BBQgeek

Grand Champion BBQ - Marietta, GA

 
 
Coming Soon!

Barkers Red Hots - Roswell, GA

 

Barker's Red Hots recently opened their second location on King Rd, directly adjacent to Roswell High School, in Roswell, GA.  The restaurant has been in the works for some time now and represents Barker's first step towards franchisement.  I wrote a glowing review of Barkers the first time I visited their original location.  Everything that was excellent before is just as excellent now.  The hot dogs are still the best in the city, as are the onion rings.  The loganberry juice is still the city's most interesting non-alcoholic beverage and is the perfect accompaniment to a dog and rings.

What has changed for the better is the space.  Where the original Windy Hill location was intimate and sometimes crowded, the new Roswell location is roomy and comfortable.  One of the quirky and fun parts about Barker's has been the intense effort to recreate the sights, smells, and sounds of a  boardwalk. Glenn and Vivian maintained the boardwalk theme in the new location and even expanded on it a little bit.  In addition to the sound of seagulls that has always been a Barkers mainstay, there is now the sounds of a roller coaster full of screaming people as you exit the main dining room and head towards the restroom.  Continue reading Barkers Red Hots here....

Here we go again

Spring has sprung and hibernation time is over.  After a few months of downtime considering whether to continue this blogging thing my need to write has fired back up and I'm ready to rejoin the Internet.  In order to stoke the fire a bit this year I am going to change up my format a little and expand my horizons.  I've tried to make BBQ the axis on which this little blog turns.  While that might be enough for some it is not enough for me.  I'm going to throw open the gates and write about whatever is on my mind with regard to food and restaurants.  This should result in a few more restaurant reviews and substantially more recipes.  Books are going to make a debut this year.  I also plan to pen a series of posts entitled "On Blogging" that will explore some of the challenges faced in running a blog and being a part of the food and foodie community.  Hopefully I haven't lost too many of you in my self-imposed Internet exile and hopefully we will pick up a few new readers with the new format.

Heirloom Market BBQ Update

 I found myself puttering around GA 400 and 285 on Friday around lunch and decided it would be a good time to check in on Cody and Jiyeon at Heirloom Market BBQ.  At 12:30, every seat in the restaurant was taken.  Cody had a couple new faces working in the kitchen with him.  Jiyeon was managing the front of the house, expediting orders and greeting customers.  The vibe was exciting and sort of Christmasy.  I really like the little faux fireplace.  As far as food, the vegetables of the day were tempura sweet potato slices and brussel sprouts.  As you see above, I got the pulled pork sandwich, brunswick stew, and tempura sweet potatoes.  The pork was smokey and had nice bark.  I really like Cody's brunswick stew recipe.  Right now it is holding in a tie for second place (Pig n Chik still has my favorite).  I really enjoyed the fried sweet potato side.  The potoato was sliced thinly, battered and fried.  I passed my plate around the community table and let everyone sample them.  All agreed they were delicious.  My advice is to always sample one of Heirloom's daily vegetable specials when you visit.  This is where you get a little taste of Cody's chef background.  Probably the greatest part of my lunch was that I opted to try the kitchen BBQ sauce.  This sauce is not put out on the table, but you can order it with your BBQ.  It is a "fresh" BBQ sauce as opposed to the more standard table sauces.  This means it is made with a thicker tomato product.  Texturally, it is closer to spaghetti sauce than BBQ sauce.  I loved it because it was meaty, smokey, and spicey.  It had a noticeable heat to it (from jalapenos according to Cody).  From now on, this is the only sauce I'll be ordering at Heirloom.

All in all, things seem to be going very well for Cody and Jiyeon.  I still have to swing by for a longer interview and try a few more dishes so I can write up a full profile.  I had high hopes for Heirloom after my first visit and everything seems to be going right according to plan.  The restaurant seems to be settling into a solid groove.  All of the people that I spoke with at the community table loved their BBQ.  Most were very surprised at the quality of the sides.  This day, the cole slaw and the sweet potato were a big hit.  I'm really happy to see that Atlanta appears to be embracing Cody and Jiyeon's cooking.  I think they make a great addition to the Atlanta restaurant scene.

Note - if you take a look at the terrible iPhone picture below (apologies), you can spot the kitchen BBQ sauce on the left hand side behind the nice slice of brisket.  You can easily see the chunkier texture.  Awesome.

 

Happy 1st Birthday to Community Q

Tomorrow marks Community Q's first anniversary since opening its doors. Happy Birthday to you Community Q!  In a very short period of time, Community Q has joined the short list of metro Atlanta's very best BBQ destinations, placing it amongst such heavy hitters as Fox Bros., Dave Poe's, Pig-n-Chik, and  Sam's BBQ 1.  One of the things that I find most interesting about eating at Community Q is the daily special list.  I snapped the picture at left during today 's lunch.  While some specials like the kitchen sink and the redneck chicken salad appear so frequently as to be near de facto menu items, there are always a few extra veggie sides and the occassional soup available to take your BBQ experience to the next level.  Often times the daily veg specials are tied in to the farm fresh veggies available for purchase right next to the register.  As far as I know, Star Provisions/Bacchanalia and Community Q are the only restaurants in Atlanta to offer natural, local farm veggies for sale as take home items for their diners.  Today I was able to sample the smoked turkey that Community Q is adding to its menu in a limited capacity for the holiday season. It was extremely moist and had just the right amount of smoke.  If it is available for lunch or dinner on your next visit to Community, you MUST try it.  It's that good.   I saw a sign on the door stating that you can order turkeys or spiral hams for Thanksgiving (in fact, Community Q will be open for pre-order pickup from 10-12 on Thanksgiving Day).  In the past, I have ordered turkeys and hams from both Dave Poe's and Sam's BBQ1 in Marietta.  I can wholeheartedly endorse outsourcing in this manner.  In fact, I'm sure Dave and Sam are offering similar pre-orders for Gobbler day.  Take a tip from me and get your name on one of their lists soon.  The lists always sell out and for good reason.  You can give your family a holiday meal that they won't forget and you can take all the credit.

