Black Dog Smoke and Brew House

Before all the traveling for the holidays, Boyfriend and I had a dinner and movie date night. We were originally going to go out for pho, at our neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant. Unfortunately, it was packed. The silver lining was, the usually packed local BBQ joint, was less packed than usual. Opportunity rises to our advantage.

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A few years ago, a small local bar turned into Black Dog Smoke and Ale House. To summarize in one word: amazing! Black Dog takes Carolina-style BBQ with a casual dining environment and a variety of beers and whiskeys. The downside is the lines is always at least 45 minutes long during peak dining hours. Not a welcome option during the colder months, since there is no room to wait inside. 

On the top of a shelf near the bar, Black Dog has a giant glass jar. It always puzzled me, so one day I asked a waiter. It's a jar of tequila with pineapples and jalapenos in it. THEY MAKE THEIR OWN FLAVORED TEQUILA! Amazeballs! 

Pineapple jalapeno margarita

I've been afraid of "spicy" liquors after trying a Chipotle vodka that tasted like liquid smoke. But this margarita with their house-made  flavored tequila was jaw-dropping. You get the sweetness and tang of the pineapples and the kick from the tequila. The surprising part is that the jalapeno flavor is mild, almost like a bell pepper flavor, but with just a hint of heat. I couldn't stop gushing about how delicious this drink was. A must-try.

For dinner, Black dog has very affordable sandwich options, but Boyfriend and I went the entree plate route. It may sound silly, but my favorite aspect of Black Dog's menu is their coleslaw. It's vinegary and crisp and crunchy. It's to the point where I'll take a double order in place of fries. 

This time, I got the Pick 2 plate of brisket and free range chicken with their signature Carolina red sauce, sweet potato fries and my favorite coleslaw. 

Boyfriend got the Blue burger, a juicy burger with BBQ sauce, bacon and blue cheese, with a side of sweet potato fries. Don't forget the beer!

Dinner was great and we had the best seat in the house, the old DJ's seat. I forget which movie we went to see, might's been 007: Skyfall, but I might've just forgot because of a food coma. 

-Akemi-chan