Midwood Smokehouse – Charlotte, NC

June 5, 2012August 1, 2014 / Barbecue Bros / 2 Comments

Name: Midwood Smokehouse
Date: 6/1/12
Location: 1401 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC
Order: Smoked Wings, East vs West barbecue special, combo platter with brisket, sausage, st. louis style ribs, and smoked turkey, hush puppies, bbq slaw, baked beans, collards
Bill: Smoked wings – $8; East vs West barbecue special (included two sides + hush puppies) – $12; Combo platter (included two sides + hush puppies) – $28

Speedy: When I first heard that Midwood Smokehouse was opening back in 2011, I was pretty skeptical. After all, Charlotte isn’t exactly known for great barbecue. But it opened in one of my favorite areas of town, Plaza Midwood, so I definitely had to give it a try. All my doubts were erased from the first meal there, and it’s been my favorite Charlotte barbecue spot ever since.

Monk: May was “Bar-B-Que Month” at Midwood Smokehouse, and while I don’t particularly care for that spelling of barbecue, they had some great specials – Texas BBQ in week 1, Memphis ribs in week 2, and Kansas City burnt ends in week 3. Talk about great timing, week 4 happened to be East vs. West NC barbecue special – obviously right up the Barbecue Bros alley. And while Speedy and I had been to Midwood Smokehouse several times and considered it in our top 2 in Charlotte, this was the perfect time to go and write a review for the blog.

Rudy: This menu was celebrating their “Bar-B-Que Month”, but what types of barbecue do they normally serve? Or as some would say, “what are they known for?”

Monk: In terms of barbecue, they have a little bit of everything – eastern NC pork, texas style beef brisket, smoked turkey, smoked sausage, and bbq chicken. As for what they are known for…

Speedy: An interesting question that I’m not sure I know the answer to. Since it’s relatively new, I haven’t heard too many people talk about it that much, other than saying it’s good. Probably the pulled pork seems to be the most popular item, and my personal favorite. Anyhow, we arrived just before eight on a Friday night. Our party consisted of myself, Monk, Mrs. Monk, and my cousin Daniel, a foodie in his own right. Originally, we were told it would be a thirty minute wait, but someone must’ve told them that we were the Barbecue Bros and we weren’t messing around, we were seated after only 5.

Monk: LIKE BOSSES. Weekend nights tend to be busy at Midwood, and that night the restaurant was definitely buzzing – all of the tables were filled, there was no available seating at the bar, and several folks were trying to find a sliver of room at the bar to order a drink while they waited for tables. Speaking of the bar, Midwood Smokehouse usually has a nice selection of craft beers available on draft and bottle as well as decent specials to go with it. And yes, you can go cheap if that’s the way you prefer your beer. As for seating, there is both indoor and covered outdoor seating, and even a second outdoor level (which I have not yet been to). We were seated outside in the covered area, just minutes after rainstorm had swept through and cooled off the night just a bit. Things were off to a good start.

Speedy: Before long we were ready to order. We had decided that we would be able to have the biggest variety of meats if we ordered the East vs. West special and the combo platter which feeds 2-3 people, for Daniel, Monk, and myself to split. Mrs. Monk decided, however, to order a salad. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, MONK? YOU NEED TO GET CONTROL OF YOUR WOMAN. WHO ORDERS A SALAD AT A BARBECUE JOINT?

Rudy: By “order a salad” you mean that she ordered extra slaw? Like her two side items were slaw next to the barbecue?

Monk: I wish that were the case, Rudy. I think Mrs. Monk would defend her choice of salad by saying “but it had pulled pork on top!” but believe me when I say that we are working through these issues. But enough about our marriage, on to the barbecue.

Speedy: The first course was an order of smoked wings with a spicy barbecue sauce. As wings are my second favorite food (behind barbecue, of course) and I love spicy stuff, you could say that this was right in my wheelhouse. Though good, the wings were not the highlight of the meal. I feel that they could have used some more dry rub before smoking to help enhance the flavor and the sauce wasn’t spicy enough. Mrs. Monk was able to eat one without tearing up, which means the heat needed to man up a little. I’d recommend these wings, but it’s definitely not the reason to go. The pork, on the other hand…

Monk: If you aren’t aware, eastern NC barbecue is whole-hog, chopped barbecue with a vinegar based sauce (sometimes spicy) while western is pork shoulders, pulled barbecue with a tomato-based sauce that gives it a reddish hue.

Speedy: For some reason, the waiter felt the need to explain this to us like it was freakin’ amateur hour. Child, please.

Monk: I mean, seriously. We are the Barbecue Bros! For this special, Midwood added Highland Gaelic Ale from Asheville, NC brewery Highland to the western sauce. The western was fantastic and blew the eastern out of the water head to head. The eastern was chopped a little too fine for my preference, giving it a somewhat weird texture. However, don’t get me wrong – it was still pretty good.

Rudy: So the eastern would have been good by itself but when you ate it right next to the western, it was no contest, right?

Monk: Yea, pretty much. This was the first time I had eaten the two head to head and the difference was eye-opening.

