Lexington Barbecue

Chopped BBQ Plate

Pork Skins

Rolls

Menu

Background: Lexington Barbecue is a no frills, traditional southern BBQ establishment. They smoke their meat (pork shoulders only) over oak or hickory coals every day. When we saw the smokers working overtime when we pulled up, we knew we were in for something good. This place has consistently been ranked on "Best Of" lists for BBQ across the country, so don't just take our word for it--they are the real deal. 

Eat This: We were dying for good BBQ after being disappointed by the Lexington Barbecue Festival. Seriously, do not attend this festival if you are looking to go HAM (pig puns!) on some pork--you will be sorely disappointed. The festival is heavy on tchotchkes/the people of WalMart and light on the BBQ selection. So, we booked it out of there and Googled our way to Lexington Barbecue, heralded as the best of the best. 

Their signature dish is the chopped BBQ plate, which is unique in that it is very finely chopped. The flavor is rich and smokey, and you top it with the signature NC vinegar-based BBQ sauce. They also serve a coarse chopped option, which we would like to try next time. The platters come with rolls, coleslaw, and french fries. Yes, this is a meal of beige, but sometimes you just need some southern comfort food. Plus, this coleslaw is vinegar, not mayo, based, so there's your healthy veggie. Boom. Jason, who doesn't usually like coleslaw, gave it his stamp of approval. 

For a side, order the pork skins. They are huge and different from your typical bagged chicharrones--super crispy with lots of smoke flavor. While these are probably not something you want to eat regularly, it's definitely something to try when you're in the heart of BBQ country. 

Dessert: We actually did not try any (insert shock and awe here), but the menu includes a selection of pies and cobblers. 

Drink: There's no alcohol here, but you should be drinking sweet tea or Cheerwine, honey. #thesouth

Atmosphere: Do not come here expecting ambiance, because you're not going to get it. You're here to worship at the altar of smoked pig. Revel, bask. 

Southern Hospitality: You'll get this in spades. Sweet waiters and waitresses who serve you on the double. What more could you need? 

Frankie's Notes: It's a morally confusing week when you discover your love for Pumpernickel the Mini Pig via Instagram and eat a lot of pork; "I went to the Lexington BBQ Festival and all I got was this crappy t-shirt;" Actually, we got a fairly nice poster with a picture of a pig playing a fiddle; Sometimes, a plate of beige food is good for your soul; If you're in the south and you don't like sweet tea, you have to join the Witness Protection Program.

Ranking: 3 out of 5 

Et Cetera: 

100 Smokehouse Lane
Lexington, NC 27295
Monday-Saturday: 10 am-9:30 pm

http://www.lexbbq.com/

 

The Cellar at Duckworth's

Redrum & Cellar Smash

Tuna Tartare

The Cellar Burger

Campfire Almond S'more

Espresso Rubbed Lamb Carpaccio

Housemade Waffle Cones

Saffron Fettuccine

Background: Rob Duckworth expanded his Charlotte empire of Duckworth's to include a new concept: craft beers, cocktails, and more upscale cuisine from the usual bar fare. The Cellar is located in the basement of the Tryon Duckworth's and has a walk-in beer cooler and a separate kitchen from the upstairs restaurant. 

Order This: As The Cellar is close to Scallionpancake headquarters, this review has been a while in the making. We first visited The Cellar right after their opening in July, and we have been several times since. After our first visit, we would have recommended the Saffron Fettuccine heartily; after our third visit we would have told you to skip it (gummy pasta, overcooked octopus, blah). Even after our first visit, we would have told you to beware the House Made Waffle Cones (Ponzu Poke Tuna; Coconut Shrimp; Chicken Sriracha Honey)--the sweet/savory combination they are aiming for is lost in overly sugary cones and lackluster fillings. Conversely, we would recommend the Dried Garbanzo Bean Hummus and the Tuna Tartare for being consistently on-point. The tartare is served with guacamole and wonton crisps, and it's a well-done take on a favorite. Same goes for the hummus, but it's hard to screw up hummus (thanks, tahini!). The Cellar Burger was neither a win or a loss: we give it a solid: "meh." On our last visit, our dining companions enjoyed the Espresso Rubbed Lamb Carpaccio, and we like them so we will take their word on the matter as final (don't let us down, #Jarah). 

