Boy meets grill
Veteran restaurateur chooses bohemia over retirement

Review by Alan A. Vernon
(with files from Don Douloff)
(Published July8, 2005)


The restaurant business is tough. So, one might think that after a quarter century of successfully selling Chinese cuisine to Toronto foodies, Frank Hsu might be thinking of retiring. No chance. The 60-year old responsible for places like Young Lok (1979-1999) and Soho's Big Bowl, which closed in 2003, could just as easily ridden off into the culinary sunset. But, Hsu is just not the retiring type.

Instead, he’s decided to embark on one of the biggest challenges of his career: Back Alley Woodfire Barbecue and Grill. Hsu spent a year researching woodfire cooking before collaborating with a Quebec expert to design not one, but four giant ovens: one for rotisserie barbecue, two for traditional grill barbecue and one for flatbreads.

Fuelled primarily by Canadian maple and oak, with some birch and cherry woods (just like the rib joints of Memphis and Nashville), these ovens add a lovely wood smoke aroma to Back Alley, and along Kensington Market’s Augusta Ave. And, you’ll love much of what comes out of these ovens, especially Hsu's irresistibly addictive scallion pancakes ($2.99) flecked with green onion and dipped into a house-made hot sauce that delivers carefully calibrated heat and flavour -- these alone make it worth a visit. But, bread and pancakes aside, the Back Alley is really about meat.

Textbook lamb kebabs ($11.99) are smoky with a nice, charred crustiness that stands up to, (if not surpasses) the best that Danforth has to offer. Plus, Hsu's house-made sweet and sour pomegranate/cherry sauce with chili and spices adds a nice depth charge. Even cod ($10.99) is given new life and flavour dimension in these ovens. Moist and flaky fillets are given a Mediterranean lift via herbs, crushed olives, garlic and red pepper. Skewers of shell-on shrimp ($13.99) are a tad overdone, but again, smokiness this good makes up for Back Alley's shortcomings.

Sauces are a forte for Hsu -- that is, if you discount a sugary plum that could easily be Wing's. But a chimichurri-like mix of minced coriander and parsley, green onion, scads of garlic, olive oil and lemon is the perfect topper for all grilled meats.

It's pretty fair to say that any woodfire grill cook must be able to master ribs. But Hsu only gets it right half the time. A combo ribs dinner ($12.99) plates three enormously meaty pork ribs that are strong on taste but tough on the jaw. In contrast, Miami-style thin-cut short ribs are as chewy as you'd expect. A deal breaker is the rubber-band toughness of a double steak ($10.99). The nightly special consists of two slabs of meat from beneath the top sirloin. Brazilians and Portuguese call it picanha; we call it raw. No South American or Portuguese would ever sink their teeth into something this rare. Completing the carnivore’s feast are lamb shoulder chops ($11.99) that, too, are tough but no less flavourful.

Even the salads that accompany the mains fare better than the iceberg disaster one expects at these prices. A hillock of chickpeas, giant white Romano beans and coleslaw atop a toss of romaine is all brought together with a balsamic vinaigrette tweaked with wine vinegar, lemon and herbs. But, Hsu must take drastic measures to avoid serving overcooked potatoes, undercooked carrots and broccoli.

To his credit, he also makes his own dessert. But, don’t judge this book by its cover. An ultra-soupy, coconut milk sticky rice with mango arrives steaming hot; unappealing presentation perhaps, but Hoovered in a hurry it is.

Are there other problems with Back Alley? Sure. It certainly isn’t the most attractive new restaurant. Clearly, Hsu put all his money in the stoves. So, don’t come to Back Alley expecting to be wowed by another trendy restaurant makeover. Expect a hideous colour scheme in a room that looks only half complete. That aside, we like that Hsu supports his local purveyors like Kensington's House of Spice, European Meats, and a Greek fishmonger. The only real concern is tough meat which might be remedied once the basement smokehouse gets fired up and he can cook his meats long and slow. Bottom line: Hsu is exactly where he wants to be, namely, the master of his own smokehouse. He's traded a life of leisure for 15-hour days. And, we’re sure grateful he has.

THE HOME CHEF - Stick to the ribs
The Globe and Mail

By LUCY WAVERMAN
Saturday, June 4, 2005 Page L12

Back Alley Woodfire BBQ and Grill in Toronto is the retirement project of chef Frank Hsu, owner of the now closed Young Lok Gardens (the first Chinese restaurant on Spadina).

Hsu is a master barbecue chef, and his heart's desire has long been to open a restaurant that specializes in grilling. When he got his chance, he designed huge, wood-burning brick grills/ovens (made especially for him in Quebec) and established this family-run, casual restaurant (188 Augusta St., in Kensington Market).

Back Alley specializes in Silk Road barbecue: Dishes such as Tea Smoked Duck, Afghan Kebabs, Mongolian Beef and Mediterranean grilled fish are named after stops on the ancient trade route. The menu also features Silk Road-inspired tapas and dumplings.

Mongolian Barbecue Ribs

Frank Hsu's Mongolian rib recipe is similar to traditional Korean short ribs (bulkogi), but spicier, thanks to cayenne pepper.

Buy Miami ribs (thinly sliced short ribs), or ask the butcher to cut larger ones down for you. Many Asian food stores sell the ribs already cut.

If you're not a fan of cayenne (it has a heat that stays with you), substitute 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce.

3 pounds beef short ribs, about 3/8-inch thick.

Marinade:

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons chopped green onion

3 tablespoons Chinese Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Garnish:

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Mix marinade ingredients together thoroughly.

