THE SMOKE HOUSE ****

77 Pontcanna Street, Cardiff. 

029 2034 4628 / www.facebook.com/smokehousewales

About halfway through this meal, it strikes me that The Smoke House has timed its arrival extremely judiciously. Only open since March, in Diner 77’s old building in Pontcanna, Buzz and dining pal visit on one of the first warm, or even non-cold, evenings of 2013. Not that The Smoke House’s fare – burgers and steaks, plus signature meat mountains cooked at tectonic pace in a hickory smoker – wouldn’t suit a chilly day, you realise. It’s a barbeque joint, though, and barbeque is pretty self-evidently summery. Obviously, this type of burnt offering bears very little resemblance to the puny efforts of 99% of British BBQers, which is all the more reason to welcome it in.

The Smoke House, whose walls are bedecked with either unvarnished wood panels or bottles of bourbon and American beer, is impressively full on a Tuesday night. Not even Cardiff’s promotionally triumphant 0-0 can keep the big, blokish table away. Our starters of southern fried chicken and grilled halloumi are both perfectly fine; not quite revelatory but moist/squeaky respectively. Even if that is an uncomfortable juxtaposition of adjectives.

Come the mains, slow-smoked beef brisket sits across the table from barbeque pulled pork on barbeque beans, both served in an iron skillet and teamed with fries, coleslaw and onion rings. Both meatpiles (I ate nearly half my guest’s) fall apart pretty much when you look at them, and have an impressive depth of flavour. The ‘fries’ are chips really, not noticeably seasoned as claimed and a bit underwhelming, but I’ve no real issue with anything else. Cardiff, as ever, follows where ‘hip’ Americanised London places lead, but I think this place should do the biz for a while. A meal for two plus a bottle of house red was just under £50. NOEL GARDNER