I have to agree that the customer service side of their business is very weak. As I described in my earlier post, I had a reservation made 3 days in advance. I'd talked up the food and everyone was excited, including relatives commuting in from Ancaster. Then we get canceled at the last minute. Nasty! No apology. No reason given. No alternatives suggested. Just, too bad for you, fool. I'd still like to try the food, but I'm just so annoyed with the lack of concern for their customers that I may never find out how good it is. Food without supportive attitude just doesn't taste very good. We ended up at Small Rooms on Finch W. between Dufferin and Keele. They stayed open just for us. The food was acceptable, not exceptional, but at least they honoured our last minute reservation. I'd have no hesitation going back to them for another meal. Sun Jan 18 13:54:35 -0800 2009 4336897 73484 torontovore 4 4338268 The fact that they called you suggests that they had an emergency. If they were slackers, they wouldn't have attempted to face the music. Do yourself and them a favour and talk to the manager about it. Mon Jan 19 06:38:40 -0800 2009 4337039 12072 Googs 5 4338486 That was already done immediately after the message was received. Still no reason given, no apology, and no satisfaction taken. My impression was that we had the only reservation for that evening so they decided it was cheaper to close. Mon Jan 19 08:15:51 -0800 2009 4338268 73484 torontovore 3 4338166 It doesn't matter what camp you are in. Their food is cook to a dryness that renders it near inedible. Mon Jan 19 05:36:07 -0800 2009 4336897 227391 evansl 1 4337436 Much like everyone else, I agree. Sam is a nice guy, the food is good, but the wait staff is HORRIBLE and the language barrier is a major annoyance. Was just there a couple weeks ago actually and enjoyed the food as usual, but the wait-staff situation is still the same. Too bad they don't read CH Sun Jan 18 17:13:44 -0800 2009 2271591 115105 duckdown 2 4560295 The wait staff issue seems very odd to me, I have never seen anyone except a very nice white waitress, maybe it's because I am always there early. I am planning to go today to pick up lunch for some people at work so I will check it out again and report back later. All in all, my experience has been very good, the lack of sauce is something I was surprised at the first time, remember to order it on the side. Also, the cornbread I found to be really good, its hard to find good cornbread in Toronto! hands down winner so far on the menu are the wings. Large, meaty and incredibly tasty. The place however is rarely busy, which makes me wonder just how long they can hang on. Last, I have seen the owner every time I have been in, seems he is always around to say hello and see how the customers are. Thu Apr 02 05:39:40 -0700 2009 4337436 279407 perfik 3 4581599 Went again last night. Every server and the person in the kitchen/back area was Asian. And they were 'nice' too (actually very pleasant). Language skills were certainly lacking, but service was pretty good - except couldn't really understand what the daily special was (I think there was one - even that wasn't clear). But everything I ordered was delivered promptly and accurately. It just seems strange to me that a 'memphis BBQ' place never seems to have any staff that can speak 'Southern'. And to any new readers - the point is whether the servers can communicate and serve 'accurately' - not the ethnicity. I am better understood in many places that mainly serve ethnic clientele than I am at Memphis. And to perfik - how would I recognize the owner that is 'always there'? Thu Apr 09 10:44:29 -0700 2009 4560295 11134 estufarian 4 4639159 I went last night with a friend (I have been there before) They have added a new waitress who is not asian and seems to be the one taking the orders therefore gets rid of the lanuage issue. Wed Apr 29 10:29:05 -0700 2009 4581599 267366 bsv 1 4611500 Since this thread has both Memphis BBQ places in it, I'll post this here. This post is about the Woodbridge location. Since RUB was closed for Greek Easter Sunday, I remembered there was another BBQ joint up in Woodbridge and found it: Memphis BBQ. Getting out of the car you could smell the smoke in air though it wasn't as intense as Dinosaur BBQ or Sticky Lips. A good first sign. It's a very small place with eight tables of four. If it's a nice day you could do take out and eat it outside at the park behind the place. There were a few picnic tables. If you're looking to have beer (hopefully good beer!) with your BBQ, well you're going to be disappointed as Memphis has no booze. :-( Various pop, juice or water only. Oh, they take cash or debit only, no credit cards. I didn't see any sign outside stating this (a pet peeve of mine!) The girlfriend had the six bone ribs which she thought were good, light years better than CG&L and Phil's but lacking compared to Dinosaur. She's in the fall-off-the-bone camp. These ribs required a bit of work but looked to be tendy and juicy still. No complaints about the sauce. Overall she was quite happy with them. I had the pulled pork sandwich. That thing is BIG! I like that in a PP sandwich, it should make you gasp when you see it! :-D It's served on a long, crusty toasted bun. The pork was generously sauced all through which I prefer. No coleslaw served on top thank goodness (who thought that was a good idea?!) I liked the flavour of the sauce and the pork. Very tasty. The fries were crispy and good. The gravy okay. The coleslaw was creamy and okay but not to our preference of vinegar based. There are wings, a burger, chicken fingers and a chicken breast sandwich also on the menu for non-BBQ eaters and there were plenty of them while we were there. Just to give everyone an idea of what our Southern BBQ experience is: - Toronto - Cluck, Grunt & Low (sucks) - Phil's BBQ (good then decent then sucks) - Camp 31 (at ribfest, less than optimal conditions but decent) - beerbistro (pulled pork sandwich) (my favourite pulled pork sandwich in TO) - Midland - Mad Michael's (good, worth going there if you're in cottage country already) - Rochester (the two best BBQ experiences we've had) - Dinosaur BBQ - slight nod to Dino for their long list of micros available on top and bottles - Sticky Lips We've never been to the Southern US yet. We may at some point but it's not high on our travel list. Mon Apr 20 10:18:48 -0700 2009 2271591 20209 lister 2 4611575 A fair assessment.. I find the place inconsistent though.. I've had it be good a couple times, but dry and stale many times also. The fries they serve are terrible frozen battered kind, and the other sides aren't much better :( The pulled pork I found to be VERY dry, I don't think they sell alot of it, so I think the same batch sits around for days until they finally sell out of it... The best day to go to this location is on a Monday, where they have their "Monday Madness" deal, its a great bargain. Full rack of ribs, a pound of wings of your choice (Get the smoked variety!), and a large side, all for $25 tax included. Definitely give RUB another shot though, when you can. I prefer it over Memphis from my experiences for sure. Cheers Mon Apr 20 10:38:07 -0700 2009 4611500 115105 duckdown 2 4611694 "No coleslaw served on top thank goodness (who thought that was a good idea?!)" I think it's a good idea. I put slaw on mine when I make them. It's just better IMHO. The pork and sauce needs a little acidic something or other. It adds to the taste, not detracts. But you are more than welcome to eat it as you choose. DT Mon Apr 20 11:03:48 -0700 2009 4611500 11291 Davwud 3 4612111 We agree to disagree. :-) Whatever makes you happy, that's what is important. I like the BBQ sauce to stand on it's own. If it can't do that then I won't eat at the establishment again. I also don't like the texture difference between the coleslaw and the PP. Oh, three other PP sandwiches that I've had in Toronto, one being at the Black Camel which is decent but not smoked (as has been readily documented here), C'est What which I think also falls into the not-smoked category and the meat is served dry with a thin sauce to pour over. Check C'est What's menu on their web site for a better description. I was disappointed. The third one is at Victory Cafe. Not sure about smoking but it's completely sauced and the sauce is tasty. Coleslaw does come on top but they will put it on the side upon request. I've had it there both ways. That'll be my default dish at Victory unless a special intrigues me. Mon Apr 20 12:54:10 -0700 2009 4611694 20209 lister