Lou Dawg’s Celebrates Five Years

by Pandora Angelique Lee
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Lou Dawg's - Toronto

Lou Dawg’s Southern Sandwiches celebrated five years of smoked southern barbecue, southern hospitality, and good times on King West. One of the first smoke houses to open in downtown Toronto, Lou Dawg’s has established itself a great place for slow smoked meats, late night eats, and weekend Southern brunch.

Live New Orleans jazz, blues and country emanated from Lou Dawg’s King Street West location all day. Customers received a free Mighty Loutine (a pulled pork poutine featuring hand-cut fries topped with homemade gravy made from smoked chicken bones and fresh cheese curds and pulled pork) with the purchase of a Pistonhead Kustom Lager. Co-owner, Daryl D’Souza was seen tweeting on his iPhone, while co-owner and Executive Chef Sean Smith was in the kitchen smoking and roasting the meat.

Lou Dawg's - Toronto

Photograph by Ingrid Goh. Loutine and Pistonhead.

Named after Chef Sean Smith’s adopted dog, Lou Dawg’s opened in April 2009 and slowly rose to fame from word-of-mouth referrals. Social media marketing courtesy of D’Souza’s iPhone exponentially increased Lou Dawg’s popularity and revenues, allowing them to directly connect with good people and make new friends. New menu items are generally announced on Twitter and loyal followers who repeat secret tweeted words are rewarded with free grub. Foursquare users receive a free order of chili cheese fries with every third check-in.

Lou Dawg's Restaurant - Toronto

Photograph by Ingrid Goh. Manager Jeffrey and co-owner Daryl.

After opening their first location on King St West, Lou Dawg’s opened a second location on Gerrard St. just two years later.  The restaurant focuses on smoked southern barbecue and blues. Lou Dawg’s promises their customers that they serve good times and this is no lie. Good music, good people and good food are to be had at any time of the day. The King St. West location features #TangledUpinTheBlues on Tuesday, #NorthofNashville on Thursday, live music on Friday, and DJ Kenny Bounce on Saturday nights. The Tonettes light up Sunday brunch the first Sunday of every month. Good atmosphere is created by Lou Dawg’s genuine, down-to-earth, and likeable staff who are dedicated to the business.

Lou Dawg’s prides itself on quality food. Their fries are freshly cut each day; and their meat is smoked using wood chips from Jack Daniels barrels. They serve brunch, lunch, dinner, late night eats, and are also available for catering and weddings. All this started after a couple of guys thought it was their civic duty to provide people the opportunity to eat the pulled pork that Chef Sean Smith created. Lou Dawg’s has since served thousands of customers which have also included Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays, Deadmau5 and One Direction.

Not only are good times had at the restaurant, Lou Dawg’s also sponsors a number of house league softball teams downtown and is involved with the local community centre.

Lou Dawg's Restaurant - Toronto

Photograph by Ingrid Goh. St. Louis Style Ribs.

The highlight of Lou Dawg’s five year celebration was the slow rib eating contest which featured a full rack of St. Louis Style Ribs (slow smoked and finished with homemade Smoky BBQ sauce). We asked competitors how they prepared for the competition. Ryan said he had a 2-0 record in eating competitions (he had previously won pie eating and chicken wing eating contests). His strategy was that he had nothing to eat after his club sandwich at lunch. WeiJia said that he prepared by eating both breakfast and lunch and his strategy was using the typewriter method to eat the ribs. Kiefer indicated that it was his first eating competition. An avid pork lover, he said pacing himself would be key. Jenna said that she was previously a vegetarian and had not eaten ribs in over 10 years. Her strategy was to get drunk. Sarah said she randomly signed up (free ribs!) and her strategy was to just shove it in her mouth.

Lou Dawg's Restaurant - Fresh Print MagazineLou Dawg's Restaurant - Fresh Print MagazineLou Dawg's Restaurant Lou Dawg's Restaurant

Competitors started off strong and faces became smothered in sauce. Kiefer unfortunately could not find the right pace and had to bow out halfway through the competition. It was a close race between Ryan and WeiJia, but WeiJia pulled out ahead as the winner in the short time of 8:09.  He won a $100 credit from HAILO–the smartphone app that gets you a taxi when you want it, wherever you are.

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Lou Dawg's  Toronto

Photograph by Ingrid Goh. HAILO credits to the eating contest winner.

Here’s to more years of good food, good music, and good people.  Good times.

Lou Dawg's  Toronto - Ingrid Goh.

Photograph by Ingrid Goh.

 

 

 

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