Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que – Matthews, NC (RE-REVIEW)

July 13, 2015July 11, 2015 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que
Location: 111 Matthews Station St, Matthews, NC 28105
Date: 6/28/15
Order: Monk: pork platter with two ribs, collards, and jalapeno cheese grits; Speedy: smoked wings, ribs platter with collards and Brunswick stew (link to menu)
Price: Monk: $17; Speedy: $20

Monk: As we’ve hit most of the Charlotte-area joints, you may start to notice that from time to time there will be some re-reviewing of joints that only one of us hit up the first time around. I went to Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que just over two years ago by myself, so I figured The Barbecue Bros should give this Alabama-style chain from Colorado another shot with Speedy in tow. Though Speedy assured me before hand that there would be no chicken and white sauce ordered by him.

It also gave us an opportunity to finally meet up with Big Wayner before he moved from the Charlotte area. Three-plus years ago as we were starting Barbecue Bros, I remember coming across Big Wayner BBQ and using it as a reference point for our blog. Wayne’s a super nice guy who is very knowledgeable about barbecue, and I wish it hadn’t taken so long for us to finally meet up with him.

Speedy: First off, let me say this. Big Wayner is the man. If I’ve met a nicer dude before, I couldn’t tell you when. If Wayner were a barbecue joint, I’d give him 5 hogs. But since he’s not, let’s talk about the real joint. I was skeptical of going to Moe’s based on previous reviews and other heresay. Honestly, it just sounded mediocre at best. However, while I was at a barbecue joint, I figured I’d order enough to understand the real deal, so I made sure to get ribs, pork, and smoked wings. Let’s start with the good: the smoked wings. These guys had great flavor, hinting at a great rub, and were cooked to the perfect level of tenderness. They weren’t too hot and overall, were very enjoyable. Moving on to the pork, however…

Monk: The pork was the saddest of the three meats we tried. It was dry and lacking in smoke and any bark or discernible flavor, even with the red sauce drizzled over it. I remember being pretty much the same way last time around and if I ever make it back I’ll go with wings or *gasp* chicken instead.

Speedy: Not so fast, Monk… the ribs were actually pretty decent. They had a nice bite, indicating they weren’t overcooked, and had a nice smoky flavor. And they were topped off with just the right amount of glaze – not over-sauced by any means, but adding a bit of flavor. These ribs weren’t the best I’ve had by any means, but I did enjoy them.

Monk: The sides were another low point of the meal. The jalapeno cheese grits were better than average but the collards lacked taste and Speedy couldn’t bring himself to finish his Brunswick stew. The platters come with cornbread and that was merely ok.

Speedy: Overall, this was a very mediocre barbecue experience. It took Big Wayner to get me out that far into the Charlotte suburbs (editor’s note: Speedy considers everything outside of a 2 mile radius from downtown a “suburb”), and I don’t regret going, but I won’t be making any trips out that way just to visit Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que anytime soon.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 2.5 hogs
Pork – 2.5 hogs
Ribs – 3.5 hogs
Wings – 3.5 hogs
Sides – 2 hogs
Overall – 2.5 hogs

The Smokin’ Pig – Williamston, SC

June 29, 2015June 26, 2015 / Barbecue Bros / 3 Comments

Name: The Smokin’ Pig
Date: 6/20/15
Address: 720 Anderson Drive, Williamston, SC
Order: Monk: Two meat combo plate with pulled pork and brisket, slaw, fries Speedy: Three meat combo plate with pulled pork, ribs and brisket, fries, okra (link to menu)
Price: $35

Speedy: Recently, Mrs. Monk and I planned a secret Atlanta trip to surprise a friend for her birthday as well as Monk for Father’s day. Knowing this would inevitably lead to eating some ‘cue while on the road, I asked former co-worker and friend of the blog Reid for some suggestions in the greater Greenville area. He came back with The Smokin’ Pig. Heading that way, Monk asked, “hey Speedy – does this guy know what he’s talking about?” My response: “Well, he does have a Green Egg.” And that was enough for Monk.

Monk: That’s exactly right, Speedy. I figured if he had a Green Egg then he was pretty darn credible as referrer of barbecue. Just as you always talk on and on about how Tyrion is a credible referrer of kings on Game of Thrones. The Smokin’ Pig has two locations, and driving south on I-85 the closest one to us at the time (albeit farther off the highway) was in Williamston. The other one is on the way to Clemson University and we overheard the waitress say to another booth that a third location was opening soon (though we didn’t hear where). On the side of the small brick establishment are an American flag and the large block letters “BBQ”. As soon as I saw this glorious sight, I knew we weren’t going to be let down by friend of the blog Reid (of the Green Egg). Just as Tyrion wasn’t let down by Varys, or so you always say.

