barbeque Archives - NC Triangle Dining

July 1, 2017 by Ron Wen

First Take: Smok’t BBQ and Taps in Cary

Pros

Large dining room with patio
Great sides – Sweet potatoes, baked beans
Decent brisket, sausage

Cons

Pulled pork, bland
Busy plaza location

As a huge fan of smoked meats, it happens to be one of those culinary areas where the Triangle is lacking. Not that you can’t get good NC barbeque but smoked brisket? Great ribs? That’s a lot harder to find. So a little while back I ran into a news tid-bit about the new Smok’t BBQ and Taps coming to Cary. Part of the Rudino’s group of restaurants, they were converting one restaurant into a smoked meats emporium. And I admit I was a bit skeptical but wanted to keep an open mind since I’ve never eaten at Rudino’s. So off I go for a first lunch at the new Smok’t BBQ and Taps down on Davis Drive!

Smok’t BBQ & Taps Ambiance and Interior

Dining room at Smok't BBQ & Taps in Cary - NC Triangle Dining — Dining room at Smok’t BBQ & Taps in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

Located at the busy Davis and High House intersection, Smok’t sits quietly in the same plaza as the H-Mart Korean supermarket. From the outside it doesn’t look like much, but inside there’s plenty of space! Two large dining rooms and a patio gives you room to stretch out in, decor is pretty basic cafe-style. I head on over to the back bar to grab my lunch. There’s a handful of high-def screens throughout the space showing off a variety of sports. The closest comparison I’d have for Smok’t is Bare Bones in downtown Raleigh. Part barbeque restaurant, part brew pub with some sports bar thrown in for good measure.

Smok’t BBQ & Taps Food and Menu

The menu at Smok’t is pretty small but there’s plenty to choose from. A handful of starters and salads, a choice of smoked meat sandwiches and a selection of meat platters that come with two sides, each. The meats range from pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, sausage, ham, turkey, tofu and mushroom. And the usual selection of sides to go with yo meat! (baked beans, green beans, mac n cheese, potato salad, slaw, collards and more). Given it’s my first visit, I order up a three-meat combo along with sweet potato casserole and Smok’t baked beans for my sides.

Three meat plate at Smok't BBQ & Taps in Cary - NC Triangle Dining — Three meat plate at Smok’t BBQ & Taps in Cary – NC Triangle Dining

It’s pretty quiet at Smok’t for lunch given how new the place is. It takes about 10 minutes for my food to come out and it’s a good looking tray for $16.49 with a good mix of smoked meats and carbs, yum! There are four thinnish slices of brisket with a bit of fat-cap, a seared spicy sausage and heap of finely chopped pork. I start off with the sides and a bit thumbs up here! The beans are tender and tangy, spiked with a bit of brisket of meat to provide some savory, dee-licious! And the sweet potato is wonderfully flavorful and sweet with some chopped nuts for crunch. Both sides are generously sized along with the cornbread. Working through the meats, I’d have to say the brisket and sausage were the highlights with the pork running a bit bland and too finely shredded. Smok’t offers up 3 barbeque sauces here and you should definitely add some vinegar to that pork.

Service at the Smok’t bar was fine but given the size of the space, curious to see what it’s like when the place gets busy. Smok’t also has a lovely wood deck patio for hanging out when the weather is nice so a big thumbs up here. Overall I was pleasantly surprised with my meal here. While the smoked meats were pretty decent, I’d have to say the sides are what really shines to me, so far. And given it was lunch I didn’t dig into the beer selection but I’m assuming it’s pretty good given the name of the place. So looking forward to visit #2, Smok’t! You’re off to a strong start, looking forward to digging into the rest of your mighty, meaty menu…

Smok’t BBQ & Taps

1937 High House Road

Cary, NC 27519

919.481.6775

Location on Google maps

October 8, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Bare Bones in Raleigh for Great Eats and Meats

Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

If you’re a fan of smoked meats and barbeque, you know the usual Raleigh favorites: The Pit, Clyde Coopers and Dickey’s (just kidding about that last one). But let’s face it, there’s NEVER really enough good barbeque so let’s welcome the new Bare Bones to the Oak City. Part of the Eschelon Restaurant group, Bare Bones sits on the corner of Fayetteville and Martin Street in downtown Raleigh. Located in the old Zinda space, you won’t recognize the location any more. Bare Bones is all about meat, beer and sports, a veritable man-cave on steroids! But here’s why it works really well…

Bar at Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Given that Bare Bones has only been open for a week, I was pretty impressed by the crowd inside on a Friday night. Noisy, energetic and brash, Bare Bones has a lot of interesting nooks and crannies to the space. We stop by the hostess kiosk up front and peer inside. Bare Bones still has a long bar (from Zinda) but it looks about the opposite of what it used to be. Weathered metal stools, beer bottles perched on a back-shelf and TV screens showing off the day’s games. Pretty rustic and worn instead of the glitzy, clubby Zinda. We’ve got a table for two in the back room and on the walk over, spy a shuffleboard table, pool table and other table games.

