Smokin T's
Menu
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Smoking Delicious!
Smokin' T is worth the trip to Bet Shemesh. This small space in the thick of the residential area in Bet Shemesh offers a meat-lovers menu with some deep fried and slow smoked and roasted delights.
Originally started as a beef jerky smoke house, these U.S. born founders morphed to catering to a Shabbat outlet in the mall in Jerusalem to the chutzpadik move of opening up a restaurant smack in the middle of COVID. This country, and many of the great things that come with it, were born from chutzpah. Smokin T’s is no exception.
The menu is in Hebrew and English, but I doubt more than 2 patrons in the past 8 months EVER ordered from the Hebrew side. This is an Anglo-fressers play ground to frolic - and frolic we did.
The starters were AMAZE balls! We had the spicy chicken poppers, (super delicious and plentiful - enough for 4 of us to share). The blooming onion was a sweet site for the eyes and a tasty treat for the tongue! The wings were seasoned and fried to perfection. Cousin Steve left no meat on any of those bones, and for good reason.
The burgers were juicy and tender. Each person who ordered them enjoyed them immensely, especially the T-Rex, which was a double burger that even my proper British cousin could not negotiate with a knife and fork.
The steak was good. Perhaps medium rare is the way to go next time. We did not order the chili dog, but after seeing it at the table next to us, I realized we made a mistake. I ordered the special of the week which was Korean ribs. The only mistake here would be Smokin’ T’s not permanently including them on the menu. They were served to perfection, with a savory and sweet sauce, rice and scallions and a topping of sesame seeds. There was nothing left except a large bone for cousin Louie to nibble on later! This was a special treat and worth every bite. Well actually, no biting here. This melted in your mouth!
The desserts were home made and frankly, while good, they were not great. The home made pareve ice cream felt home made but not in the great way. I think a sorbet would be a better choice here. But, as I have shared before, you are not trekking here for the desserts. One small recommendation would be for Smokin Ts to add toothpicks and wet naps (magvonim), since this is a hands-on restaurant. They are still working out kinks, but they are small potatoes!
The service was home grown and EXCELLENT. The staff were all thoughtful, fun and engaging.
Run, do not walk, to Smokin T’s. This is a special meat-lovers dream that is Smokin’ good!
