Intriguing collaborations
Devon’s Pop Smoke teams up with breweries, revamps menu
Devon’s Pop Smoke has been busy adding, changing and growing since opening in January.
The wood-fired grill and draft house, which is located at 6001 Osuna NE, now features 32 beers on tap and has plans to add 12 more. In addition to Bosque Brewing Company, Boxing Bear Brewing Co., Canteen Brewhouse, La Cumbre Brewing Co., and Steel Bender Brewyard it recently added Red Door Brewing Co. and Tractor Brewing Co. beers to the mix. Devon’s also is in talks with Sierra Blanca Brewing Co. in hopes of having some of its beers on tap.
Owner Jeremy Dow is planning a big Memorial Day weekend celebration with Boxing Bear and La Cumbre, which will benefit veterans.
“We’re working with Boxing Bear right now for May 26 to do an event here and then on the 27th and 28th with La Cumbre,” he said. “So really I want to take that whole Memorial weekend and make it a three-day block party here. And that’s when I want to introduce potentially one of the charities that
I want to work with for veterans.”
The Memorial Day weekend celebration is a few weeks away but Devon’s is currently celebrating its new menu and new executive chef Matthew D. Robinson.
Robinson grew up in Albuquerque and started working in a kitchen at age 15. Robinson took his first chef job in his early 20s and worked in Albuquerque and Santa Fe before moving to California in 2003. Robinson recently moved back to Albuquerque when Dow, his friend since high school, presented the opportunity.
Robinson’s menu features plenty for all palates and diets.
“It’s globally influenced but locally inspired meaning that you come in and I’ve got Asian Bao buns with pork belly stuffed in it and the next appetizer is Mediterranean octopus,” Robinson said. “So I’ve got a whole lot of stuff coming from all over the place.”
The wood fire grills remain the focal point at Devon’s.
“What makes the grills phenomenal is the fact that it is live fire,” Robinson said. “To me everything that I do technical wise is stuff that was created back in the day. Fermenting came about because they didn’t have refrigerators back in that day. Curing with salt was because they didn’t have refrigerators back in the day. Pickling came about because it was a way to sustain things. So for me the primal aspect of food is the most beautiful part.”
Robinson’s Bao buns feature kimchi made in-house. The house chorizo, which is cured in-house, is featured in the chilaquiles on the all-day Sunday brunch menu. The dish also contains red chile, queso fresco, cilantro, a sunny-side egg and avocado mousse.
An impressive pork dish on the menu is the pork tomahawk. The pork, which comes from Dow’s family ranch in Chilili, is butchered in-house.
“It’s good with the XO Sauce,” Robinson said. “It’s kind of my play on the surf and turf because the XO sauce basically translates to fancy sauce. It’s an Asian sauce made from fish sauce and dried shrimp. It adds a little saltiness.”
Patrons seeking something hearty without meat can get just that with the grilled halloumi, which is a cheese from Cyprus.
“It has a high melting point so you can actually grill, sear, do whatever you want,” Robinson said. “So that’s my vegetarian option. I put that over forbidden rice and I actually grill the block of cheese like I would meat on the grill. It is from Cyprus Island so it’s a Greek goat cheese mixed with cow (cheese). It’s delicious.”