Bistro on B opens in Saskatoon with smoked meat and other delicacies

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Businesses and non-profit organizations regularly open and move in Saskatoon. Today the StarPhoenix talks to Cayle Anderson, who opened Bistro on B in Riversdale in February.

Anderson, aged 29, has been teaching himself the finer arts of smoking food for over a decade. Most of his meats are smoked for 16 hours, and he offers a combination of Texan and Mexican smokehouse food in a newly renovated French-style bistro setting. Indoor seating is available and outdoor patio seating is offered over the summer. He also has meal prep services for those that want to take home his selections.

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Q: What was your background before starting Bistro on B?

A: I have been cooking and smoking meat for myself at home for the past 10 years or so. I was learning how to do it and playing with everything. I threw a lot of meat out trying to learn. I love food. I love big cooking and making different flavours. My friends who tried my food, kept telling me I’ve got to open my own restaurant.

I ran a meal prep business out of my backyard for about two years. I got up to making about 900 meals a week. I lined up five different Traegers (grills) and I smoked everything from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., doing all my own dishes at home. I have worked as a cook at Brown’s Social House and a couple places in the city. I was a plumber also for 10 years before that. I went from hating plumbing to loving cooking.

Q: How would you describe the food at Bistro on B?

A: We are a smokehouse with a Tex-Mex twist. It’s a Texan smokehouse integrated with smokehouse Mexican food.

Q: Have you done a lot of renovations to get your smokehouse in place?

A: This building has come a long way from what it was, it was very run down. We had to jack up the whole building and redo everything. The only thing that’s the same is some of the structure. My mom owns the building and I own the bistro, which is the visual of a French bistro. We have seating for about 30, including an attractive patio area for the summer.

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Q: What types of items do you smoke?

A: I smoke brisket, pork bellies, pork shoulders, smoked hams and beef shoulder. I really can do anything. Everything gets smoked for 16 hours except for the pork belly burnt ends, that’s about eight hours. I’ve mastered how to cut the fat out of the meat, how to render it and wrap it.

I smoke the beef shoulder all night then I cut it up and cook it for another four hours in a consommé so it’s very flavourful, and use it for birria. We have birria tacos and birria grilled cheese. It’s a traditional Mexican meal.

Q: What are some other unique items on your menu?

A: The Cubano is a traditionally made sandwich with a little bit of a twist to it with pulled pork. It’s shaved ham and also shaved pork. Most people usually marinate the pork in a mojo sauce then roast and shave it. What I do is I smoke the pork and pull it, then I smoke the ham and put the pulled pork on the ham. Then I make a tangy mustard mojo sauce that goes on the sandwich, instead of marinating the meat. I get the smoked flavour from the smoker instead of the mojo in the meat. Then when I top it with that sauce, it really packs a punch.

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We also prepare a very tender brisket with Carolina mustard sauce as well, and it’s delicious. We use the brisket in sandwiches and tacos. Everything is made in house.

Q: What kinds of sides do you offer?

A: We have Mexican, apple and creamy coleslaw. The Mexican coleslaw has a chipotle lime sauce. The only difference between the apple and the regular coleslaw is there are chunks of apple — they use the same sweet, creamy coleslaw dressing. I’ll be adding a side of mac and cheese and the smoked beans are sweet and everyone loves them. They are smoked for about three hours and then cooked with beer.

Q: Are you introducing some other new menu items?

A: I am offering two new meals — a Memphis meat platter with all the different proteins and sides and I am going to introduce a honey butter cornbread as well.

Q: Do you have some unique drinks?

A: We have Brazilian lemonades, which nobody else has in the city. They’re a really refreshing summer drink. We have over 20 flavours and you can mix and match fruit syrup flavours to create your own.

Q: Do you have items for people with dietary restrictions?

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A: All my tacos are gluten free. I can do them all with corn tortillas. I’ve got some vegetarian meals — avocado toast and taco salad. And I can do a vegetarian taco with coleslaw, pickle and sauce.

Q: You offer some ready-made meal options?

A: People can order online and pick it up the next day. I have some construction businesses that pick up meal prep — like 100 meals at the beginning of the week. So they’re eating healthier meals.

Q: Do you offer desserts?

A: My girlfriend makes cheesecakes in house. There will always be a vanilla one and then there will be a flavour of the week.

Q: How did you decide on the name Bistro on B?

A: I was going to call it Smokey Bros, but that’s when it was very run down. My mom did a whole reno on the outside so we decided to do the inside as well and change the name to be a little bit more appropriate. Bistro on B had a nice ring to it.

I’m thinking about doing another sandwich shop one day, possibly in Brighton. If I could find a cool little location, then I would have Bistro on B already, and then open, Bistro in B. We’ll have a food truck Bistro on Wheels next summer as well.

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Q: What do you love most about owning Bistro on B?

A: Making people’s day happy with the food. Just seeing them eat my food is my biggest thing — how full they are and how good it looks with the portion sizes — knowing it’s something I created. I like getting good reviews and seeing people write good things about my food. Sometimes I get shivers and goosebumps. My buddy made a video with jazz on my Instagram with all of my food going out. That literally made me tear up. It was just heartwarming.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Bistro on B

Owner: Cayle Anderson
Address: 312 Avenue B South
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Closed Mondays
Phone: 306-665-0095
Website: www.bistro-on-b.com
Check: Facebook, Instagram

Have you recently started or moved a new business or non-profit organization in Saskatoon? We want to hear your story. Please email drice@postmedia.com

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