Boney’s Smokehouse – Denver, CO

August 22, 2013August 1, 2014 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Boney’s Smokehouse
Date: 8/9/13
Address: 1543 Champa St., Denver, CO 80202
Order: Monk: 2 Meat Platter (pulled pork, brisket) with collards and hush puppies; Speedy: 3 Meat Platter (pulled pork, hot links, brisket) with fried okra and hush puppies, 2 rib bones, 10 smoked wings (link to menu)
Price: $44 (yea, it was a lot of food)

Monk: Once in Denver on our aforementioned annual guys trip (Rudy, you were missed), Speedy and I insisted that the group try one barbecue restaurant despite Denver’s reputation for not having good barbecue.(*) After a quick Yelp search, we decided on Boney’s Smokehouse in the Central Business District in downtown Denver.

(*) Quick side story: the night before we ate at Billy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs – which was awesome – and asked a manager there where to find good barbecue and he noted with a straight face “Go to Texas.” That recommendation doesn’t necessarily apply to us, but point taken.

Speedy: Boney’s is located in a basement of a larger building smack in the middle of downtown Denver. However, it’s a big space, so it didn’t feel too claustrophobic, save for the low ceilings. It was a little dark, but all in all, a pleasant atmosphere. We waited in a short line to order at a cashier (where one can preview other plates being prepared) and placed our orders. We had to go to the bar separately to order beers, but there was a decent selection of local beers on draft, so this was no problem. We were given a number and picked our table where we waited for the food.

Monk: Having the small stomach that I do and knowing that we would be drinking beer the rest of the day, I went with the 2 meat platter. Curiously, both mine and Speedy’s platters came pre-sauced where everyone else’s in our party did not. The pork was moist and smoky and tender and was surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the brisket was quite dry and really just not good, more resembling roast beef.

Speedy: The ribs were served with a dry rub and no sauce. While I often like this style, I thought they really lacked flavor and needed to be sauced. And while I don’t like my ribs to literally fall off the bone, these could have been a little more tender. I wasn’t upset I got them at $2.50 a bone (and with Monk paying!), but I’m glad I didn’t get a whole order. The wings were sub-par and were the worst part of the meal (along with the brisket). They were definitely smoked, but the skin outside was too crispy – to the point that it was tough. My guess is that it was smoked at a higher heat than I’d like. Not really worth ordering. I did, however, really enjoy the sausage. While everyone who tried it in our group also enjoyed, some were saying, “well it’s tough to mess up sausage.” I couldn’t disagree more. To me, sausage can be made in so many different ways that it can be very good or very bad. This sausage had a good flavor and was smoked well, though it didn’t have the trademark juiciness that I look for in a great sausage – possibly due to being pre-cut. It probably was my favorite part of the meal.

Monk: The hush puppies and cornbread, presumably of the same cornmeal mixture, were both surprisingly good, as were the collards which did not taste as if they were taken out of a can.

Speedy: When I ordered the fried okra, the cashier told me I made a “great choice.” My guess is that people around those parts don’t eat a lot of fried okra. However, I am a seasoned expert in all things okra. As such, while I definitely enjoyed it, the okra didn’t stand out from any I’d had before. It was good, and I’d recommend that others order it, it did not exceed expectations.

Monk: After finishing our meal and talking through our thoughts on the barbecue with our buddies, we took an informal poll and none of us were that upset that we went to this barbecue establishment. The food was fine and not particularly offensive, but it just wasn’t great – not that our expectations were too high to begin with. As it turns out, Boney’s Smokehouse exactly lived up to the reputation of Denver barbecue.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3.5 Hogs
Pork – 3.5 Hogs
Brisket – 2 hogs
Ribs – 2.5 hogs
Sausage – 3.5 hogs
Wings – 2 hogs
Sides – 2.5 Hogs
Overall – 3 Hogs