Sauces at Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

In the back room, things are a bit quieter but we’ve got some dart boards behind us continuing the game theme at Bare Bones. A trio of metal wire baskets sits on the table holding three types of barbeque sauce (Piedmont, Rouge and a Mustard) representing the key flavors of sauce in the Carolinas. The menu is basic and done up Texas barbeque style. A handful of appetizers and then you order your meat by the pound (or increments). Choose from brisket, hot links, ribs, pork and more, we go with the first three on this visit along with some “burnt end fritos” for our starter.

Fritos with brisket app at Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining — Burnt end Fritos at Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The burnt ends fritos come out and I’m in love right away. If you’re not familiar with “burnt ends”, they are the ends of the brisket which have extra spice, smokiness and flavor due to all the exposed surface area. So for the burnt ends fritos, we’re really talking about nachos drizzled with double cheese sauce and chunked brisket. And covered with a bit of lettuce and chopped tomato for good measure, yum! Served on an aluminum sheet pan, the crisp nachos, rich cheese and savory brisket makes for a wonderful starter. I’ve been looking for nachos as good as Tyler’s Carolina nachos and Bare Bones brings it to the nachos game. Definitely try the burnt end fritos if you’re a nachos fan and not counting calories.

Brisket, slaw and hot link at Bare Bones in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Next up is our meats and sides served up with some pickled peppers and white slice bread. (Texas-style would have added some pickle slices but oh well!) The ribs are nicely charred and fall off the bone. Nice tender pork overall and great with a hit of barbeque sauce at the table. The brisket is solid but not my favorite, it has a decent fat cap left on it and it’s tasty but a bit short on flavor. The hot link is a very nice spicy sausage that’s just like what I got down on my visit to Austin, TX. Rounding out the meal was an excellent au gratin mac n cheese, some decent cole slaw and collards. Overall the food here at Bare Bones totally hits the mark if you’re in caveman mode.

While service at Bare Bones was a bit hit or miss, it’s way too early in the game to make a judgement there. I’ll have to come back once things settle down to really see how the front of the house is running but the food is on the mark, right now. And you can bet those brisket nachos will be on my table again come visit #2! So nice job Bare Bones. While you may not be fancy, it’s durn good meat and sides right out of the gate…

Bare Bones

301 Fayetteville Street, Suite 120

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.825.0995

Location on Google maps

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June 9, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

News: The Spirited Pig Summer Shindig Returns to Carolina Ale House, June 25th!

It’s that time of year again. When delicious barbeque, refreshing beer and flavorful bourbon take over the fantastic patio at Carolina Ale House on S. Glenwood for the 2nd annual Spirited Pig Summer Shindig! I had the chance to check out this event last year and it’s a lot of fun and deliciousness wrapped into one afternoon.

Sample great beer from six breweries: Aviator Brewing Company, Lonerider, Raleigh Brewing Company, Deep River Brewing Company, Top Of The Hill and Double Barley Brewing. Nosh on porky small plates from Carolina Ale house and sip on some smooth bourbon to raise money for Stop Hunger Now! Along with all this great food and sipping drinks you’ll be entertained by the jams of 40 Love and a cool photo booth. And yeah, that great Carolina Ale House patio for some fresh air and sunshine, eh?

The 2nd Annual Summer Shindig goes down on Saturday, June 25th from 12 to 4pm for $35 per person and 10% of proceeds will go to support Stop Hunger Now. It’s a fun and delicious way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon in my opinion. More details below including how to get your tickets for this special event!

2016 Spirited Pig Summer Shindig

Carolina Ale House, Downtown Raleigh

June 25 from 12 to 4pm

Tickets- $35 ($40, day of event)

Location on Google maps

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May 23, 2016 by Ron Wen 4 Comments

Media: City Barbeque Comes to S. Durham Offering Great Smoked Meats!

Front of City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

You can bet I was excited when I got the invite to the media preview for the new City Barbeque in Durham! I’ve chased down que in Lexington, brisket in Texas and ribs in St. Louis but it’s always great to have a local spot for delicious barbeque. And as a fan of City Barbeque in Cary, I knew their food was pretty darn good but I welcomed the opportunity to be reminded of their great smoked meats and Southern eats, one more time!

