When I was in town for a blood donation, I decided to visit Belly Up BBQ as a way to both replenish…read moremy iron levels and try a new-to-me restaurant.
There was a small surge of BBQ places in Halifax in the 2010s, and while that eventually died down, it's good to see the trend spread elsewhere to add new kinds of cuisine to other areas of the province.
The interior is spacious, with a bar at one end, a section with several booths, and even more tables beyond that. The décor isn't over-the-top with southern US kitsch like many barbecue joints and could easily pass for a regular bar and grill.
Normally when I try a BBQ place for a first time, I go all-in on a sampler platter to try as many of the smoked meats as possible. Alas, Belly Up is the only BBQ place that I've been to that doesn't have this option. As a result, I went with the beef brisket platter since that's more unique to Belly Up, and things like ribs and pulled pork can be found at many restaurants these days.
It wasn't too too busy when I arrived and most people were already eating, so my food arrived in quick order.
The brisket came as two long, thick slices, and the broad layer of fat on top told me I was getting the fatty end of the brisket. There was a bit of a smoke ring around the edges, although I didn't find that it had a prominently smoky flavour. It was spot-on for tenderness though - the meat broke apart easily, but didn't crumble from being overcooked, and each bite was tender and juicy. You get a choice of a few different sauces with your meat (which is served entirely on the side) and the chipotle sauce was savoury and not *too* sweet, but again, I'd prefer a heavier level of smokiness from the namesake pepper.
You get two different sides with each entrée, so again I went with some of the more unique options - the corn fritters and the apple coleslaw.
The corn fritters were very well executed - crisp on the outside, fluffy and moist on the inside, and with a hint of sweetness. The ginger and jalapeno honey sauce that came with them was also a surprise hit, with a good balance of sweetness and subtle layer of heat.
I generally prefer a vinegar-based dressing for my coleslaw to cut through the rich dishes that it's often paired with, but I still enjoyed Belly Up's apple slaw. The additional crunch and sweetness of the julienned apples brought some complexity to what is often the most forgettable part of a meal, and honestly it's just nice to see a slaw that's done in-house instead of coming out of a five-gallon bucket from Sysco.
Service was friendly and attentive throughout my meal.
There's definitely some tweaks that Belly Up could do to polish their BBQ game, but it's a still a solid option for something different in the food scene in Truro.
