A few Wednesday evenings ago, my guest & I were invited to dine at Smokebelly BBQ to preview their new fall/winter menu (a HUGE thank you & shout out go to Emily & ML+A and Smokebelly teams). If you recall, I first visited Smokebelly back in June of 2014, a month after their grand opening and had an incredible experience. Since that initial visit over a year ago, I've been back here well over a dozen times since East Andrews is the go-to area for my girlfriends and I whenever we go out in Buckhead, making Smokebelly the perfect pregame destination. Having opened their doors back in May 2014, Smokebelly is the joint venture between the teams behind The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails and Tin Lizzy's Cantina and Trey Humphreys (the Fur Bus, A Social Mess and the Pool Hall) have come together to show Atlantans what true chef-crafted Q really tastes like, with real American barbecue influenced by techniques from several regions of the country. Although the helm of the kitchen is no longer under the direction of Chef Darrell Rice whom currently serves as chef de cuisine, the Smokebelly crew welcomed their new executive chef, Chef Nagib Sued, formerly of Big Tex Decatur and Pura Vida, in March to head to kitchen. With over a decade of experience serving Atlanta diners, Chef Sued brings an extensive knowledge of various culinary techniques, flavors and cultures to the table, which is right up Smokebelly's alley considering their incorporation of varying barbecue styles/techniques from across the nation. Coincidence? I think not! A skilled chef who's clearly no stranger to the 'cue scene, in addition to the fun and lively environment, extensive craft beer selection, artisanal liquors, handcrafted cocktails and more, it's no wonder why Smokebelly has easily become such a popular hotspot amongst local residents! Despite the terrible traffic we experienced on the way here, my niece and I were ready to loosen up our pant buttons & feast on some smoked meats and new menu items.
Let's get started:
☆Exterior
☆Sign
☆Interior
☆Housemade Sauces
☆New Fall/Winter 2015 Menu
☆Spicy Porkbelly Bites (Arugula, pickled carrots, spicy Cola 'cue sauce): You already know I love pork belly, so of course I couldn't pass up these spicy pork belly bites, which combines Smokebelly's generously sliced pork belly tossed in their homemade spicy Cola 'cue sauce. While the pork was moist and tender, the sweet and savory combination of the sauce really took it to the next level.
☆Smoked Brisket & Sofrito Empanadas w/ Chipotle Dipping Sauce: These empanadas were packed full of smoky brisket and seasoned sofrito sauce-the thick, wonton-like layer did a fantastic job keeping the contents of the empanadas warm and intact. Fried to a beautiful golden brown, these pocketful of sunshines were crispy, crunchy and paired extraordinary well with that addictive homemade chipotle dipping sauce, which had a nice kick of spice to it.
☆Grilled Cheese Bites (American, pepper jack, smoked gouda, bâtarde bread): Grilled cheese sandwiches are one of my ultimate comfort foods-the moment you take a bite, a smile instantly appears on your face, no matter what your current situation may be. So on this rainy afternoon, it was a no-brainer to order these and I'm so glad I did. These grilled cheese bites, which was essentially a grilled cheese cut into 3 long pieces were seriously divine! The bread was buttered, toasted and had a nice firm crunch to it, while the gooey combination of cheeses really shined through, especially the smoked gouda, which had just a slight hint of nuttiness to it.
☆Tennessee Triple (Smoked Sausage, Sliced Brisket, 1/4 Rack Baby Back Ribs) w/ Bourbon Baked Sweet Potato Souffle, Baked Beans and Kale'rd Greens: With fun BBQ samplers available at Smokebelly, such as the Delta Double (2 meats), Tennessee Triple (3 meats) and Pitmaster's Platter (4 meats), ordering one of these ensures that you're going to get a healthy sampling of the different types of smoked meats they offer. Since I was already familiar with few of their smoked meats, I decided to choose my favorites, which included the baby back ribs, sliced brisket and smoked sausage). Rather than ordering chopped brisket, I went with the sliced brisket since I find that it retains much more of the flavor and fats when cooked as is. And to no surprise, the brisket was divine and that gorgeous red smoke ring would not have been any more perfect! The ribs paired well with the different sauces, especially the Carolina Gold and the sausage was ridiculously flavorful and juicy. And to no surprise, the sides were just as fantastic as I remember them. The kale'rd greens were a unique twist to traditional collard greens and were absolutely mouthwatering, the baked beans had just the right amount of molasses sweetness to them and the sweet potato souffle was just as heavenly as I remember it, especially with the fun sprinkle of candied pecans on top.