Basically, eating at The Cellar is food Russian roulette--it was a 4 in July and a 2 in October. This is not a game you want to play when the bill for two could easily be $70, if you're drinking. 

Dessert: We have only ordered one dessert, the Campfire Almond S'more. It was...cold--as in: no melt-y chocolate on a s'more?! Say it ain't so. Our waitress told us it was supposed to be served that way, but we were dubious. If that's indeed the intended serving style, it doesn't really work in practice. It was hard to eat and the flavors didn't meld at all. Did we eat it? Well, yeah, because we love chocolate and we're not quitters. But come on, guys. 

Drink: This is where The Cellar wins all day, every day. The beer and wine selection is huge, but more importantly the craft cocktails are incredible. Our favorite is the Cellar Smash, which is basically an alcoholic ginger slushie. You can hear the bartenders smashing the ginger for the drink, and doing all kinds of old-school cocktail mixology voodoo. Tip: sit at the bar and get the insider scoop on what's going in those drinks. Magic. If this were a libations-only blog, The Cellar gets a 5. 

Atmosphere: The feel is as speakeasy-esque as we've seen in Charlotte--that is, until we open our own speakeasy. You've got mood lighting, classy wood accents, and a quiet yet electric atmosphere. Very Gatsby.

Southern Hospitality: We have had service that runs the gamut from staid and old-school charm to borderline surly. Again, roulette. The server who tried to take a 3/4 finished Cellar Smash almost lost an arm. 

Frankie's Notes: Our speakeasy will be accessed from an underground tunnel; Venti Jason is going to open a school for gifted Octopi; Never (never) take a plate or a drink without asking if the eater is finished, if you value your appendages; "First, you take the mallow..."; Are there unicorn tears in a Cellar Smash? We are asking for a friend. 

Ranking: 2 out of 5

Et Cetera: 

330 N. Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
Sunday-Wednesday: 5pm-12am
Thursday-Saturday: 5pm-2am

http://thecellaratduckworths.com/ 

 

Danny's Midwood Challenge

Danny conquered the Midwood Challenge at the Diamond restaurant. For his bravery he received a t-shirt (they only had ladies smalls left so he got an IOU). Scallionpancake salutes you! 

 

Founding Farmers

Bread, Chips, Crisps

Trout Meuniere

Beignets

Roasted Tomato Soup

Founding Farmer's Breakfast

Latte

Whipped Blueberry Butter Buttermilk Pancakes

Background: Founding Farmers was, well, founded by in 2011 by The North Dakota Farmers Union to promote family farms. After years of successful marketing/managing at the original location, Dan Simons and Mike Vucurevich are now co-owners of this successful concept. Founding Farmers is faithful to the principle of farm to table; everything in their restaurants is sourced locally and nothing is frozen (except for the ice cream!). Yes --even the to-go cups are made from 100% recycled materials. The first location is located near George Washington University and now there are two additional locations in Tysons, VA and Potomac, MD.

 Order This:  If you are there for brunch we recommended either the Whipped Blueberry Butter Buttermilk Pancakes or the Founding Farmer's Breakfast. The pancakes were light and fluffy with a blueberry butter that would make Willy Wonka turn into an Umpa Lumpa. The Founding Farmer's Breakfast comes with two eggs, your choice of meat, and a side - but for three extra dollars you can get a bacon upgrade which comes with a speciality glaze of either black pepper maple, Texas BBQ sauce, hot sauce, or sweet & sour. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET THE BACON UPGRADE. If you don't you will probably regret that decision for the rest of your life. Also, a shout out to the hash browns--they looked like the ones you get a Waffle House, except they were 100 times better. If you go for dinner we highly recommend any of their pastas, which they make fresh everyday. We tried the sausage mushroom gnocchi which was amazing. Someone else in our party got the trout which was delicious as well. For an appetizer we got the "Bread, Chips, Crisps" which was a mountain of homemade chips and breads with four amazing sauces: romesco (red pepper based sauce), pimento cheese, green goddess (avocado + magic), and onion dip.