Speedy: Don’t get me started on the Spider, Monk. We all know he has a tender heart under that smarmy, bald exterior. Anyhow, as everyone who’s been reading this blog knows, I love a good combo plate, so my order was easy. I had sworn off Carolina brisket previously, but I was feeling saucy (pun intended) so went for it anyway. In addition to pork and brisket, I was given the choice of wet or dry ribs. I opted for the dry.

Monk: Unlike Speedy, I try to be more in tune with my body and how much I can actually eat so I went for a two meat combo plate with pork and brisket. On looks alone, both were great. The brisket had a good peppery bark and was outstanding. Easily the best I’ve had in South Carolina, and it’s not even close. The pork, while maybe just a hair dry, was still tender with smoky chunks of bark mixed in. The pork stood pretty well on its own, but I as well as Speedy and Mrs. Monk added some of the scratch made vinegar sauce at the table (a house made mustard and a more ketchupy sauce were also available). I almost started to say that this was the best pork I’ve had in South Carolina before Speedy reminded me that I’ve been to Scott’s. Still, after that it is way better than anything else we’ve tried.

Speedy: I agree with all of that. The brisket was way better than I expected and the bark on the pork really helped it shine. Like the other meats, the ribs had a good amount of smoke and great flavor from the awesome dry rub. I thought they were just a little bit over cooked and the membrane on cooking style is not my preference, but overall, this is a very good baby back rib. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending any of the meats to anyone going.

Monk: For some reason, the first thing I reached for on my plate was a fry and as standard as they were, they had some great seasoning and were a signal of things to come. The slaw was a white slaw and was good not great. I didn’t finish either, focusing on the meat, but both were fine. The oddity here was the butter-topped yeast roll that came with the combo platters as opposed to corn bread of some sort. Sucker for a yeast roll that I am (I see you, Quincy’s), this was a good one but I couldn’t help but feel it was a little out of place at a barbecue joint

Speedy: Overall, this was a really great ‘cue meal. The Smokin’ Pig is a bit in the middle of nowhere, but it was a great find. I’m really interested in trying other the other location (soon to be locations!) and may have found a go to spot on the road to Atlanta.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 4 hogs
Pork – 3.5 hogs
Brisket – 4 hogs
Ribs – 4 hogs
Sides – 3 hogs
Overall – 4 hogs

Midwood Smokehouse – Charlotte, NC (Ballantyne)

June 1, 2015June 5, 2015 / Barbecue Bros / 3 Comments

Name: Midwood Smokehouse (Ballantyne)
Date: 5/22/15
Address: 12410 Johnston Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
Order: Pig Out combo platter (pulled pork, sausage, ribs, and brisket), collards, and barbecue slaw; Burnt ends platter with mac and cheese and hush puppies (link to menu)
Price: $35

Monk: In a complete coincidence, Speedy and I went to a Midwood Smokehouse on the weekend of our blog-a-versary, just as we did last year. This time the occasion was Midwood’s first expansion into the south Charlotte neighborhood of Ballantyne. Ballantyne has a deserved reputation of being a haven for chain restaurants and while Midwood is fully into expansion mode with future locations announced or expected in Columbia, SC and Huntersville/Mooresville, it was a welcome sight for the Monk clan as we have recently moved to south Charlotte, albeit 12-15 minutes northeast of Ballantyne.

Speedy: And a royal pain in the neck for Speedy who hates getting anywhere near South Carolina during rush hour. However, as our dear readers know, we’ll do anything for good ‘cue. And for this anniversary trip, we brought along Yelp god Dan, a fellow High Pointer turned food critic extraordinaire. Seriously – this guy Yelps more than Jon Snow broods on Game of Thrones (update: Dan’s review here).

Monk: In addition to being an elite Yelper, Dan is also asian and thus takes a ton of photos. Which came in handy since I forgot to bring my camera on this trip. So big ups to Dan for all of the photos in this post. I must say, it was a nice change to just kick back and enjoy the food without worrying about photos.

As for the food, in order to give him a taste of the full range of meats available, we ordered a Pig Out combo plus a burnt ends platter. For their second location, Midwood has utilized an Oyler smoker pretty much identical to the one at the Central Ave. location. Having been open for about 3 weeks, I expected the food to be pretty consistent between the two locations.

Speedy: And consistent it was. The dry ribs were perfectly cooked. Tender without falling off the bone and flawlessly seasoned. The rub really made these bad boys. The ribs might have even been better than I remember. The sausage was good, but didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I felt like maybe it was slightly overcooked, as it was a little drier than I like. But I’m nit-picking a bit – it was still good.

Monk: One thing that was different from Central was that the sausage came out whole as opposed to being pre-sliced for us. May have been an oversight but I guess it’s worth mentioning. My one gripe with the pork was that it was a fairly small portion but it was the eastern style pork I am accustomed to at Midwood. Finally, the brisket was maybe a little below par, but seeing as they were recently named the #6 brisket outside of Texas by The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America (not to mention I’ve personally experienced their greatness), I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Speedy: The burnt ends have been a staple for me at the other location since they became a consistent menu item. I think they’re great. The sauce is sweet, but not overly, and the meat is tender and flavorful. We don’t get burnt ends too often here in NC, so I love having a place close by that does such a credible job.

