Hotspot: Next-level BBQ at Black Smoke Rotterdam

In Rotterdam’s monumental Van Nelle Factory, BBQ guru Jord Althuizen (a regular fixture in the FavorFlav Food Top 100 for years), together with his Belgian BBQ buddy Kasper Stuart, opened the first Dutch branch of Black Smoke. If you love meat, you absolutely have to come here.

The restaurant can rightly be called a BBQ paradise. The venue covers no less than 1,100 square metres, making it the largest BBQ restaurant in the Netherlands. The founders call it ‘next-level BBQ’. And that becomes clear the moment you enter, after walking through a huge restaurant via a red-neon-lit shipping container. The heart of the restaurant is formed by an impressive open-fire kitchen. The ‘hot seats’ at the bar around the open kitchen offer a fantastic view of the pitmasters working with the open fire. The kitchen (called hell’s kitchen by the founders) is equipped with a huge collection of rugged BBQ tools, including chains, grills, steel kettles, steaming smokers and sizzling planchas and parrillas, on which Black Smoke’s dishes are prepared à la minute in full view of the guests.

Global BBQ

Jord found inspiration during his many travels, where he discovered BBQ cultures from around the world for his bestselling BBQ books. From South Africa to Australia, from South America to Asia. And you can see that reflected on the menu. Black Smoke serves ‘global-inspired’ BBQ. From classic Yankee-style ‘low & slow’ BBQ dishes to ‘hot & fast’ South American BBQ classics in assado style. Indian bread is baked in authentic tandoori clay ovens, while Asian BBQ food is prepared on the Japanese hibachi grill.

Meat temple

Meat hedonists will be thoroughly catered for at Black Smoke. Whether it’s Texas-style brisket (point end) cooked at a low temperature for more than sixteen hours, or the Black Smoke Suicide Burger made with Aberdeen Angus beef (served with Provolone cheese). Also on the menu: the Bone Marrow Luge starter, a dish we already know from Antwerp. Smoked, meltingly tender marrow served in a bone with whisky-glazed BBQ pulled beef, radish and pork crackling (crisp-fried pork fat). Red-meat lovers should go for the côte de boeuf, which hangs in the carcass to mature in the beautifully lit custom-built ageing cabinet. Via an ingenious rail system, like those also seen in slaughterhouses, the raw cuts of big meat are transported from the ageing cabinet through the restaurant to the open kitchen—a gimmick by architect Kurt Hereygers of Not Before Ten.

Vega

But Black Smoke is more than just a temple for meat hedonists. Jord: “We mix and match flavours and BBQ preparations from around the world with European flair. With inspiration gathered on our travels, from ramshackle BBQ joints to Michelin-starred restaurants.” The menu alternates robust BBQ classics with lighter fish and vegetable dishes in which subtle flavours, fresh acidity, flavour nuances and refined presentations take centre stage. Such as the grilled Corvina fillet from the parrilla, served with leek, charred pak choi and miso gel. And the wood-fired charred leek with split-pea and broad-bean falafel and a crumble of wood-smoked feta, pistachio and mint. Also excellent: grilled polenta cakes with watercress pesto, Parmesan and charred cherry tomatoes.

We round off the dinner with another of Black Smoke’s signature dishes, called The Heart Stopper—an éclair with rum and crème suisse, topped with caramel, smoked almonds and bacon crumble. Indeed, a dish that lives up to its name. Althuizen himself is not behind the BBQ every day, by the way, but—as in Antwerp—supervises the kitchen. Daily operations are in the hands of head chef Sander Fiets (previously employed, among others, at C.E.O. Baas van het Vlees, run by star chef Mario Ridder, and Harbour Club in Rotterdam).

Cocktail bar

Before or after dinner, you can visit the equally next-level cocktail bar (an impressive 25 metres long). Bartender and multiple international cocktail champion Donald Simons and his team create distinctive crafted cocktails, experimenting extensively with smoke and fire. Think: brisket-infused Bloody Mary’s and classics in a glass smoked with wood and herbs. Syrups, herbal bitters, lemonades and iced teas are all homemade. Also ideal for summer afternoons and evenings: Black Smoke has a generous terrace (200 seats) with an outdoor bar. The bar and terrace will also provide the setting for the club nights and special events organised at Black Smoke, in collaboration with national and international DJs and special guests.

Black Smoke Rotterdam, Van Nelleweg 1, 3044 BC Rotterdam.

Read also:

• Jord Althuizen’s 5 favourite hotspots
• Types at the BBQ
• The best meat tools for the BBQ