Dessert: Uncle Buck's Beignets. If you don't get these here then you can't blame anybody but yourself (Sorry Obama). These are maybe the best beignets ever imagined. They were warm, soft, and layered to perfection. They came with three different types of dipping sauces --raspberry, chocolate, and caramel. 

Drink: Founding Farmers has an extensive cocktail list that blends old school favorites with the new (Chelsea Handler Cocktail, anyone?). All the juices are hand-squeezed daily and, and they make fresh syrups twice a week for delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. We tried the Raspberry Rickie and the Blueberry Phosphate, both of which were excellent.

Atmosphere: This is a big, crowded place for the quality of food that they prepare. The decor is "sophisticated rural"--an aesthetic that will undoubtedly grow on you while you wait two hours to eat brunch. The best part are the white fluffy clouds suspended from the ceiling. Oh, and a sheep that looks right into your soul. 

Southern Hospitality: The host/hostess counter staff could have been a little kinder, but it was a stressful scene in there for Saturday brunch, so it's hard to blame them. Once we sat down, the service was quick and all-around impeccable. 

Frankie's Notes: It's not an arms race, it's Saturday brunch in DC; Founding Farmers was actually founded by farmers; They juiced Violet Beauregarde to make the blueberry butter; Life rule: you never buy the extended warranty, and you always upgrade your bacon; Waiting two hours to eat brunch is either a major testament to your love of food or indicative of a hole in your life that can only be filled by beignets. 

Ranking: 4 out of 5

Et Cetera:
1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006
Breakfast: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 11:00am
Lunch & Dinner: Monday 11:00am - 10:00pm, Tuesday - Thursday 11:00am - 11:00pm, Friday 11:00am - 12:00am, Saturday 2:00pm - 12:00am, Sunday 2:00pm - 10:00pm.
Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 9:00am - 2:00pm and every holiday Monday

http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/ 

 

Shake Shack

ShackBurger, Shroom Burger, Fries, & Pumpkin Pie Custard

Background: The first Shake Shack was opened in 2004 in Madison Square Park in New York City. Founded by New York Restauranteur Danny Meyer (Famous for Eleven Madison Park & Union Square Cafe), Shake Shack now is a publicly traded company with locations in over 10 major metropolitan cities around the world.

Order This: You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but if it's your first time you have only two options: The SmokeShack or the 'Shroom Burger. The SmokeShack is the Jesus of the hamburgers, with cheese, smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce. The words here do not do justice to just how good this burger is. The biggest mistake is only ordering one - because you're guaranteed to want another but there is another hour long line to wait through. The other option is the 'Shroom Burger, which is a portobello mushroom filled with melted cheese and deep fried. The first bite of this beauty will have you starting your own hipster food blog with a title something like "Shroomnami" or "Shroomapotamus".

They are also known for their crinkle cut fries, which are really good but slightly overrated when some people call them "the best fries in the world." They are definitely extremely good, but they aren't the best you've ever had. I recommend ordering them with cheese on top. 

The hot dogs are good as well, but don't waste your time when you can have a SmokeShack or 'Shroom Burger.

Dessert: The other main reason besides the burgers to visit Shake Shack is their custard. They have chocolate and vanilla every day, along with a special flavor which they change once a week. The last time we were there they had a pumpkin pie flavor, which was amazing. I highly recommend getting a concrete (custard with mix-ins) with chocolate truffle cookie dough.

Drink: Brooklyn Brewery has crafted an exclusive beer for Shack Shake called the ShackMeister Ale. They also have numerous local brews on tap at each of their locations. 

Atmosphere: Nothing fancy, but all you need for some quality burger-eating time. 

Southern Hospitality: The service is super polite, but expect to wait a while as everything is made to order. 

Ollie's Notes: AHHHH BURGERS 

Ranking: 4 out of 5 

Et Cetera:

Check their website at www.shakeshack.com for the nearest location and hours.