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Food Food & Drink

‘Cue factor

They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. By that logic, when your Baby Point butcher shop burns down, break out the barbecue.

After a fire last year caused his Butcher by Nature to relocate across the street, Frank DiGenova and backyard chef and loyal customer Marcus De Simone took the opportunity to transform the original west-side storefront into the 10-seat barbecue joint of their dreams.

Open since May, Marky & Sparky’s Smokehouse (520 Annette, at Runnymede, 647-748-4227, @MarkySparkys, rating: NNNN) looks like a keeper.

Big enough to serve four Fords, the Smokehouse’s Ultimate Combo ($60) gets you the biggest bang for your buck. Half-racks of naturally raised baby back ribs come generously slathered with mustard and a sweet paprika rub, while a dozen dry-rubbed chicken wings come paired with a tangy sweet ‘n’ sour cherry sauce.

This stellar meal deal also includes a half-pound each of just-fatty-enough pulled pork and lean machine-sliced brisket as well as two nifty fennel sausages and a tub of caramelized onion jam. You also get four crunchy dill pickle spears, the same number of terrific jalapeño cornbread muffins and two regular sides, our faves a creamy cabbage slaw and baked beans laced with smoky brisket tips. All those fabulous fumes aren’t the only thing we smell.

“We want to franchise, but maybe down the road,” says De Simone. “But first we have to get this one right.”

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