The Place 

An ode to the American backyard BBQ – but with Chinese nuances – Smokey Project opened in the old Fan Tang food court space on Yanping Lu just over a month ago, serving up a roster of slow-roasted brisket, ribs, BBQ sides, and the like. 

The story goes that a group of American-born Chinese working in different industries here in Shanghai regularly got together to host BBQs, craving a taste of their individual upbringings in the American South. 

After a growing number of successful events, they decided to invest together and open their own shop, with Taiwanese-born F&B veteran Shorty Wu (previously of Chill Out) as the manager. 

The firepower comes from an Alto-Shaam Combi oven, one that took six months to get through customs. 

“It was worth every minute of the wait,” insists Wu, flipping a Cajun spice-dusted fry into her mouth. 

The oven combines convection and steam cooking through charcoal and electric means to produce the highest quality meat, monitored to the exact temperature to control consistently melt-in-your-mouth beef, regardless of Shanghai’s widely varying weather conditions. 

In short, get excited to sneak a peek at that meat. 

The Food 

Not unlike the famed BBQ shops dotting the map from North Carolina to Texas, China’s very own Tabasco rep – Chef Ken Jin – came up with his secret BBQ marinade recipe based on experiences across numerous trips to the USA, which spawned his deep-rooted love for all things seared meats. 

The one ingredient he will share with us that’s in his meaty magic formula – and no surprise here – Tabasco. 

For now, the mains are all US Choice Beef – ribs, brisket, and pulled beef – in multi-consumable forms. 

Said meat can be found between two buns as a sandwich, topped on a burger, rolled into a taco, plated atop a veg salad or rice bowl, or – most traditionally – served straight up on a beef-laden platter, borderline still moo-ing. 

Beginning with the signature dish, the Chef’s Special Smoked Brisket (RMB78/150 grams), is marinated for 24 hours in a typical American South BBQ blend, with a smattering of Asian spices thrown into the mix – star anise, clove, and Japanese sake, to name but a few – then slow-roasted in that Combi oven for 18 hours. 

The result? 

A gloriously tender slab of beef, generously pleated with thick globules of buttery, rendered fat in dense pleats, reminiscent of hongshaorou in the meat-to-fat ratio.

Note: If you prefer a trimmed cut, the comparatively leaner pulled beef will be more your jam.

As to appeal more to the local taste – one that tends to be averse to overly smoky notes – the meat isn’t overpowered by the marinade or charcoal, leaving room for diners to choose amongst the four homemade sauces – BBQ, cocktail, smoky hot mayo, and spicy – for amping up the flavor. 

The sauces are a major selling point; a favorite amongst diners for mixing and matching on whatever is ordered. By popular demand, plans are in the works to manufacture them in larger quantities so they can be purchased by the bottle to bring home.

By weekend reservation only, the U.S. Choice Smoked Beef Ribs (RMB268/350 grams) are encased in a gloriously crunchy bark – the charred crust that forms on the outside of the meat from the caramelized sugar, rendered fat and smoke that cooks on the surface – one that, in our humble opinion, is powerful enough to warrant our “no-sauce-necessary” seal of approval. 

A Fred Flintstone worthy dinosaur bone, this behemoth is scored for easier teeth-to-meat ripping, the glossy pleats slinking away effortlessly from the bone.  

Aside from the main event, there’s also some noteworthy sausages that showcase that signature snap, available in four selections – cheese, German-style Thuringian, Italian, and black pepper – or try all four as the Sausage Platter (RMB78). 

If massive meat plates don’t fit into your mid-day plans (not all of us have the luxury of taking an afternoon nap), there are smaller, “breadier” options – Smokey Pulled Beef Sandwich (RMB38), and Smoked Sausage Sandwich (RMB35)…

… a Tex-Mex-style Smokey Pulled Beef Taco (RMB32) wrapped in a flour tortilla and topped with crispy tortilla chips and SP Signature Brisket Burger (RMB68).

Plus there are Salad Bowls (RMB65/Pulled Beef, RMB68/Smoked Brisket), as well as Super Bowls (RMB68/Pulled Beef, RMB72/Smoked Brisket) with turmeric rice, avocado, soft-boiled egg, red peppers, cauliflower, corn kernels, and chopped nuts.

The sides skew towards the Chinese palate rather than the more conventional macaroni and cheese, corn bread and baked beans.

Think chipotle sauce-slathered Smoked Spicy Corn (RMB20), strawberry oil and vinegar tossed Coleslaw (RMB18), Shichimi Cauliflower (RMB18), Grilled Squash and Pumpkin (RMB18), and Cajun Chips (RMB20) aka French fries.

Named after the team of shareholders that realized their “dream” of opening a BBQ joint in Shanghai, the Dream Boys Platter (RMB388) is everything you want from a BBQ joint and then some – 150 grams of smoked brisket, two pulled beef tacos, two smoked sausages, US Choice Smoked Beef Ribs, four sides, and two pieces of Texas Toast. 

Or, if you’re looking for a solo set, opt for the moderate Fatboy Slim (RMB128) – 150 grams of smoked brisket, pulled beef taco, two smoked sausages, and two sides. 

The menu will expand in the coming weeks to include chicken wings, pork ribs, and a few more sides, and they are opening their own bakery to supply buns and toast to go along with the meat – ones that can also be purchased for takeaway. 

The Vibe 

Like a BBQ drive-thru, Smokey Project has counter seating for 10, plus a few bench seats outside (for after the sweltering heat passes). 

It’s moreso a grab-and-go or delivery spot, fitting for a quick pop-in rather than a date night.

Because the theatrics take place in the Combi oven, you’re not going to find flame-spouting showmanship, but instead a neighborhood diner feel with a wafting of smoky meats pleasantly filling the air. 

For diehard BBQ enthusiasts, the marinade falls neither in the vinegar-forward North Carolina and Memphis category, nor in the beef-heavy later evolution that is Texas and Kansas City BBQ.

It refuses to be pigeon-holed, pulling elements from the entire region plus local Chinese spices for a less smoky, lushui-esque (卤水) flavor profile that is distinctly – and pridefully – a representation of its own Shanghai identity. 

Price: RMB38-128
Who’s Going: BBQ connoisseurs, the Wuding & Yanping Lu contingency, #grilling followers
Good For: Satisfying BBQ cravings, OD-ing on meat, confirming your decision in being a carnivore 

Smokey Project, 98A Yanping Lu, by Xinzha Lu, 延平路98A号, 近新闸路.