Old Pit Beef Stand Finds New Home in Chase

Nick Sikalis and Jose Domenech understand that for any business to be successful, it needs to be in the right place at the right time with the right people.

In addition, one needs to mix that timing with hours and hours of tireless work behind the scenes. That's something Sikalis and Domenech have figured out as owners of Smoke House of Chase.

Everything was aligned at the right moment in time this spring when the pair moved Smoke House from its longtime home in a small shack next to By the Docks to a fully enclosed building just a short distance away at 3007A Eastern Boulevard.

Sikalis and Domenech explained their initial decision to buy the existing pit beef stand simply: “One Saturday afternoon, we were bored,” said Domenech.

So they drove around looking for something to do. They ended up owning the Smoke House. They’re still on that ride, and it’s just as wild as it was when they went searching for something to do that Saturday about a decade ago.

At the time, the Smoke House was operating in a 200-square-foot stand near By the Docks. Domenech repainted the exterior with a cow theme of black and white spots.

“I thought it would be a part-time thing,” said Domenech, who has worked at Middlesex Elementary School for 20 years, teaching fifth-graders. “I thought we’d make 10 sandwiches, then leave for the day."

Sikalis, who grew up in the restaurant business, knew otherwise, but the expected long hours suited his Type A personality.

“I’m a workaholic, and it's a good thing. It keeps me out of trouble,” he said.

Sikalis’ family owned The Golden Ring Inn, and the family lived in the apartment above the restaurant, so he was knowledgeable about the restaurant business from an early age.

“My parents believed that children could stand on a milk crate and wash dishes,” he said.

Over the years, Sikalis continued with the family business of running restaurants and clubs that relied on personal service and ambience. He went on to co-own Fallston Station, taking it from a struggling business to a thriving restaurant and club before selling it. He then worked for U.S. Foodservice, so he learned a lot about the food industry from many angles.

At the original Smoke House, rainstorms sometimes curtailed the usual crowd that waited outside at the window for a lunchtime order.

During those “downtimes,” when Sikalis was bored, he’d start creating something, and another special or menu item would be born.

This was the case with Smoke House's chili, which Sikalis created after having a craving for it. He tried to recreate his mother's recipe before tinkering with it, and what was a personal craving turned into a menu special and then a menu staple.

Sikalis and Domenech eventually lost their lease at the tiny original location this year, and for a time they had no real idea what they were going to do.

Fate stepped in again, said Domenech.

While Sikalis and Domenech were away on vacation, staying at the site of the movie The Shining, they decided to keep with the vacation's theme and spent time talking to a psychic.

It was another whim that turned into an opportunity, said Domenech.

“She told us that between March and May, something fun would happen,” he explained.

In May, they moved into their new, larger Smoke House space located just a few blocks from the original space. Sikalis designed kitchen space that customers could see from the counter. Domenech painted a cow mural on one wall to keep with their Smoke House brand idea, where the food is “udderly” delicious.

Now, they work 10-12 hour days serving 250-300 customers. The growing landscape has helped boost the business, as has their decision to add catering and parties to their services.

Companies can request box lunches for their employees, and Smoke House will bring everything to a family party to prepare a pit beef setup on site. With the parties and walk-in clients combined, they may serve 1,100-1,200 people a day.

When they’re not at work, they’re entertaining friends, family and employees in their Chase home. Or, they’re cooking at home for themselves or their dogs: Sonny, Cher and Tinkerbell.

"I really thought this would be a part-time job,” Domenech said. “And, like any business, it may have been a long shot, but it has turned into a wonderful opportunity.”

For Sikalis, it’s a lot of work, but it’s also a chance to tinker with new flavors and get people to try new foods.

“The day I come in and it’s not any fun anymore, it’s time to go,” he said.

Smoke House of Chase

Address: 3007A Eastern Blvd.

Phone Number: 410-780-0849

Hours: Sun.-Thurs.: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.