☆Smokebelly Stack (Smoked pork & lean sliced brisket, sliced tomatoes, onions, arugula, chipotle aioli) with House-Seasoned Waffle Fries: They weren't kidding when they called this a 'STACK!' This sandwich comes piled high with plenty of tender pulled pork and juicy sliced brisket in-between a buttery bun, along with chipotle aioli, arugula, ripe tomatoes and onions. Although this could easily double as two meals, I found that the easiest way for me to eat this sandwich was open-face style, which is eating essentially opening the sandwich in half and splitting the contents onto each bun. The meats were flavorful as always and speaking as a customer, I appreciate how generous they are with the portions here, seeing that this and most of their other entrées could easily be split with someone else.
☆Pecan Pie: Shame on you if you don't like pecan pie and you're from the South, especially if you reside in the land of pecans and peaches (aka Georgia). Fortunately for me, I love the stuff and simply can't get enough of it. Pecans are one of my favorite types of nuts, so it's no surprise that I love pecan pie and just about anything pecan-related that you could possibly fathom. Something about that sweet brown sugar filling, flaky crust and freshly roasted candied pecans layered on top just makes me feel all giddy inside, and Smokebelly's take on this traditional Southern dessert is no different. Plus, can I just mention how perfect that whipped cream swirl and sprinkle of candied pecans on top makes this pie so much more photogenic?
☆Banana Pudding Brûlée: Creamy banana pudding underneath a crispy sugary layer of brûléed goodness-how could you possibly go wrong? The sugared crust added a welcoming layer of texture, which really brought it to the next level and made it stand out amongst banana pudding I've had elsewhere.
As you can probably tell, both my niece & I had a fantastic dining experience at Smokebelly and it's such a delight to see that the food and service is as consistent as ever, from the standpoint of both a blogger and a regular customer. From the moment we stepped into this stylish 'cue hotspot, we were immediately greeted and seated at one of their many booths by the window. As we were just getting situated, our server, Izzy, immediately brought over our menus and took our drink orders. Once she returned with our drinks in-hand, she walked us through their new menu and made some recommendations based on items that she liked, in addition to customer favorites and items that were added for the coming fall/winter months. With her help, we settled on the following three appetizers: spicy pork belly bites, smoked brisket and sofrito empanadas and grilled cheese bites, all of which are new, incredibly tasty additions to the menu-I can attest to this! While I already knew I wanted a sampler platter because I love being able to try different things all at once, my niece couldn't decide between the new Smokebelly Stack or 50/50 Burger, but ultimately decided on the former option with Izzy's help. Not much longer after we placed our order, all of our appetizers came out, followed by our entrées soon after. Izzy did an impeccable job with the timing and transitioning of our meal because we never once felt rushed, which was comforting to know despite the dinner rush. She checked up on us multiple times throughout the meal to make sure we had everything we needed and to see how we were enjoying all of our items. She was very friendly, attentive and personable, all of the qualities you like to see in servers. And it was a pleasure getting to meet & chat with Wesley, the general manager of Smokebelly, who took the extra effort to make us feel welcomed and at home, which we truly appreciated. Although Smokebelly is located in a bustlin', high traffic area of Buckhead, particularly on weeknights and weekends, I really like the fact that the restaurant is a standalone building with plenty of free parking for its guest. Unlike many other restaurants in the area, free parking would definitely be considered a luxury, but it isn't here, which is why they get a huge two thumbs up seal of approval from me! Additionally, even though Smokebelly is a casual, family-friendly BBQ joint, the interior is clean, classy and spacious. Upon walking in, you're greeted by the beautifully stocked bar to the left, followed by the main dining room complete with olive green leather booths, metal furnishings, ghost wood panelings on the walls, vintage light fixtures and more! Also, the surrounding areas outside of the main dining room consist of a handful of booths encircling the restaurant (where we sat at), followed by an outdoor patio, which is typically where my friends and I choose to sit at when we're here. There's plenty of seating here for everything, but don't be fooled since they get pretty packed here for both lunch and dinner! And if you're like me and like to take notice of the little things, you'll love and appreciate the playfully vintage and retro decor here, like the mason jar light fixtures, the chalkboard-like mural on the walls and more. If you're in the area and are looking for a change in pace to spice up your boring lunch/dinner routine, then you've got to make it on over to Smokebelly! They will definitely give you the "BEST BANG for your BUCK in BUCKHEAD!" Sorry, I just had to emphasize all those B's because it's just what I do. Just one last note before wrapping it up, I wanted to give thanks to Emily & the ML+A and Smokebelly teams, especially Izzy and Wesley, for the splendid dining experience and for allowing us to get a sneak peek of the new menu! If it doesn't rain this weekend (curse all this rain we've been getting by the way!), I'll be seeing you again very soon, Smokebelly! ;)
Have a wonderful day,
-Sandy
FTC: Although this was a media event and my meal was comped, I will always provide an honest review & experience of the restaurant.
If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere {at} gmail {dot} com-Thanks!
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