Restaurants
The Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder
The Stockyards is an unassuming new barbecue restaurant specializing in southern-style slow cooked meats that opened a couple of months ago on St Clair West, just west of Christie Street.
The restaurant's narrow front is so inconspicuous that we almost walk right past it on the sweltering night that we stop by for dinner.
As it turns out, The Stockyards is geared towards take-out as restricted space doesn't allow for more than about ten people to be seated at a time.
Upon entering we're greeted with the divine smell of a griddle busy with custom-made burgers and pitchers of both the home-made mint-infused limeade and tropical fruit punch to sample.
We help ourselves to the takeout menus as a steady stream of people file up to the counter and stroll out gleefully clutching smoky-marinade scented meat housed in bio-degradable containers.
The menu looks so good that between the three of us, settling on what to order feels like working out a treaty. Our indecisiveness dissolves when we spot an orange highlighter-macheted menu taped up next to the till. "That means we're out" our server grimly confirms as we regroup to pick from the five items left on the menu.
Realizing that slowly marinaded meat can't be quickly replenished an hour before closing time on a busy day makes the situation more disappointing than annoying.
I'm promised that the fried chicken is worth the 20 minute preparation time so we grab refreshing limeades and swivel stools while we wait.
My porchetta sandwich with sautéed rapini ($10.50) shows up first, served in an iron skillet. It takes me approximately one bite to decide that I'll be coming back to this place. A lot.
The mix of pork loin, crackling and belly gives the meat a perfect combination of textures from tender to crisp. The bitterness of the rapini offsets the fennel flavour of the meat and just enough garlic aioli stops the ciabatta bread from being remotely dry.
My friend's classic burger with fries ($9) ups the ante even more. As it was his second pick he wasn't particularly excited by it but the burger is thick, juicy and perfectly cooked. House made ketchup and mayonnaise make it even better and the fries are crisp without being brittle.
The Caprese sandwich ($9) is equally impressive. The melted mozzarella filling is smothered with tomato jam, basil and encased in warm ciabatta.
Pretty soon we're all switching skillets, keen to try everything coming out of the kitchen.
We're pretty full by the time the fried chicken combo ($12) arrives but the anticipation is so great that we go ahead anyway. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk for hours before cooking and it shows. The meat is unbelievably succulent while the batter stays crunchy and surprisingly light despite the oiliness.
Even someone that only ever orders chicken wings to chase beer pitchers should try the fried chicken here. It's really that good.
I'll definitely be back soon for one of the rib nights (currently limited to Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays). The whole pit smoked BBQ chicken special doesn't stand a chance.
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As for the service. It IS a long wait for food, but I usually call my order in in advance. On the days that I don't and have to wait I've been offered free lemonade, and iced tea...a testament to their service...to each their own, but my experience with the owners has been great. I passed by them one evening as I was walking southbound on christies, and they recognized me and said hello....it took me a while to figure out who was saying hi, but when I did, I thought it was neat that he'd remembered me from just one or two visits...I WILL be supporting this local business in the future.
As for take-out taking 30 minutes. that is NUTS.
Wonder if you call ahead if it would be ready in time?
I hate Toronto restaurants like this one. Like Bene Note. That treat staff, customers like s**T
I really don't see why they'd choose that area for a new restaurant, since the street isn't going to be getting better for a few years. They'll be in the dead pool soon thanks to poor location choice. Too bad.
jonathan@blogTO
but this stuff looks great. i saw the photo and thought "wow that looks good, i hope that is close by," and sure enough, it was for once!
In addition to that some of us like traveling all over the city. often we don't need a reason, but if we're going to have one good food would have to be it. i can honestly say i will go to this place soon, and i don't live anywhere near it.
Portions are always huge and take-out is always piping hot. Staff are friendly but it's always busy in there, it's hard to get in the door sometimes, but take-out is usually ready in advance.
This is REAL food!!! They have a small space, so they can't push a lot of product, but that can make sure that product is the best they can make (it is divine). Just because it is take out doesn't mean it should be fast (there is a Mc D's down the street if you need something fast). Not all good food takes time but fresh fried chicken and slowed cook meats???
I guess my point is across..
i will def. go and give this a shot it can't be worse the Phil's Original.
Just tried this place for the first time yesterday and was very impressed! The smoked meat is perfectly prepared and just falls to pieces in your mouth! Delicious! The fries were just okay and the
slaw was definetley above average. The decor of the place finds a nice balance between city-slick and American deep-south hospitality. The staff is friendly and attentive. Will definitely
return.
Good Job!!!
it's they are trying way too hard... very very average... much better restaurants for the same price... try canoe or splendido...amazing food
I was sorely disappointed. I had the cheese burger & I have never tasted a burger so salty! It was almost inedible. I figured it was a bad day with a cook a little heavy handed on the salt. So, I decided to give it another try this week. No go again. This time the burger was so dry and lacked even a hint of flavour.
One good thing I can comment on (which really surprised me after reading these comments) was how friendly the staff was! One girl in particular who was there both times I went was super helpful.
ps. @ zainab - this isn't the nota bene review, try elsewhere!
And they did! Because they had to temporarily decline any orders, they offered the Fried Chicken Combo with two sides at the regular price of 12$. The owner really wanted to apologize for the delay (especially to these customers who were really snobby and pissed they couldn't be served) so he was serving everyone with the staff. He suggested sides (we got beans and dairy free mashed potatoes which were AMAZING), attending to the customers needs and really rude behaviours, and talked to my friend and I for a while. He was really sorry for the stove, and was extremely friendly and nice.
That man knows how to run a restaurant! If you want to have a pleasant meal- go to Stockyards and get the Chicken.You don't feel disgusting afterwards even though its deep fried!!
THEY KNOW HOW TO SERVE AND DELIGHT
...maybe I'll just stick with The Burger Priest AND "Five Guys Burgers" who just opened in Mississauga, and soon in Woodbridge. YES, I drive ALL OVER for Good Burgers!!!
Tonight I had an incredible burger at The Stockyard. You know how sometimes you'll feel too stuffed after chomping down? Well, I didn't. They were sold out of the ribs by the time we got there so we settled for the classic combo. I had mine with ALL the toppings (including cheese and smokey bacon, caramelized onion too but I am beginning to think that C.O. is not such a great topping for a smokey burger) and it was spectacular. You know how there is a moment in eating a burger that you know you can either put it down and make a big mess of things, or keep going? Yeah. That. I kept going. It was so good. Be warned though, the joint was hopping, and there is a constant din from the crowd with the song of the kitchen being constantly hollered out. I found the whole thing to be highly entertaining, as if I was right back in a kitchen and had never left the line. Great all round. We'll be going back for ribs for sure, we had a sample with their worcestershire/vinegary dipping sauce, and both were delish!
Also, the guy making fries with his bare hands, coughing (horking kind) in his right hand and without hesitation, throws salt with his right hand on just-made-fries. Eww. Glad I didn't order fries. (What? No salr shaker? Was he trying to look cool before going back to school?)
Hope the owner trains his staff to wear gloves and if they get dirty or cough/hork in them, to quickly remove and trash the gloves, wash their hands and apply new gloves. THAT simple.
By law (city of Toronto) burgers MUST be cooked through, not medium rare that was served to me.
Customers see everything eating in the ktchen/prep area. Be very aware of that!
Will I go back there? No.