Dining room at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Order area at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Up front I meet up with Corey, the regional marketing manager for City Barbeque. It looks like there will be a dozen or so lucky bloggers and media people here for the preview event. From the outside, the new Durham location looks very similar to Cary: low squat ranch-style building with rough-hewn wood giving the exterior a Texas feel. Inside you’ll find the order and meat prep area where your meals are made to order. A humble dining room paneled with barn wood where you can grab your drink, condiments and sides, City Barbeque has some great local touches here. Banners from all the local schools are pinned overhead, sports memorabilia and even some stadium seating from the old Durham Bulls Ballpark are up near the ceiling rafters!

Frank and Tim from City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Patio at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Up front our preview event is kicking off and we’re greeted by City Barbeque’s General Manager, Tim Zombech and Director of Training, Frank Pizzo. We’re given some backdrop on the City Barbeque story, (founded in 1999, 25+ company locations in OH, KY, IN with 3 in NC) and their passion for bringing all the great barbeque styles across the country for your dining pleasure.

Smoked brisket at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

After their presentation we set off on our restaurant tour starting off with the meat prep area. On the counter I spy two beautiful looking hunks of meat, a smoked brisket and pork butt. The meat is smoked for 12+ hours covered in the secret City Barbeque rub and it smells great! The brisket is cut against the grain for max tenderness and I’m pretty much salivating as samples are passed around. A quick taste and you get the happy eye-roll when the meat and fat hits your tongue, yum! Note that City Barbeque is not just a restaurant but can easily cater your group and corporate events.

Briskets in smoker at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Our next stop is the smokers. City Barbeque uses gas-fired beasties along with a lot of local hickory wood for a milder smoke flavor. It’s fun watching the briskets and ribs rotate on their racks covered in bark and one rib rack is pulled out to sample. Some sauce is slathered on and the bone I’m given is great! Good pink smoke ring around the edges and it’s cooked to tear off the bone consistency. Note: If you like burnt ends, try the Double Smoked Brisket TaQos!

Kitchen at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Next up is the kitchen where they cook up favorite sides like potato salad, corn pudding, mac and cheese, hush puppies and more. City Barbeque Durham will also be doing local seasonal sides just for their location. And let’s face it, good meat needs to be paired up with great sides to make the meal complete, awesome! And in back of City Barbeque we’re brought to the wood loading side of the smokers where there’s plenty of hickory wood (from Hickory, NC) stacked up to give the meat that great flavor. As you can guess, we’re all pretty much starving now and ready to eat!

City Sampler plate at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

The group heads into the dining room and we’ve got a fantastic display of City Barbeque’s plates and sandwiches. They’ve got the City Sampler, over-flowing with brisket, sausage and turkey, a great looking More Cowbell sammich with brisket, peppers, onions and provolone along with a beautiful smoked pork butt with fat cap on display. And then we head to our tables where the feasting begins!

More Cowbell sammich at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Chicken and ribs at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

We start off our meal with a large plate of smoked chicken and a slab of ribs, delish! The chicken is juicy and tender with a dark rub that works well. While the City Barbeque rub looks a bit dark and heavy, it’s actually got a mellow and milder flavor to it. We move to a plump, spicy sausage and great looking sliced turkey. The sausage reminds me of what I tried in Texas (beef-pork) and the turkey has a very visible smoke ring on the edges indicative of the low and slow smoking method.

Corn pudding at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

But of course man and woman can not live on meat alone. I sample quite a few of their sides and loved the crisp hush puppies and corn pudding. City Barbeque’s corn pudding does the custard and corn but adds crispy corn bread crumble on top, nice! The mac n cheese is also quite good with tangy cheddar flavor and the potato salad is super fresh, well-prepared and with a hint of sweetness. We end with a tasty peach cobbler for dessert, a perfect finish for barbeque…

Peach cobbler at City Barbeque in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

And as you can guess, we were all stuffed silly at this point and time. Boxes are handed out and leftovers are packed up in doggie bags (Thankfully I have no dog! Uhm, leftovers…) Thanks are extended to the City Barbeque team for throwing such a wonderful and filling media event for us. I’ve had the chance to eat on my own dime at the City Barbeque in Cary and my experience for this preview mirrors my meals there. City Barbeque is doing well above-average smoked meats with excellent quick-casual services. With meals in the $7 to $16 range, you should be able to enjoy their perfectly smoked meats and fresh sides without breaking the bank. So enjoy, enjoy it Durham! City Barbeque opens today (Sunday, 5/22). You’ve got a new contender on the list for best barbeque and smoked meats for the Bull City…

City Barbeque Durham

208 W. Hwy 54

Durham, NC 27513

919.237.9509

Location on Google maps