One reason I love eating barbecue– besides that fact
that I can’t get enough of good sauce – is that you can order these massive
platters and literally try everything on the menu in one sitting; all the while
sharing those many varieties of smoked meats and chicken with a group of
people. BBQ is meant to be a social
experience, a shared experience and an experience served with a lot of sauce
and a lot of booze. Smoke hit on all cylinders with a very fun and casual
atmosphere (downstairs – no wait service but they do have games!), coupled with
tasty bbq options, great sauces, a healthy bar selection AND even a very robust
VEGETARIAN/VEGAN menu so EVERYONE can participate in the fun. It’s really a great idea that I wish I
thought of, and Smoke executes it well.
Along with a simple ordering strategy (Platter for 2
shared by 3 people), there is only one picture since everything fit on the same
plate. The platter for 2 (which could really serve 4 easy) includes a half rack
of ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausage, half chicken and choice of four sides
(we went with sweet potato fires, grilled asparagus, cole slaw and cheddar
jalapeño grits). The sauces available include a regular, spicy, special
habanero and something else I can’t remember because I only used the spicy and
habanero. They were all delicious and I especially appreciate a BBQ master that
loves a good spice with the sauce. I really love good, thick, spicy bbq sauce
and they did a tremendous job.
My favorite cuts of meat include the brisket and sausage
(and I’m not normally a sausage guy). The pulled pork was also very nice and I
had a few good bites of chicken. The ribs definitely disappointed and I only
ate one. Way too tough for my likening and the wet rub wasn’t nearly as good as
the bbq sauce available. Everyone agree the sweet potato fries were some of the
best ever had, and I enjoyed my few bites of the cheddar grits – though they
are so rich and dense I could only do a few. The asparagus and cole slaw were
standard fare.
That sums up my experience downstairs with a nice group
of seven friends enjoying a casual Friday night BBQ meal with drinks and
awesome sauce. I don’t know what the dining experience is like upstairs but so
long as the food tastes just as good, you can’t go wrong. Smoke and Barrel is
definitely worth checking out, especially since you can bring both meat and
non-meat eaters along for the ride.
