Food truck travels: West End Smokey

Who they are:

Nelson Andre, owner and grill master of West End Smokey, grew up in a home where some form of grilling was always happening. To Andre, he had always been involved in smoking meat, and opening his own food truck was a natural progression. He began purchasing the necessary tools to start his own food truck.

The planning for this new business was a long time coming. It was a new experience working with the various departments within the City of Kingston to get approval, but, as Andre told me, they were all top notch to deal with.

A delay of several weeks put the business behind, but the original opening date for West End Smokey would have come during one of the many torrential rainstorms Kingston has had in the last month.

Nelson is the true definition of a pit boss, working the smoker from midnight until the food truck closes, adding wood to keep the fires burning and perfecting the meat for maximum deliciousness.

Where are they: 731 Development Drive in the Atkinson Home Hardware parking lot, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

My Experience: There were two options on the menu when I visited West End Smokey: pulled pork and sausage. I opted for the sausage and sat down at one of the half dozen picnic tables to enjoy my meal. I am not a sausage fan because I am a weakling with spicy foods, and, in my experience, every sausage I have had feels like I am eating fire. Today would be different.

Biting into the sausage I was confronted with a mixture of flavours. From the saltiness of the meat to the hint of sweetness that no doubt came from the smoking process, I was in uncharted territory. I was loving every bite. My meal was gone within minutes. It was delicious.

There were hints of spice and heat but not overpowering, and as Andre informed me after the meal, he didn’t want to overdue the flavours. Rather the combination of hours of smoking, and the tastes picked up from the wood used in the smoking process has created the perfect sausage meal.

On the menu: Currently sausages and pulled pork. Chicken wings will be added soon, and thoughts of smoked salmon and corn on the cob in coming weeks and months.

Final Thoughts: West End Smokey is not in the centre of town, but it certainly is worth making a special trip to have lunch at this tasty food truck. I look forward to going back and trying more, and helping this new Kingston business out. Congratulations on your opening West End Smokey! I encourage everyone to stop by and sample some well cooked meals prepared by Nelson Andre.

Bill Gowsell was born and raised in Kingston. With an interest in history, food, wine, and all things Disney, Bill has been writing for the last eight years on a variety of topics. During the summers he can be found at the family cottage north of Kingston, or at the bottom of Lake Ontario… scuba diving.