Heirloom Market BBQ

 
Situated in a cozy space adjacent to the Akers Mill Food Mart is the most recent addition to the metro Atlanta BBQ scene, Heirloom Market BBQ .  Lauched by Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee, Heirloom is wrapping up its first week of business.  In speaking with Cody several times in the run up to the opening, I learned that both he and Jiyeon have culinary backgrounds in fine dining (Repast and St. Regis, respectively) .  The menu will feature traditional BBQ dishes along with a rotating list of side dishes that bear a distinct chef touch.  Asian influences will also show up in subtle ways throughout the menu.  When I visited Heirloom today, there was a Korean BBQ short rib on the specials menu.  Given that Heirloom is just getting its legs underneath it, a review at this point would certainly be premature.  I intend to visit Cody and Jiyeon for the next few weeks and sample some of the other dishes that they intend to offer (pork belly, rib tips, burnt ends, etc.)  But the photos from today's visit came out so well, I could not stand to sit on them until I was ready to write a full profile.  Hopefully, they will get you excited about Heirloom Market and you'll pay them a visit (2243 Akers Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30339).

View the rest of the photos from Heirloom Market BBQ here....... 

 

 

Best of the Big A BBQ Voting Underway

I'm not sure how this fell of my radar, but the official voting window for the AJC's Best Barbecue opened on September 20th.  This year's field of six restaurants includes Community Q, Fox Bros., Fresh Aire, Swallow at the Hollow, Pig-n-chik, and (gag) Fatt Matt's.  You can cast your vote here.  In my humble estimation, the field of six is really a field of three, with the community's best BBQ easily identified.  Let's all band together as a community and make our voices heard.  Vote now.  Vote often.  Represent your community.

ATL Festival Weekend - ATL 2nd Annual BBQ Festival & Field of Greens

 
Atlanta's 2nd annual Bar-B-Q Festival takes place today at Atlantic Station.  This year's event is a new location for the festival.  From a quick examination of the website, it appears there will be several new BBQ vendors this year, including Fox Bros. BBQ and Jim & Nick's. Pro teams will also be competing for people's choice awards.  This means some teams will be offering up samples of their BBQ in exchange for some votes.   Last year's event had free admission.  This year's event will cost you $10 a head for adults.  Kids twelve years old and younger are free.  It looks like a beautiful day to get outside today.  If you don't have plans, stop by and smell the smoke.

The Field of Greens Festival is taking place Sunday, October 3 at Whipporwill Farm (which is roughly 35 miles east of downtown Atlanta).  It is a celebration of sustainable farming and includes a fantastic list of participating restaurants/chefs that have embraced the farm to table/sustainable ethos.  This years list of chefs is jaw-droppingly awesome.  Tastings are available from 12-3pm, as long as they last.

From the festival's website, "Bring the whole family and enjoy locally grown, chef-prepared food, live music, and green living education, all in a family-friendly, fun environment."

Entrance ticket includes:

• All-day access to the farmers' market and educational expo
• Small-plate tastings of farm-fresh food creatively prepared by Atlanta and Athens’ most dedicated farm-to-table chefs (noon to 3pm only)
• Expanded kid's learning and activity area
• Live music
• Cooking demos from your favorite chefs
• Street food tastings from the best farm-sourced food carts (3-5pm only) in partnership with the Atlanta Street Food Coalition

Dave Poe's BBQ - Marietta, GA

 
 

Barbecue brings people together.  Friends and family gather at the table to eat, laugh, and talk while enjoying pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken and delicious side dishes.  But for some families, barbecue is more than just a great meal.  Dave Poe of Marietta, GA embodies the idea of barbecue as a way of life.  Dave's family has been in the barbecue business for many years.  Dave got his start in barbecue with his father, catering and competing around the state with Stump and Sons BBQ.   Atlanta magazine recently recognized Dave Poe's BBQ  as some of the best barbecue in the city and the best cole slaw overall.

The  accolades in Atlanta magazine are just a friendly reminder of the quality barbecue served on a daily basis at Dave Poe's.   Over the past few years, Dave has earned glowing reviews from the Atlanta Journal Constitution and a devoted word-of-mouth following that keeps his restaurant packed for every lunch and dinner.  I recently stopped by to visit my best friend and mentor to grab a bite and some photos to share with each of you to remind you why you should make it a point to stop by and enjoy some of the fantastic food available at Dave Poe's BBQ.

continue reading Dave Poe's BBQ here....

Community Q named as a Top 10 New Dining Destination in the USA!

MSN.com published a list of the Top 10 New Dining Destinations in the US this morning.  Atlanta's own Community Q was the only restaurant in Georgia to be included on the list.  Other notable restaurants included Collichio & Sons (NYC), and Thomas Keller's Bouchon (Beverly Hills).  Congratulations to David, Stuart, and Jim on such a tremendous achievement.