Patience pays when you’re ordering from Stack. The first time we used Uber, we thought there was a mistake when the quoted delivery time was an hour and a half out. “Surely, this was a case of the restaurant giving themselves a significant safety net and the meal will arrive in no time?” we thought. Nope, it took almost the full 1.5 hours, but then, things aren’t rushed at Stack. After all, their meaty creations spend up to 14 hours in the smoker before it’s ready for a bite, what’s another hour?

The restaurant isn’t about short cuts. Even the patty of the Smokehouse burger ($13.99) is ground freshly on site, which allows them to cook it to medium well so that by the time it’s delivered it’s not overcooked. A non-frozen patty tastes different, the brisket and chuck creation already so flavourful and rich that it’s more than enough on its own. But the Smokehouse is then topped with zesty Carolina BBQ pulled pork and crispy onions. It’s burger that’s made for someone who is HUNGRY.

After having so many toppings, Stack goes light on the spicy ranch so the meaty flavours of the beef patty and pulled pork is the main draw. So, if you’re someone who likes it really saucy, you’ll want to order more condiments to augment the sandwich.

The burgers are served “a la carte” so sides need to be added. The fresh cut fries ($3.99) are large enough to easily satisfy two people. Just some hearty freshly cut potatoes simply seasoned with sea salt.

To describe the ribs & brisket ($31.35) as a “plate” is misleading as it’s actually a platter that feeds two people (maybe even two adults and a child). A half rack of ribs and three slices of brisket goes a long way when it’s so richly flavoured thanks to the many hours in the smoker. And Stack’s meat is much leaner, so while it may not be as juicy as other places, the still tender meat makes for a densely protein packed piece. So much so that three ribs and a thick slice of brisket was all I could handle.

Of course, I also filled up on all the fixings. A lovely jalapeno laced corn bread that starts to soak up the pan juices creating a creamy savoury cake. There were so many fries that we wondered why we even bother with getting another order of it for the burger. And an ample serving of baked beans that’s thick and hearty, but too sweet for our tastes.

Truthfully, some of their sides aren’t the greatest: the apple coleslaw served in the Wednesday wing feast ($32.97) is drenched in a sugary mayonnaise. Consequently, they were also items arriving in a non-environmentally friendly container, so if you’re in the mood to be sustainable, skip the sugary beans and coleslaw.

Don’t let that deter you from getting the wing feast as the smoked chicken wings are tasty. Bite into one and you’ll see smell, taste, and see the lovely smoke ring. I was also surprised by how crispy they were and not oily at all. It’s still a mystery to us … are the wings deep fried or just baked until crispy?

The wings are coated with a lovely earthy rub but not too salty, which makes them perfect for dipping into one of the sauces - my favourite is the creamy garlic dill aioli, but the warm barbeque sauce is good as well. If Buffalo sauce is your thing, Stack’s zesty buttery concoction is a solid choice.

As winter starts to descend on Toronto our barbeque begins its hibernation. Thankfully, Stack’s indoor smokers are still going strong so there’s plenty of feasts and plates to come.  

When Doug Ford announced restaurants could open for dine-in guests on their patios, I was elated. It had only been about three months since the quarantine began, but as someone who ate out three times a week, it seemed like a year had passed.

My first meal out also took me outside of the city to Taris On the Water in Welland, about an hour and a half drive outside of Toronto. My dad lives in Welland so a belated Father’s Day lunch was an optimal excuse and the quieter town meant I could avoid the Toronto frenzy that seemed to ensue on the opening weekend.

I knew that something deep fried would be ordered that day - we never fry things at home and delivered versions are never great. Taris’ fried chicken ($16) satisfied the craving and despite being boneless white meat was surprisingly moist and the breading oh so crispy.

Having difficulties trying to decide between buffalo or honey mustard sauce, our server offered to put both on the side. What a great call as I probably would have gone with buffalo, but the honey mustard was the tastier of the two. Served with perfectly fried shoestring fries and their crunchy vinegary coleslaw, it was exactly what I was wanted.

The smoked pork ribs ($25) seemed more like the boiled then grilled variety as there wasn’t a visible smoke ring and most of the flavours came from the barbeque sauce. Nonetheless, the sweet smoky sauce was tasty and the ribs tender.

With a choice of sides, grilled vegetables helped to balance out the heavier dishes and arrived on a skewer, the bite-sized pieces easy to eat on a patio.  

Taris’ was properly prepared for the opening: the tables well-spaced apart, all staff were wearing masks, and they even disinfected the payment terminal before each use. Their patio is also located at the back of the restaurant, away from cars or people walking, so it’s idyllic as you dine and take in the people kayaking across the canal. Thankfully, we have been blessed with gorgeous weather this year, we’ll need it for all the patio dining to come.