Speedy: When ordering the brisket, we were asked if we wanted “fatty, lean, or a little of both.” Well, the last couple times I’ve had brisket, it’s been too fatty, so I ordered lean. This was probably a mistake. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no brisket expert – that’s why we have Rudy on the payroll – but overall, I was a little disappointed. The brisket showed up chopped, not sliced, and was not really that flavorful. Adding some of the provided sauce helped, but it was still average brisket at best. Similarly, the turkey had a nice texture, but was dry and was also reliant on the sauce (or provided cranberry relish) for flavor. The ribs were better. Tender and flavorful with plenty of sauce – I was definitely pleased with them.

Monk: My favorite of the other plate was the ribs followed by the sausage. I gotta say, the more and more I have it, the more I love smoked sausage (keep your jokes to yourself). It will never displace pulled pork or maybe even ribs, but its a solid number 3 for me, jockeying it out with brisket. I also dug that Speedy had the wherewithal to order an additional half-basket of hush puppies, because I don’t feel right eating barbecue without them and they are decent here, if not a bit small.

Rudy: I completely agree. I had not had smoked sausage until moving to Texas, and I love it. Some places will stuff them with jalapenos and cheese. My favorite types are the ones that kind of fall apart when you cut into them. That tells me they probably made the sausage themselves.

Speedy: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the slaw here is excellent. Chopped fine with just the right amount of vinegar. No mayonnaise to be seen in this slaw. It’s tangy flavor rises from within. All in all, I love this place. The atmosphere is good, the smoker on the side of the building is awesome, and the guys running the show actually know their ‘cue. I’ve never left Midwood Smokehouse without a full stomach and a smile on my face.

Monk: Agreed, Midwood Smokehouse is definitely my favorite barbecue spot in Charlotte. Their ‘cue isn’t amateur hour, and I especially dig the beer selection. Everyone I’ve taken to has enjoyed it, and it has become a dependable spot to take out of town guests. Also, that’s what she said!

Speedy: …

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 hogs
Pork – 4 hogs
Brisket – 2 hogs
Sausage – 3.5 hogs
Ribs – 3.5 hogs
Wings – 3 hogs
Turkey – 2 hogs
Sides – 3 hogs
Overall – 3.5 hogs

Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue – Richmond, VA

May 30, 2012August 1, 2014 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

[Editor’s note: After our Salt Lick review and now this one, we are only reviewing barbecue restaurants at which we eat from this point in time forward. Sadly, this will force us to revisit some of our favorite spots ever, but that’s just the life of a barbecue blogger…]

Name: Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue
Date: 5/11/2012
Location: 1119 North Boulevard W, Richmond, VA, 23230
Order: Monk: Pulled pork sandwich, hush puppies, Route 11 chips, Blue Point Hoptical Illusion; Speedy: Pulled pork sandwich, beef rib, cinnamon apples, hush puppies, Buz and Ned’s amber ale (link to menu)
Bill: Monk: ~$15 (with a beer); Speedy: ~$20

Monk: Inspired by this GQ article and the restaurant’s claim to be “the only real barbecue for 100 miles,” I suggested we make a stop in Richmond on our way to Washington, DC a few weeks back. Thankfully, everyone was game (not that it mattered, since I was driving and we were going regardless). Buz and Ned’s claim to being the “only real barbecue for 100 miles” is actually kind of funny, since it seemed to be specifically sticking it to Bill’s Barbecue, which has been in existence over 60 years longer and which we passed on the way to Buz and Ned’s.

Speedy: It actually became a great joke of the weekend, as we envisioned ourselves going into Bill’s yelling about the fake barbecue, overturning tables and yelling “Buz and Ned said you can GIT OUT” in a real southern twang. Trust me – it was funny in the moment. Anyhoo, the atmosphere at Buz and Ned’s is pretty interesting. There’s quite a bit of indoor seating, but also a small fenced off area out front under a giant tailgate tent with fake grass and a few picnic tables. Since it was a pleasant afternoon, this is where we chose to sit.

Monk: At Buz and Ned’s, you walk up to the window to place your order and then sit down and wait for your name to be called. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, hush puppies, and “Route 11 chips.” A few minutes later, my name was called and I brought my food out to the covered patio – a nice option on this aforementioned pleasant afternoon. The pulled pork sandwich was covered in a thick, sweet barbecue sauce, which wasn’t quite what I had expected. Still, it had good flavor even if its not the type of barbecue sandwich I would prefer to eat. The hush puppies were actually really good and the best part of the meal. I thought the chips might be house baked chips as opposed to pre-packaged chips, so I made a mistake there by not ordering a classic barbecue side item in the first place.

Speedy: Idiot…

Monk (hanging head in shame): Yea…

Speedy: Like a boss, I ordered two jumbo beef ribs to go with my sandwich and sides. Beef ribs aren’t generally my jam, but you could order these guys by the bone, so I had to try. And when I say jumbo beef ribs, I mean JUMBO BEEF RIBS. These guys were big, slathered in sauce, and delicious. They definitely could have been a bit more tender, but all in all, they were pretty good.