The Barbecue Center – Lexington, NC

August 15, 2013January 19, 2016 / Barbecue Bros / 2 Comments

Name: The Barbecue Center
Date: 8/8/13
Address: 900 N Main St., Lexington, NC 27292
Order: Chopped pork plate with fries, slaw, hush puppies and a Cheerwine (link to menu)
Price: $10.14

Monk: On our way to fly out of Greensboro for our annual guys trip, Speedy and I took the opportunity to check out a joint in Lexington that is on the NC Historic Barbecue Trail but which neither of us had been to – The Barbecue Center. I personally must have passed within a half mile of it literally hundreds of times heading to and from Charlotte without knowing it was there. Nevertheless, I was excited.

Speedy: Like Monk, I had never been though I’d heard tale of some locals claiming it as their favorite joint in town, which in Lexington is a big deal. (I later found out the reason I never went growing up: when telling Mama Speedy about my lunch locale, she replied with a scoff, “why’d you go there? Monk’s is right around the corner.”)

Pulling in, things looked really good, as there’s a large smokehouse outside and piles of hickory wood. The large smokehouse was not active upon our noon arrival. Additionally, there was hickory wood outside of the kitchen in the main building, which was going, as there was a strong, glorious smoke smell present as we entered the building.

Monk: In addition to the smell, you could see thin veil of smoke wafting in the dining room, so I was definitely encouraged. We grabbed a small two-person booth as the lunch rush started to come in and before too long the waitress had taken our order. As is standard, we each ordered a chopped pork plate (with extra outside brown) that came with fries, slaw, and hush puppies and of course, a Cheerwine to top it all off.

Speedy: The meal looked fantastic – exactly as a barbecue meal should. I bit into the pork and noticed a definite smoke flavor. It was also perfectly tender. I think my biggest problem was with the dip, which seemed a little heavy on the ketchup, making it sweeter than I like.

Monk: The outside brown was very present in the pork, which I agree was very good. The oblong hush puppies were really good and almost as sweet as I like them to be, though not quite. The red slaw wasn’t quite as tangy as I normally like, and I know Speedy had some issues.

Speedy: My love of red slaw is well documented around these parts, but again, the dip really held it back for me. The cabbage was chopped perfectly, but I was just overwhelmed by the sweetness of the dip. Was it better than mayo based cole slaw? Of course. But it just wasn’t up to what I expected in the town of Lexington.

Monk: All in all, I was glad we were able to finally check out The Barbecue Center. It’s former owner Sonny Conrad (who recently passed away in June) was a barbecue icon and was one of six restaurant owners who started The Barbecue Festival in Lexington, the largest one-day festival in the state of NC. Conrad was so iconic, in fact, that he always presented the first barbecue sandwich of the festival to the mayor of Lexington. As for the food itself…

Speedy: It was very good. In fact, if The Barbecue Center were in Charlotte, I’d probably go eat there all the time. But it’s not in Charlotte, and there’s a higher standard in Lexington. At the end of the day, Mama Speedy was right – why waste your time when Monk’s place is just around the corner?

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 Hogs
Pork – 4 Hogs
Sides – 3.5 Hogs
Overall – 4 Hogs

McKoy’s Smokehouse and Saloon – Charlotte, NC

August 5, 2013July 6, 2022 / Barbecue Bros / 1 Comment

Name: McKoy’s Smokehouse and Saloon
Date: 8/2/13
Location: 4630 Old Pineville Road, Charlotte, NC 28217
Order: BBQ pork platter with slaw and fries (link to menu)
Bill: $10.99

Still in search of the best barbecue in Charlotte, McKoy’s Smokehouse had actually come up in conversation with a friend a few weeks back whose co-worker recommended it to him as one of the better places in Charlotte. Not the strongest of reasons for going – “um, a coworker of a friend sorta recommended it” – but whatever we’ll go with it.

