Double Header in tomorrows inky

[Jeff L]

Seems like Messers Nichols and LeBan have ben lurking here of late, not that that's a bad thing of course. They go on to heap deserved praise to my favorite que joint in town and not having yet been to Amada, I can't coment but a trip is certainly planned in the immediate future- more due to the posts here than the write up frankly.

[GregD]

I like Sweet Lucy's a bunch but I felt like I was living in bizarro world while reading the review. Sweet Lucy's is great in so many ways, food, atmosphere, adherence to tradition. Sweet Lucy's makes really good ribs, chicken, brisket, etc. There are two things that Sweet Lucy's does not do well. Pulled pork and baked beans. These two items are not only less impressive than the other items on the menu, they're among the less impressive examples of pulled pork and baked beans I've had at any barbecue place in the city, not to even mention what I've had in Tennessee (where I grew up) or Chicago or North Carolina or whatever. They are just not very good. The pork is overly dry--which is surprising. The beans are a confused mess. The place is great.

Despite the restaurant's overall virtues (atmosphere, ribs, chicken, commitment to slow cooking the right way) I'd guess that 0 out of 10 people in a blind taste test would select their pork over Dwight's, a greatly inferior restaurant on the whole. And on baked beans, I'd guess that they would come in last, no matter which restaurants you included. We threw ours in the garbage, even though we loved the rest of it.

[Rich Pawlak]

A tad harsh, Greg.

What I like about Sweet Lucy's is that they draw upon several different BBQ traditions rather than just one style. Those baked beans are a South Carolina style, with onions and peppers, which I remember eating as a child in Columbia. The pulled pork is derived from eastern North Carolina, a bit drier than normal Carolina 'cue, but it works better as a sandwich with some of their red barbeque sauce, than as a stand-alone meat entree IMHO.

[KatieLoeb]

Seems Mr. Laban liked everything well enough. Declared it the best 'cued chicken in the city! High praise indeed. I still think Smoked Joint does certain thing better. Smoked Joint's Brisket is the best I've ever had. And their smoked Salmon appetizer is delicious as well.

I love Sweet Lucy's and was just there last week. I confess I've not tried the chicken which he waxes poetic about. I guess it'll be awhile before the crowds die down after that glowing review.

Mr. Nichols article was a nice piece describing the research that went into creating the menu at Amada. Definitely gets into chef's head a little and talks about a few of the menu items. That is exactly the type of piece Rick Nichols qrites so well. I think the postings here have been more enticing in terms of getting folks in the door, though.

Selfishly, I'm waiting for the Wine Spectator to write something up.

[GregD]

Rich, I didn't mean to be harsh. I guess my praise of the ribs and other stuff got lost in my confusion over the Inqy's review. I'm glad you like the pork; I've had plenty of east carolina cue, from Greenville and Farmville and other -villes and like the style a lot, even if it is different from the TN style I grew up with. I don't think Sweet Lucy's pulled pork is a good rendition of eastern Carolina pulled pork, at least to me, so it wasn't a style issue. The beans could be a matter of style; I've never spent time in SC so it could be something I would have liked if I'd grown up accustomed to it.

But I'd be there tonight, ordering ribs, in a heartbeat. And it's a beautiful, fun restaurant.

[stephenc]

anyone know of a bbq place north of the mason-dixon that serves brunswick stew?

Edited November 17, 2005 by stephenc (log)