Smokey Chance BBQ - Review - Culver City - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Smokey Chance is a barbecue stall near the back of Citizen Public Market, where the smell of brisket hits you before you see the counter. The menu is short—just a few sandwiches and nachos—but the correct move is to skip all that and order the brisket by the pound. The slices of meat take barely any effort from your teeth, and it's obvious they had a good night’s rest in the smoker. They no longer offer brisket platters, which is a shame because we’d much rather have their brisket on a tray with their potato salad than in a sandwich, where it gets lost under the salty condiments. Smokey Chance is only open on weekends (Friday to Sunday)—and that’s probably for the best, because this is food rich enough to slow you down the rest of the day. Food Rundown Brisket A La Carte The smoked meat here is sliced fresh at the counter (a good sign), and they might ask you if you prefer fatty or lean cuts (go with fatty unless you’re really committed to hitting your macros). As the name of this place suggests, the brisket tastes like it’s absorbed every molecule of oak and fire from a low and slow smoke session. Add a splash of their housemade barbecue sauce, which adds just enough tang to cut through the rich beef. photo credit: Cathy Park Brisket Cuban This is their most popular sandwich, but it’s a skip in our book. The brisket is shredded thin and buried under mustard, cheese, and jalapeños. It’s a drippy, salty situation where the condiments take over. photo credit: Cathy Park Smokey Cornbread This side outshines the sandwiches. It’s light and fluffy with a barely-there crunchy crust, like if someone baked a golden sponge. The Calabrian chili butter on top melts in and supplies a slow-building heat. photo credit: Cathy Park" - Cathy Park