The Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder
699 St. Clair Avenue West 
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Phone: 416.658.9666
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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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Comments (13)
The food at The Stockyards is great, but they're always out of half of the items on the menu but I think it's because they're new and they're trying to get a handle on their daily inventory. The service is awful. I've eaten there a few times now and the average wait for your food is about 30 minutes which is ridiculous for a take-out place. To top it all off, one of the owners who works the counter is really rude to the customers. Once they figure out how to expedite things in the kitchen and the owner realizes her attitude is better left behind the scenes, I think they'll have a great thing going for a long time to come.
I ordered a caprese sandwhich and definitely didn't like it...but i LOVE their classic burger with cheese combo, their field green salads are nice and fresh....one of these days I'll try their fried chicken, and I don't eat pork, so ribs etc are out.
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.
I hate when some place opens up and the Owner think their S**T doesnt stink. HOLY CRAP. you are in the Service Industry. Let go of all your demons and be available to the public.
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
Nota Bene you mean? I've had nothing but a pleasant experience in the times that I've been there. And the food rocked.
The food sounds great, but I won't be going there any time soon. One of the least convenient places in the city to get to. St. Clair ruined, Bathurst screwed north of Dupont... Plus a menu that is only variably in stock.
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.
Wowza - sounds tasty! I will bee-line for the burger, but that chicken and...well, it all sounds good ; P
jonathan@blogTO
you know, there are people that live along st clair too, right? it's not as if this place isn't surrounded by potential customers. and plus the rent is probably a lot cheaper around here than where there is perhaps more foot traffic and not all mucked up with construction, like college or queen.
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!
I live in Forest Hill and it's about time that a decent meat joint opened up, I miss Fatso's it used to be where the Pizza Pizza is now at Bathurst and St. Clair, they made great burgers and shakes! Can't wait to try the Stockyards out. I'll take a heifer please! Medium rare!
all of the things b29 pointed out are very, very valid. there are tons of residents near by.
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.
The food is fantastic- at least the fried chicken and pulled pork sandwiches are. They are very upfront with the 20 minute wait for the chicken and it even says so on the menu. I would gladly wait 20 minutes for a giant portion of fried chicken than take soemthing that's been sitting under a heat lamp, waiting for me to order 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.
for all you haters out there:
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..
Ahh Bubba, i used to love Fatso's...talk about taking me back!!!
i will def. go and give this a shot it can't be worse the Phil's Original.
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