GIVING THANKS WITH SMOKED TURKEY

You know you’re in for a different kind of treat once you enter The Smokeyard. Here, the aroma of smoked meat permeates the air.

- NORMA O. CHIKIAMCO

Dark wood and metal dominate the interiors, with chairs made of acacia set against a framework of metal pipes. Plastered on the walls are lists of the house’s specialties, ranging from smoked meat platters to sandwiches, from sausages to munchies. You sort of think: Barbecue! And you’ll be correct.

This isn’t your average barbecue, however. It’s not so much Pinoy as it is American, with barbecue sauces that balance the flavors of molasses, ketchup, onions, herbs, and spices. Think of Kansas, or Texas, or Memphis, the barbecue capitals of the USA.

It’s all the brainchild of chef/owner Troy Conine. When he was contemplating his next career path, it was a choice between being a dog trainer and a barbecue pitmaster. The dog lost, the barbecue won.

Since then, Conine has devoted his time to perfecting the art of barbecuing. He has taken the barbecue class of Mike Mills, a BBQ Hall of Famer in the US, and has attended the Big Apple BBQ Festival in New York, which he says is like the Super Bowl of barbecue events. He has also met several famous pitmasters like Rodney Scott, Ed Mitchell, Johnny Trigg, John Stage, Joe Carroll and Roy Dunn. The camaraderie among them is such that they’re happy to share each other’s tips and secrets on smoking and barbecuing.