Monk: The ribs sure looked good, but you know, I have a tiny tummy…

Speedy: Yes, Monk, this is well-worn territory. Anyways, the sandwich was a little disappointing, especially since I SPECIFICALLY ASKED IF THE SLAW WAS VINEGAR BASED AND MY SANDWICH STILL HAD SOME NASTY MAYO BASED COLE SLAW ON TOP OF IT. Fortunately, it wasn’t too runny, so I was able to scrape it off and eat the pulled pork with a fork. Like Monk mentioned, the pulled pork itself was pretty good. Not my favorite style of sauce, but tasty none the less. The hush puppies were awesome, and the cinnamon apples were decent. All in all, a solid meal.

Monk: So we both weren’t displeased with our meals, but what’s our overall verdict? Do we consider this “real barbecue” that would cause us to vandalize Bill’s down the street in the name of the almighty Buz and Ned?

Speedy: Yeah, right. And if a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his ass when he hopped.

Monk: Speedy, that was a haiku. Excellent!

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3.5 hogs
Pork – 3 hogs
Brisket – N/A
Sausage – N/A
Ribs (beef) – 3 hogs
Sides – 2.5 hogs
Overall – 3 hogs

Bourdain NC quote

May 30, 2012August 1, 2014 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Let me make this clear: if I had one bite of barbecue left to eat on this earth, I’d probably go with some North Carolina whole hog.

Anthony Bourdain on episode 8-02 of “No Reservations,” ”Kansas City”

He also said as much in the March 2011 issue of Budget Travel magazine.

(via twoguns)

Bobbee-O’s BBQ – Charlotte, NC

May 25, 2012August 1, 2014 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Bobbee-O’s BBQ
Date: 5/25/12
Location: 8432 Old Statesville Road, Charlotte, NC
Order: Pulled Pork and Brisket platter with cole slaw and collards, half-rack of St. Louis ribs, 3 whole chicken wings (link to menu)
Bill: ~$30

Speedy: How’d you hear of this place?

Monk: I literally searched on Yelp for Charlotte’s best BBQ places, and this was #1 on the list.

Speedy: Haven’t you learned not to trust Yelpers when it comes to BBQ?

Monk (hanging head in shame): I have now.

Speedy: Regardless, it was a new place to try. I was actually pretty pumped when we walked into this place. It’s a hole-in-the wall joint in an obscure shopping center. It’s very understated inside, with just a couple of crappy tables and a cashier to take your order. If I’ve learned anything in my years of eating barbecue, it’s that the dumpier the place, the better the ‘cue. At least usually…

Monk: Taking a look at the menu, they had the barbecue mainstays – pulled pork, brisket, both St. Louis and baby back ribs, mac and cheese, collards, etc – but no hush puppies! How can a restaurant call rightfully call itself a barbecue joint with no hush puppies? However, unphased by this glaring omission, I ordered the pulled pork and brisket combo with sides of collards and cole slaw while Speedy ordered a half-rack of ribs, three chicken wings, and a corn-bread muffin. However, they were out of corn-bread muffins; another ominous sign…

Speedy: The food came out pretty promptly, and everything looked pretty appetizing, save the cole slaw.

Monk: Oh no, not this again…

Speedy: Everyone knows that barbecue slaw should be vinegar based! Mayonnaise just doesn’t belong in the barbecue world!

Monk: Don’t forget to tell them about the “wings”.

Speedy (now irate): Oh yeah! The wings were fried! If you call yourself a barbecue restaurant, and you have wings on the menu, they need to be smoked!

Monk: Speaking of smoked, did you see the smoker out back?

Speedy: No, I didn’t.

Monk: That’s because it doesn’t exist!

Speedy: I thought the flavor was a little lacking.

Monk: The pulled pork was decent enough. It was eastern NC-style, vinegar-based with a slight kick due to the use of red pepper flakes. But you know, it just didn’t have that smokey, charcoal flavor that I like to taste in my ‘cue. In terms of pulled pork, I would consider it passable.

Speedy: I thought the brisket was actually pretty good. The sauce fit well with the beef, and it was plenty tender. The cut wasn’t too fatty. Brisket isn’t exactly a North Carolina specialty, so all things considered, I thought this was the highlight of the meal.

Monk: The ribs were probably second best. They were tender and falling off the bone, and the sweet sauce nicely complemented the meat. But again, there just wasn’t that underlying smoke flavor to really bring it home.

Speedy: The collards were collards. Not much more to say about that. And though I didn’t have any, the cole slaw was disgusting.

Monk (rolling eyes): Eh – it was fine.

Speedy: I guess that’s pretty much it. Next time, keep the Yelp suggestions to yourself.

Monk (once again hanging head in shame): …

Ratings (out of 5 whole hogs):
Atmosphere/ambiance – 2 hogs
Pork – 2 hogs
Brisket – 3.5 hogs
Ribs – 3 hogs
Wings – 0 hogs
Sides – 1 hog
Overall – 2.5 hogs