I have had ‘The Smoke Joint’ written on a sticky note on my desktop for about three years, since I first saw it on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. It was featured on the New York edition of the show, as well as two compilations for the Best of New York. If you ever see the re-runs on Food Network you’ll understand why I immediately decided I just had to go.
The Smoke Joint is definitely somewhere you need to go hungry. Mother and I walked about 30 blocks from the Brooklyn Museum to The Smoke Joint after a long day in Brooklyn as it was, so hungry we definitely were! Our visit to the Kehinde Wiley exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum was by far my favourite of all exhibitions I’ve ever been to.
The exhibition is running until 24th May and is honestly amazing. You can view Wiley’s work on Artsy here, as well as keep up with any future exhibitions! The detail and vibrance are breathtaking. There is a section of gallery space looping some short documentary films of Wiley explaining the inspiration and story behind some of the pieces created that are on display in the museum.
The documentary videos really explained how Kehinde Wiley thinks about his work, the thorough planning and mixed media nature of almost all his pieces. I am a stained glass window geek! I just love them! The windows displayed in the exhibition were no exceptions. The pictures don’t do them justice at all, bearing in mind they are over six feet tall! You can view the picture above in accurate colour and high definition here.
I can’t say enough about the detail!
We also took a stroll down one of the top rated brownstone streets in Brooklyn, Garfield Place, before making our way to The Smoke Joint.
There was about a 20 minute wait for a table, but the maître d seemed to be on top of all the groups and people waiting. While we were waiting we also noticed a the have a bike messenger running deliveries – tip for any Fort Greene locals!
We may have slightly over ordered… The smokey aroma in the restaurant obviously brainwashed us and made our eyes bigger than our stomachs.
Not many pictures unfortunately, but believe me it was good food! I ordered the pulled pork, and Mother ordered the chicken wings with collard greens. We both ordered a cornbread (didn’t need two, we easily could have shared) and a short rack of ribs to share.
When each rib is this big, you’ll be very very very hungry not to share a portion. I could go on and on and on about how much I enjoyed this meal. The years of waiting to get to The Smoke Joint were definitely worth it. Guy Fieri did not exaggerate on the show at all!
We ended our day burning off some of that warm buttery cornbread by walking back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. If you don’t mind the feeling of walking in the dark over the traffic, I think you get a much nicer sky line of the city after dark. The lights really do bring it to life.
And that’s all folks! Almost as sad to finish writing and re-living my New York adventures as it was to leave the city.
Thank you New York!
Harleigh Reid
I write about food and eat a lot.
Find me on:
