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| - Midwood Smokehouse opened its second location on May 7, 2015 in the Ballantyne neighborhood of Charlotte. It's in the old Sticky Fingers Smokehouse space at Toringdon Circle (shopping center). I visited this restaurant a couple weeks after it opened with a group of friends, two of whom make up two-thirds of the Barbecue Bros (http://barbecuebros.co/). We ordered a nice sampling of BBQ and enjoyed the experience. The food and service were good.
At 5:45pm on a Friday, the restaurant was already very busy. We were told by the hostess that our wait would be about 30 minutes. We were seated in about 20. There wasn't much space at the bar so we waited outside with others. By the time we left around 7:15pm, the number of folks waiting had grown quite large. There must've been at least a half-dozen groups/families waiting.
The inside of the restaurant resembles an American restaurant chain such as Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday. The clean, open space features both a bar and dining room with a mixture of booths and tables. Our group of six sat in one of the circular bench-style booths by the windows. The interior sports several large TVs (great for watching sports), vintage North Carolina artwork and memorabilia, and artistic metal cutouts with a BBQ, farm, and kitchen theme.
I haven't been to Midwood Smokehouse's original location in Plaza Midwood, but I was told by my tablemates that that location is different in look and feel. This location in Ballantyne is designed for the suburbs. There's plenty of parking too.
The BBQ served here is influenced from various styles from the Carolinas to Texas. Aside from the standard sandwiches and plates, Midwood Smokehouse also serves salads, tacos, and appetizers like Pimento Cheese Fries, Fried Pickles, and Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos. Expect to spend about $8-10 each for most sandwiches (includes a side) and about $10-18 each for most plates. Plates come in both small and large sizes.
We went with the following:
BBQ:
* Burnt Ends (small, $13.50) - crispy caramelized cubes of brisket tossed in a housemade Fat Tire BBQ sauce
* Combo Platter ("Well-Fed," $22), which came with:
* Carolina Chopped Pork - hickory-smoked chopped pork lightly dressed in Eastern NC vinegar sauce
* Beef Brisket (both fatty and lean) - Texas-style sliced beef brisket served in natural juices
* Smoked Sausage - combination of beef, pork, and garlic
* Saint Louis Style Pork Ribs (dry) - smoked
Apps & Sides:
* Hushpuppies (whole basket, $5) - scratch-made, slightly sweet and warm, served with BBQ sauce
* Collard Greens
* Classic Mac & Cheese
* BBQ Slaw
I liked everything. The food had simple presentation and was served in old-fashioned plates and bowls with floral decorations akin to something you'd expect to find at your grandma's house.
The Burnt Ends were rather tender and flavorful. They were more tender than I was expecting. A good bit of sauce, flavor (sweetness), and caramelization. These were probably my favorite of the BBQ meats. The Carolina Chopped Pork was on par with other chopped pork I've had around the state. Moist and tasty, the meat was smoked with hickory logs from North Carolina.
You have the option of ordering the Beef Brisket fatty, lean, or both. We got both and the brisket was delectable. Smoky with an appetizing chew and consistency. The Smoked Sausage was A-OK. Plump and glistening, it was charred on one side and had firm texture and bite. The Saint Louis Style Pork Ribs were excellent. Near "fall off the bone," the somewhat fatty meat and rub were packed with delicious flavor. Note the ribs are available with sauce as well.
BBQ sauces at the table included South Carolina Mustard, Eastern NC Vinegar, Midwood Signature, and Habanero. My favorite was the subtly sweet Midwood Signature, but really, none of the BBQ needed any sauce. The meats tasted fine without it.
The Hushpuppies were small and soft, almost squishy. They weren't crispy nor crunchy, but had comparatively smooth centers. The Collards, with bits of pork, were alright as was the BBQ Slaw. When it comes to slaw, you can order both mayo-based "Coleslaw" or the NC traditional vinegar-based "BBQ Slaw" (a.k.a. red slaw), finely chopped. The Mac & Cheese was great. Made with elbow macaroni, it was nice and cheesy with small, chewy bits of hardened, charred cheese. It was moderately oily, but lots of good mac 'n cheese are greasy.
Service was terrific. Our orders came out in a reasonable amount of time and I was impressed with how our server remembered our food and drink orders after we'd changed our minds and switched them up on her. Kudos. Founder/owner Frank Scibelli personally checked on our table. Midwood Smokehouse plans to open more locations including one in Columbia, SC.
If you like BBQ, these guys are worth checking out.
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