As a rule, any restaurant that you walk into which has kitchen roll on the tables as standard, is likely to show you a good time. Smokies has two venues, one in Darwen and one in Chorley. As Chorley is nearer to me, we decided to try this one. 

I like that when you walk in, it already has a warm atmosphere, created by varying lighting, high ceilings, and lots of wood in the decor and furniture. In fact later in the evening, one of the owners would tell me that she loves upcycling, and the wood from the bar came from a Scottish distillery, and the tables throughout were made from old casks from the same distillery, simply sanded and oiled, and that what I thought was a table number on our table was in fact one of the original barrel numbers! I love a bit of provenance! I was surprised to find that the restaurant goes further back into another room, and even has another floor with even more seating for diners!

As we entered we were welcomed warmly by who I assume is one of the owners (mentioned above). She checked for our booking and pointed us to our table. Another member of staff brought our menus and explained about the specials menu, and specials on the chalkboards throughout the restaurant. 

The menu is a vegan's nightmare and a carnivore's wet dream! Delicious meaty starters and mains, a section dedicated to meat from the smoker, and even a couple of sharing platters all described in a way to make your mouth water before you get chance to order. This is a proper southern States style bbq joint, their mantra is "real food, real smoke, real slow", and despite that very much being accurate given their quality offerings, the prices are incredibly decent. We decided on the "couples platter" which was beef brisket, pulled pork, half a rack of ribs, chicken wings, home-made sausage, fries, coleslaw and beans... and it was just £20! In fact including the starter and drinks, the whole bill came to less than £35! CRAZY!

So before our platter main, we ordered some nachos as a starter. You know what nachos as a starter tends to look like if you go somewhere like Chiquito etc... about 6 doritos with a blob of melted coagulation-dried cheese and some jalapenos on top. We... weren't expecting what we got from Smokies! We got a huge tray full of nachos, covered in nacho cheese sauce, freshly made guacamole, pineapple salsa, (you also get jalapenos, but we asked for them without) with side pots of guacamole and sour cream. It made me swear when it arrived.

They were miles beyond the usual doritos-nachos starter you usually get. They were fresh, with perfect crunch, the salsa was fruity and fresh, the cheese was excellent, and it was incredibly moreish. We found ourselves even mopping up the tiny bits at the end with our fingers... thank god for that kitchen roll and wet wipes!

Our main platter arrives just after a side portion of fries each. I ordered plain with pitmaster's salt, and my partner ordered cheeseburger fries from the specials menu, which was the same fries but with bits of burger meat, cheese, and chipotle relish!  

They came with really lovely fresh coleslaw, and what he says as some of the best beans he's ever had... beans with brisket mixed in! HEAVEN! The fries themselves were hot, crisp, and perfectly seasoned. Absolutely perfect.

Then just as they arrived, we were brought out our platter! The owner I mentioned earlier then came over to us and explained to us fully about our platter, what meats were what, how the meats were prepared, down to information about the pink smoke ring on the brisket. It's really nice to see that amount of passion and enthusiasm go into food!

This platter was excellent. The sausage was flavourful with a spice which didn't get you at first, but which snuck up behind you and slapped you in the fact afterwards! The chicken wings were so tender that you could suck the meat off the bones. The pulled pork was absolutely perfect, and the brisket was so tender that I swear it literally melted in my mouth. This is the best brisket I've had! Even the pickled cucumber provided was pickled by them in brine using the flavours from the smoker, and was described as a 'palate cleanser' as it was fresh and tangy. Really good! I could imagine it on a burger quite easily! There were also their own blend of sauces on each table comprising of a sweet BBQ sauce, American style mustard, and Louisiana style hot sauce. I imagine they were lovely, but as the meat itself was so amazing as it was provided, I really didn't get chance to try them as they weren't needed! Maybe next time!

At the point I was about to try the ribs when the chef/pit-master came into the dining area, and was even introduced to us. When we talked to him about the quality of our meal, his enthusiasm and passion for the real deal of southern BBQ was evident, from how he does it and his smokers, to the difference between competition cooking and regular cooking. It was genuinely fascinating to hear, and as I said, a real treat to see someone excited about something they do.  Under the rib rack was a serrated knife. I picked it up and cut through the ribs, which promptly fell apart and off the bone as soon as they were touched. The chef laughed, "we provided a serrated knife for you there as a bit of a joke". He wasn't wrong! The meat on the ribs was so tender and juicy that I could've practically blown it off the bone if I'd let out a big sigh! As a special treat, the chef even brought us a taster of the burnt ends covered in their own J.D sauce, which were a real taste explosion! He should rename these, "THE VEGETARIAN CONVERTER!". 

We loved Smokies, and found the quality absolutely stellar, as well as truly friendly, professional and passionate staff who love what they do. We will absolutely definitely be returning!!

We could've gone for a cone or a tub, but we decided to look at the very tempting sundae menu, and both chose "Mr Toots" which was two flavours of ice cream of our choice, with some crunchy bits, cream, a cone, and a fab little sparkler. I had Creme Egg and Parma Violet, and my partner had Daim Bar and Jam Roly Poly. We loved the presentation, and agreed that they were delicious, and went down very well! They were also pretty good value compared to many other of the new boutique ice cream parlours that have popped up in recent times. 

The owner and staff when we were there were very friendly and welcoming, and as I enjoyed a pot of tea with a delicious home-made biscuit, I was able to watch another member of staff making fresh pancakes. There's something very pleasant about seeing it done fresh just for you! Coupling this with the value and quality of the offerings, and its location in Botany Bay with its free car park, I can guarantee that we'll be visiting again. I've got my eye on one of those colossal sized scones for next time! .... or that toffee fudge sundae... or maybe some pancakes. Oh god I don't know now!

*The winner this time round was Wham! bar! Yum!

And embrace it she has! As well as the delicious deli offerings, she also offers a dine-in menu of classics such as the Ploughman's pie or quiche, meat platters, cheese platters, and tapas selections, all at reasonable prices. You can even enjoy your lunch with a beer or a glass of wine.

Needless to say, it was a delicious lunch, and very filling. I even had to take some home with me. The quality of the ingredients and size of the portions are something Janice takes great pride in. She tells me her plans for future dishes and potential stock additions to the deli, as well as her plans to attend occasional food festivals to offer her products (including cakes), and promote the deli. 

So when you next find yourself in Chorley, or on the motorway zipping past that big Botany Bay mill, consider pulling in and giving Jippie's Deli a try for a nice lunch, or if you want to take home a pie and some delicious cheese. You'll thank me later. 

Jippie's Deli

Botany Bay

Botany Brow

Chorley

PR6 9AF

07850 014320