Epic Sandwich: Smalley's Jerk Chicken

I think Smalley's in Stillwater has pretty darn good BBQ for a Minnesota joint, but I'm really a fan of good Jerk barbeque and always have to try some when I head up there for my annual fall trip. This visit didn't disappoint. Full review here.

Warm Weather and Good Food

There simply isn't a better combination then a nice warm night and good old outdoor dinning.

Let's face it, it's been far too long since we've been able to enjoy either. Given that void, I got real excited when I read that the Chef Shack would be making its first appearance of the year at Urban Bean. Then I noticed that there was suddenly a lot of banter about the lack of street food in MN. Over the course of this week, the temperature started to rise and so did the amount of news about this event. It was the perfect storm for an awesome kick-off to summer. The combination of blog buzz, good food, warm weather, and free PRB was compelling enough to get me off my arse and out of work at the stroke of 5 to take it in.

I showed up at Urban Bean around 5:25 and the patio was already rocking. The fact that the weather was perfect seemed a good enough draw, and I was excited to enjoy my first dose of summer. There was a good line around the shack as people lined up for their Thousand Hills burgers. The sweet perfume of the coals and caramelizing beef was completely captivating, causing me to pause for a brief moment to take it in. Despite the allure, I was in the mood for something else. "Got any tongue tacos?" I asked with nervous uncertainty. The answer was a very unfortunate "no," but the disappointment was forgotten once I saw pulled pork on the board. They had a sandwich ready to roll and I gladly forked over my 7 bones - a small price to pay for some seasonal satisfaction

I make pulled pork quite a bit and I love the stuff. The chef shack's version is no slouch. The flavors are subtle enough to still appreciate the purity of the tender pork, but it also has a craveable brine-y BBQ quality that makes it totally addictive. They pile on a gingery-pickled cabbage - a serious twist on slaw - that is so deeply purple it could easily make Prince appear muted. The slaw is spiked with raisins offering a layer of sweetness that make this sandwich truly unique. Finally, a nice grilled bun offerd a final much-anticipated summer accent.

One of the best parts about eating at the shack are their kick-ass condiments. Homemade ketchup, kraut, hot pepper sauce and a number of other specially prepared options really rasie the bar. I simply threw on some sport peppers and razor thin pickles before I started in on my little summer retreat. It all went too fast, but it's hard to control yourself as you try and make up for the time lost cooped up inside all year. Thankfully the shack will make the rounds at the Mill City and Kingfield markets during the growing season. My grill will be in full effect to fill in the voids, but I still need to get my hands on some of those tacos - and those darn doughnuts!
Side note - really impressed with the crowd tonight. It's good to see all the spirited Minnesotans out to support such a fun food experience. It's awesome that everyone rallies around the people and things they enjoy given the harshness of the economic climate right now. If nothing else a nice night out with friends offers a nice temporary reprieve.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy

Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque

I took a mental health day (lovely) on Monday and figured the only way to truly rest my mind was to feed it some quality food. Given the nice sunny day I decided to hop over to Stillwater with my girlfriend to take in the antiques, cool shops and most importantly, Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque. I parked the car and the headed straight to the restaurant only to find out that it didn't open until 4 p.m. (at least on Mondays). So much for rum and pork on my lunch ticket! We skipped around the quaint shops and antique stores for a few hours and purchased a few items (I got a a nice antique mezza luna!) before we grabbed a glass of wine to prime our bellies for a seriously comforting meal on a cool autumn night.

We finished our vino and headed back to Smalley's and were amazed to see how vacant it was given the buzz around this place. However, it was a Monday night in a weak economy, so I wasn't too concerned. Our server came out and gave us the run down about how they're only one of three restaurants in the U.S. to use authentic pimento wood for their Caribbean (Jamaican/jerk) Barbeque. I figured that was impressive enough, so we dug right into the menu. The waiter came back to take our order and was very knowledgeable and friendly, which is always appreciated.

We started off with the fried green tomatoes. I love fried green tomatoes and have been longing for the version I used to feast on at Big E's before the Minneapolis soul scene was abruptly shaken up. Regardless, these bad boys were little discs of bliss. Perfectly fried in a corn meal batter and accompanied with a nice light aioli. The crisp breading offered a nice textural contrast to the firm tomatoes, and they were perfect for dipping in the delectable sauce. Needless to say we were off to a good start.

Now, it's important to remember that this is Caribbean Barbeque, so if you are used to Memphis or Texas Barbeque this will be different. My family has been smoking (not herb, but high quality meats) for quite some time and I have grown an appreciation for the complexity smoking can bring to a meal. Smalley's did not disappoint on that end at all. I ordered the brisket and chicken combo. The meat was really moist and super flavorful. The smoke was present in every bite. You could see the nice smoke coloration on both the brisket and chicken, yet the flavor of the meat was still present. It's not the same hickory or mesquite that I'm used to, but I thought it was unique and brilliant at the same time. Jess had the pulled chicken sandwich with bacon and it was killer too. The accompanying sauces (on the side) left a bit to be desired in my mind, but I would have no idea why someone would want to dilute the pure smoky, salty goodness I was experiencing with a thick glob of sauce anyways.

The sides were killer too. Jess got a side of sweet potatoes (or was it yams?) with sausage that rivals their counterpart over at Brasa. I had the mac and cheese with chilies and bacon and was ready to surrender next to the warm fire and take a nap after digging into the comforting tranquility - that is after the wonderful bite supplied by the chilies mellowed a bit. I also had a decent bowl of red beans and rice, but any dish short of greatness would have played second banjo next to the rich mac and the perfect sweet potatoes anyways.

We gorged until we could eat no more and packaged the rest up for lunch the following day. Needless to say leftovers have never been so eagerly anticipated. You'll have to run up there for yourself though and let me know what you think about this BBQ joint. It's well worth the drive, and I'll have to find an excuse to get up there again soon.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy