The American-style Smokehouse hidden away around the back of Clifton Triangle originated at the Bristol-based Grillstock festival. The annual event hosts a wide range of genres of North American music, and of course great food.
Despite it being a Wednesday evening, the majority of the long table was crammed full of people stuffing their faces when we arrived, but there was space down the bar end, so we sat there.
At Grillstock you make your order at the bar, they give you a numbered wooden spoon, and you then sit and wait with baited breath while other people's food arrives and the smell wafts your way before you are introduced to yours. Because of this format it feels like a fast food place, but the rather delayed time with which your food arrives reminds you that the food is of restaurant quality, and that the delicate tenderness of pulled pork takes time to nurture. The wait probably only felt slightly painful because I was so hungry though, and because I knew how good the food would be when it arrived.
After a drooling peer into the burger, I proceeded to gobble up the coleslaw and fries, which were nicely flavoured and thin, better than most accompanying fries in other restaurants. Before the first time I went to Grillstock I didn't like coleslaw, but their "slaw" is so good I'm now in love with the stuff. After all, Americans are big on their slaw, so you'd expect Grillstock's to live up to that. The reason I tucked into the other parts of the meal first was because the pulled pork burger is my absolute favourite part.
As you sink your wide-mouthed locked-jawed teeth into the burger, the moistness of the patty and the cheese combined with the deliciously tangy flavour of the unbelievably tender pulled pork makes you (well, me) find true love. Okay, so I sound very melodramatic, and I don't normally do this in my reviews, but Grillstock's pulled pork is literally one of my favourite things. The burger is so juicy yet still holds together without crumbling and, although the burger looks small on that slightly over-sized tray, the filling crams you to the brim. I'd recommend drizzling it in the 'Oaky and Smokey' sauce (above) to take it to perfection too.
And believe me, the size of the portion is enough (and I'm no dainty small-portioned girl) what with the fries and slaw to go with it. We waddled back down Park Street afterwards and by the time I was safely at the flat grass of College Green I had a painful stitch. Well worth it, though, and I would advise you to go get a stitch of your own.
If the hill that is Park Street doesn't tempt you to climb, Grillstock also have a small stall in St. Nicholas Market in the centre of Bristol where they'll also give you pulled pork but without the uphill climb. Bear in mind, though, that this shuts when the rest of St Nicks shuts at around 5pm and has less of the atmosphere that the restaurant has, so I'd say opt for the climb and post-meal stitch.