Monk: One thing worth mentioning is that owner Frank Scibelli, who I briefly said hi to as he was patrolling the dinner crowd, isn’t thrilled with their current burnt end recipe and seemed to be considering making a change as he found them to be too sweet. We’ll have to see if that actually happens and whether that changes Speedy’s mind any.

As with (most of) the meats, the sides were consistent between the two locations. I had no complaints, nor did any stand above what I was expecting.

Speedy: Overall, the quality of the food (and overall experience) at the Ballantyne location was pretty consistent with the Plaza Midwood location, which is a good thing. In the midst of the Chain Restaurant Mecca, I feel confident saying one of the best meals you can find is at Midwood Smokehouse.

Monk: We’ve considered giving Midwood Smokehouse a 4 hog rating in the past, but with this one I think we’ve got to do it. 4 hogs it is.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3.5 hogs
Pork – 4 hogs
Brisket – 3.5 hogs
Ribs – 4 hogs
Sausage – 3.5 hogs
Burnt Ends – 4 hogs
Sides – 3.5 hogs
Overall – 4 hogs

Terry Black’s Barbecue – Austin, TX

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 / Barbecue Bros / Leave a comment

Name: Terry Black’s Barbecue
Date: 4/6/15
Location: 1003 Barton Springs Road, Austin TX 78704
Order: 1 lb moist brisket, half a jalapeno and cheddar sausage, 1 side of cream corn, tea (link to menu)
Bill: $30

Rudy: Terry Black’s opened up this past year in Austin and has tried to piggy-back off the Black’s name, which is synonymous with barbecue in central Texas. Terry Black is from the Black’s Family in Lockhart and his son’s have started this venture in an attempt to use the family name to attract customers. I wanted to try Terry Black’s to see how it compared to the original. Truth is, it did not compare nearly as well, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good.

I started with the brisket, which had a thick bark and lots of flavor. I got the end piece, so I was able to taste lots of smoke and seasoning. However there was not a great consistency to the meat and the fat was not evenly rendered, leaving parts of the fat uneaten on the plate. Probably a good thing for me overall to not eat all the fat, but it took away some of the flavoring to the meat.

The sausage was great. I always like getting jalapeno and cheddar sausage because the spice and the creamy cheese create a great mixture. This was no different, and probably the best thing I had.

Monk: The brisket is a given, but when I make it back out to central Texas I look forward to trying all of the different types of sausage. I’d say its sneakily one of my favorite smoked meats.

Rudy: I agree. Sausage is usually my favorite too because they are so different everywhere and usually very good. Most times they are my part of my standard order.

Speedy: Rudy, I must say I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t tackle the beef rib. After the experience at Black’s, I feel like that would’ve been my number one priority.

Rudy: I understand, the two problems with the beef ribs are that they are so expensive and they are so big that you don’t have room for anything else.

Monk: Which brings up a good question. As for your “standard order” – I may be mistaken but it doesn’t seem you always go for the so-called “Texas Trinity” of brisket, sausage, and ribs (beef or pork). Is it a matter of preference (and possibly stomach space) or moreso economics?

Rudy: A little of both. Brisket prices are getting out of control here, so ordering a meal and trying multiple meats starts to get expensive. It’s not like getting a barbecue sandwich or plate in NC. I could order small portions of each but I feel strange ordering 1 rib, ¼ pound of brisket and part of a sausage. I just made a decision when I started that I was always going to try and get brisket and sausage and judge as many places on the same criteria. However there are times that I do get ribs (beef or pork) just to mix it up and try something new.

Terry Black’s, like Black’s in Lockhart serves their sides in a cafeteria style. I opted for the cream corn, which was fine, but nothing great. With all the sides just sitting out under the heat lamps, it’s not the most appetizing, but they do have many more selections that most other barbecue restaurants.

Overall, Terry Black’s Barbecue is not great, but it is pretty good. The parts that I liked the most, and will probably keep me coming back, is that there was plenty of parking, seating, and the line moved fast, meaning you get your food quickly. I know those factors shouldn’t be the biggest selling points to a restaurant, but when there are many other places in the city that have 1-6 hour waits, being able to get in and get above average barbecue without a huge hassle is a big bonus.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3 Hog
Brisket – 3 Hogs
Sausage – 3.5 Hogs
Sides – 3 Hog
Overall – 3 Hogs

Barbecue Bros

Barbecue Travels in NC & Beyond

Speedy

Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que – Matthews, NC (RE-REVIEW)

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The Smokin’ Pig – Williamston, SC

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Midwood Smokehouse – Charlotte, NC (Ballantyne)

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Terry Black’s Barbecue – Austin, TX

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