meat, edmonton

The name of this restaurant says it all. Meat.

And BBQ smoked meat galore it was. Vegetarians, dieters, animal lovers, look away!

I've planned dinner here twice before and both times we've been discouraged from dining here because the wait would be approximately an hour long. This time, I made sure to arrive at 5pm, on the dot, to secure a table. Third time's always the charm.

Meat serves Texas, family-styled BBQ - meats that have been smoked for hours and hours. The menu offers you 1/2 and 1 pound meat options as well as a variety of sides to choose from. You'll also find a few sandwiches on the menu which all look and sound super delectable. I'm totally coming back for them.

And if you feel like some drinks, you'll definitely be impressed by their extensive cocktail list.

With minimal seasoning as they rely heavily on the smoke to create flavour, you may need to spread some sauce on to your meat. There are four house-made sauces available and there's definitely one that will please your palette. My personal favourite is the Bourbon mixed with a little bit of Spicy! It's sweet, subtly tangy with a slight and pleasant chilli kick at the end.

If it's your first time here, and you want to try a little bit of everything, get the 'Meat Sampler'! With a couple of extra sides, it could easily feed 3-4 people. Plus it's perfect for finding out your favourites for next time! (Trust me, there will be a next time).

Meat Sampler ($60.00):
Half pound of beef brisket, pulled pork, half rack of BBQ ribs, half smoked chicken, piece of fried chicken and a link of andouille sausage. 

Look at all that glorious protein!

Okay. Let's start with the ribs. Don't be fooled into thinking they're burnt from the blackened exterior! They were smokey, a little bony and a tad bit dry but slather that in Spicy and Bourbon sauce and you're good!

The sausage oozed flavour with each bite - with a little bit of spice infused with a light smoky flavour.

The flesh of the smoked chicken was still pink, absolutely tender, moist and lightly sweet from the apple glaze. Oh man, the rich smoky, lightly charred crisp skin of the chicken was equally amazing.

Now for the highlights of the night!

The pulled pork was lean yet soft, moist, rich and juicy throughout with an intoxicating smokey aroma. Smother it in Meat's Bourbon sauce (Trust me). The tangy sweetness from the sauce really complements the flavours of the pork.

We were only given one piece of fried chicken and after one bite, I just wanted to snatch that away from the table. It was all you ever wanted in a fried chicken. Crispy, non-greasy, golden with a moist centre. The skin had a lovely spice kick and flavour to it which just won itself a spot on my list of 'Memorable Fried Chicken'.

I don't even know how to describe my love for the beef brisket. I even get a bit giddy thinking about it. The brisket contained the most perfect ratio of ribbon-like luscious fat under a wonderfully charred edge making every bite so sinful and juicy. It was melt in your mouth tender with an insane smoky flavour infused into the brisket. More please.

At Meat, it's not just about the meat. Their sides are also very worthy of mention.

Mac & Cheese - Large ($12.00):

Damn it. My cravings for mac & cheese this week didn't go away after having this. Now I can't stay away and I just want more.

This bowl of macaroni and cheese was incredibly decadent. Forget the calorie intake. Just dig in! They were buttery, creamy and cheesy. The sauce was well-distributed and plentiful - not too gluggy and not too dry but creamy and luxurious. I also loved the addition of the stringy green onions to cut through the richness of the cheese. One small complaint though, it was a tad bit too salty for my liking.

Garlic Fries - Large ($10.00):

I think the name of this dish should be changed into 'Garlic with a side of Fries'. The garlic fries were ridiculously garlicky yet super addictive and so finger-linking good. Get them.

Guys, leaving Meat without ordering their Pecan Pie may be one of the biggest mistakes you ever make so make sure you get this.

Pecan Pie ($8.00):
House-made with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

If you didn't know already, ever since the sticky date pudding at Jones the Grocer, I've been in love with warm desserts with an element of cold. For someone who loves sweets, this definitely hit the spot for me. The warm slice of pie was generously loaded with chopped pecans, drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmmm.

I'm totally coming back for more beef brisket, fried chicken and pecan pie!

Meat
8216 104 St NW
University/Old Strathcona, AB T6E 4E6
t: (587) 520-6338
w: http://meatfordinner.com/