Combine marinade and beef ribs in a shallow pan, mixing thoroughly with your hands. Transfer to a plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours (24 hours is best). Massage the plastic bag occasionally to help the marinade penetrate.

Grill beef ribs over medium heat for about 2 minutes a side until rare to medium rare. Don't overcook, as the ribs will toughen.

Lay rib strips on serving tray (cut between bones with scissors for easier eating or to serve as finger food). Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh coriander.

Beef Ribs

Without a doubt, these are my favourite ribs.They are cut from rib roasts; usually they come in a rack, sometimes they are available only as individual pieces (cook separate ribs for 5 minutes less).

Double the sauce if you want some for dipping.

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

4 racks beef ribs

Combine mustard, soy sauce, paprika, thyme, chili powder, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Brush over ribs. Marinate ribs for 2 hours (or up to 12 hours), refrigerated.

Preheat grill to high heat.

Grill ribs for about 10 minutes a side or until meat is slightly pink, brushing occasionally with marinade. Serves 6.

Pork Spareribs

The best way to make good pork spareribs is to precook the ribs in the oven until tender and then finish them on the grill. (You can also slow roast them on the grill wrapped in foil, but the oven wastes less fuel.)

Barbecue sauce:

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

½ cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ cup beer or ale

1 cup store-bought barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Ribs:

3 racks pork back ribs

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Combine sauce ingredients and simmer in a pot over medium heat for 10 minutes or until flavours come together. Place ribs in a baking dish and cover with half of the sauce. (Reserve remainder for dip.) Add ½ cup water.

Cover dish tightly and cook ribs for 1½ to 2 hours, or until fork-tender. Remove from oven.

Drain baking juice into a pot and bring to boil. Boil until reduced by half. Paint liquid onto ribs and grill for 20 minutes, basting and turning meat twice. Ribs should be glazed with sauce.

Serve with reserved sauce on the side. Serves 4.

lwaverman@globeandmail.ca

MAMMOTH WOODFIRE OVEN

LIGHTS UP KENSINGTON Market’s

RESTAURANT SCENE

For Immediate Release: May 18, 2005

Toronto, Ontario: What do Peking Roast Duck, Afgan kebabs and grilled calamari have in common? All these Silk Road inspired delicacies are emerging -piping hot - from the city’s largest custom-made, brick ovens at the newly opened BackAlley Woodfire BBQ & Grill at 188 Augusta Avenue near Baldwin Street. Soft opening on Nov. 28, 2004.

Step up to the food counter and enjoy the show as BackAlley’s grill jockeys fill different wood-fired ovens with an array of smoked flavoured culinary delights. Watch as yard-long skewers of lamb kebabs, fresh, whole, spice-rubbed fish and chicken sizzle over flaming wood pits. As well, enjoy the just-out-of-the-oven naan, foccacia, pita bread and sesame-encrusted Beijing xao bing. Taste the succulence of quail, lamb, and ribs (Pork and Beef) that have just been pulled from the oven’s rotisserie- after a long, slow, flavour-induced roast over maple and oak wood fires. All these items are ready for takeout from the on-site market/bakery.

“I’ve always loved the intense, smoky flavours of wood-fired cooked food” says chef Frank Hsu, adding, “With BackAlley, I am able to bring back the traditional way of BBQ enjoyed since the Silk Road era.”

Hsu collaborated with a renowned masonry oven builder in Quebec to custom-build what is possibly the largest and most innovative woodfire oven design in North America comprised of 20-foot -long row of four, intergrated, brick ovens, reaching nearly seven feet in height, and all dedicating to the traditional arts of flatbread making, open fire skewered (stick) grilling, back-burner pot roast and woodfire pit rotisserie. Unique firebox design allows clean efficient combustion using renewable fuels. Special insulation keeps the heat in, allowing comfortable environment for the cooks to perform what is normally an outdoor task indoor all seasons long.

With more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant business, Hsu knows how to deliver unique flavours at affordable prices - a guiding principle of the former “Young Lok” restaurant where he and his wife/partner, Irene Shen, attracted a huge following of faithful patrons. As co-founder of the Dragon Ball, an annual fund-raising event for the “Yee Hong Villa Nursing Home”, and the official caterer to the Grand Opening of AGO and “Barn” Exhibit for thousands of guests in the 90s, Hsu and Irene Shen have continued to make culinary history in Toronto.

At BackAlley Woodfire BBQ, over a dozen mezze (appetizers) selections – from grilled octopus to roasted vegetables will be served. For lunch, guests can select from the Chef’s daily market specials. Takeouts are available throughout day.

“I’ll be scouring the market for the freshest, healthiest and most exotic foods that I can find,” commented Hsu, who has already teamed up with many of Kensington Market’s vendors to produce a “true” fresh market ingredients driven menu on a daily basis.

Also at the back of the restaurant is a large, 100-car City Parking lot which can be entered from Bellevue Street (half a block west of Augusta Ave.) This parking lot is linked by a walkway which leads directly to the BackAlley’s front door. After 6:00p.m. parking is free for restaurant patrons who present their lower portion of their parking receipts from this parking lot to restaurant management.

Seating accommodation at the BackAlley Woodfire BBQ is 100 (including private party for 30 guests downstairs). The restaurant will be licensed in the new year. Open Tuesday through Sunday – 11:30a.m.until 11:00p.m. except Sundays until 9:00p.m.

Closed on Mondays

For more information contact: Irene Shen at(416) 831-7795.