Stepping out of the car, I did get a nice whiff of smoke which is always nice to see/smell as you are walking up to a joint. Once seated inside, I noted that there are a handful of barbecue options under the “Vittles” section of the menu – pulled pork, “award-winning” St. Louis ribs, half bbq chicken, and pit-smoked pot roast – but naturally we judge NC joints on pulled pork so that’s what I went with. Interestingly, according to the menu the pulled pork is “smoked for 14 hours over pecan wood” which is a bit odd for NC where most places use hickory, oak, or a mix of both.

The pulled pork came out moist and with nice pieces of bark but really lacked any flavor or smoke. The table sauces were a vinegar-based sauce and a thicker Kansas City-style sauce, and really the vinegar sauce worked best but still the pork just ultimately lacked flavor.

The sides – mayo-based slaw and fries – were average and I really don’t need to waste too much space talking about them.

So yea, McKoy’s Smokehouse and Saloon is definitely not in the conversation of the best barbecue in the Charlotte – it’s really middle of the road at best. The decor is very much southern/biker/sports bar and grill and I could see it being a decent place to watch sports if you happen to be nearby, but for barbecue purposes feel free to head elsewhere.

-Monk

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 2.5 Hogs
Pork – 2.5 Hogs
Sides – 2.5 Hogs
Overall – 2.5 Hogs

Old Hickory House Restaurant – Charlotte, NC (CLOSED)

August 1, 2013July 7, 2015 / Barbecue Bros / 1 Comment

Name: Old Hickory House Restaurant
Date: 7/25/13
Location: 6538 N.Tryon St, Charlotte, NC, 28205
Order: Small pork plate with slaw and hush puppies (link to menu)
Bill: $11.19

In our review for Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, I stated that it is “pretty much the closest thing we have to a well-respected, old school barbecue joint.” Well, I may have misspoke a little bit because Old Hickory House Restaurant has been doing its own thing at its current location on North Tryon Street since 1956, 7 years before Bill Spoon’s even opened.

Despite its proximity to NoDa, it had actually been a number of years since I had eaten here. However, despite not remembering loving it at the time I was interested to see how it would stack up to the other Charlotte joints we have reviewed recently. In addition to its age, Old Hickory House does have a couple of things going for it – namely a wagon wheel-chic decor that looks like it hasn’t changed since it opened as well as the fact that you can see and smell the hickory smoke as soon as you open your car door in the parking lot.

Inside, I sat myself and ordered a very good sweet tea from the waitress (who has apparently been there for 15 years) and then a small pork plate with slaw and hush puppies. While waiting for my food, I couldn’t help but notice the small wood burning pit open for the entire dining room to see. I confirmed with the owner David Carter after my meal that he does cook over hickory logs and then also drove around back afterwards to check out the pile. So you see, its not just a clever name.

The meal comes quickly and one thing I hadn’t remembered was the side of Texas toast, a bit unusual for North Carolina. But ah, you see, this actually isn’t a North Carolina-style joint. According to Bob Garner’s Big Book of Barbecue, the Carter Family (who opened the restaurant in the 50’s and still run it today) has roots in Georgia and Alabama. So while you can order Brunswick stew, it won’t be North Carolina style. And while the slaw is mayo-based similar to eastern-style slaw, it contains dill instead of the normal pickle that eastern and Lexington have. And then you have the pork.

The pork itself is actually quite good, more minced than chopped and full of bark and smoke and moistness. But it is smothered in this peculiar reddish-brown barbecue sauce after it is spooned onto the plate which is a bit citrusy and tangy and unlike any sauce I’ve had before. And unfortunately, it isn’t really for me. I would have loved to have had the pork without the sauce (because from what I could tell it was really good) and if I ever go again I may ask for it on the side to use sparingly. The hush puppies were excellent and the slaw was pretty good. And I was fairly hungry so I ate the two slices of Texas toast provided.

All in all, not a bad meal at all. Just not the style of barbecue I usually prefer.

-Monk

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 Hogs
Pork – 3 Hogs
Sides – 3 Hogs
Overall – 3 Hogs