Dinner at Blacklock in London, England

Blacklock
24 Great Windmill St,
Soho, London W1D 7LG

After shooting some sunset pictures over the historical Parliament building, I wanted to eat at a nice, nearby restaurant.  Doing a quick Google search, I found the chop house Blacklock hidden away on Great Windmill Street.

At first I couldn’t find it, I walked down the street, hit the cross road Brewer Street and turned around only to unknowingly pass it again.  After asking for directions from teh nearby security guard, I eventually found it hidden away underneath the structure above.

Into the restaurant we go! The small, hidden door off of Great Windmill St.

View of the kitchen from downstairs inside of the restaurant.

View of the tables from downstairs inside of the restaurant.

 

Dinner, a little green and a lot of meat. All washed down with a local beer.

Pork belly anyone, yes please!

 

Neal’s Ratings:

  • Atmosphere = A
  • Service =  C+
  • Food = A

“Husk”, Great Dining in Charleston, SC

Husk Restaurant
76 Queen Street
Charleston, SC 29401
 

 

While visiting my family in Columbia, South Carolina, we decided to take a one night field trip to Charleston.  Knowing that I was going there, my brother recommended the restaurant Husk, which won 2011 Best New Restaurant in America from Bon Appetit magazine and 2011 Best New Restaurant in the South from Southern Living magazine.  The restaurant is the creation of award winning Chef Sean Brock and owned and operated by the Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG).

Husk Restaurant, Charleston, SC

Husk Restaurant, Charleston, SC

What makes this restaurant unique is how it brands itself on using fresh, local ingredients to create extraordinary southern inspired recipes.  With a menu that is updated daily depending upon the local ingredients available, this centrally located Charleston restaurant provides an ever changing, casual culinary experience.

 

Servers Picking up the Culinary Delights from the Kitchen

Servers Picking up the Culinary Delights from the Kitchen

We made reservations for lunch and what a lunch it was!  I love to eat, especially fresh, flavorful, balanced creations that are part experience and part sustenance.  The menu for the day had numerous delightful gems as shown below.  Asking our server for recommendations, she advised us on the burger, shrimp and grits and the heritage pork.  In addition to the food, Husk had an extensive wine, beer and soda list as well.  Unfortunately they were out of the North Carolina Cheerwine, so I had to settle on Abita Root Beer instead.   Bring on the glutenous feast of southern culinary delight!

The Lunch Menu from July 21st, 2014.  The following sides were not included in the scan above: - Carolina Gold Rice with Sea Island Red Peas, Smoky Tomatoes - Grilled Courgettes with Tropea Onions and Sweet Cord

The Lunch Menu from July 21st, 2014.
The following sides were not included in the scan above:
– Carolina Gold Rice with Sea Island Red Peas, Smoky Tomatoes
– Grilled Courgettes with Tropea Onions and Sweet Cord

Abita Root Beer

Abita Root Beer

 

Grilled House Made Cheddar Summer Sausage with House Made Pickles and Mustard

Grilled House Made Cheddar Summer Sausage with House Made Pickles and Mustard

The sausage had an amazing smoked flavor from the grill.  The cheddar was subtle, but added just the little bit extra to the smoked sausage.  The pickles, mustard and toasted bread really rounded out the appetizer by diversifying the taste and texture.

Shrimp and Geechie Boy Grits, Smoky Tomatoes and Charred Onion, Sweet Peas and Surry Sausage

Shrimp and Geechie Boy Grits, Smoky Tomatoes and Charred Onion, Sweet Peas and Surry Sausage

Absolutely amazing.  Wow did those ingredients just fit together perfectly, creating amazing convolution of texture and taste again.  The gravy wasn’t too heavy, with minor flavor so you can still taste all of the other ingredients in this bowl of foodie heaven.

The Husk Cheeseburger with Fried Potato Wedges – Photo Courtesy of www.huskrestaurant.com

Not sure what sauce is on this, but it was really an amazing burger.

Fried Chicken Po'Boy with Kentucky Black Pepper Bacon, Home Made Pickles and Red Onion, Spicy Mayo (which was pretty spicy)

Fried Chicken Po’Boy with Kentucky Black Pepper Bacon, Home Made Pickles and Red Onion, Spicy Mayo (which was pretty spicy)

The chicken was good, but nothing special.  However, the bacon, what a great enhancement to this typically boring sandwich.  The mayo was rather spicy, but really good compliment to the meats.

Virginia Heritage Pork with Fried Cabbage, Smoky Butterbeans and Sea Island Red Peas, Pot Likker.  The pork was slow cooked for 12+ hours, pulled apart and then wrapped around the stomach and cooked again.  A slow cooked fatty goodness!

Virginia Heritage Pork with Fried Cabbage, Smoky Butterbeans and Sea Island Red Peas, Pot Likker.

The pork was slow cooked for 12+ hours, pulled apart and then wrapped around the stomach and cooked again. A slow cooked fatty goodness!  Really tasty and again, another great example of the quiet dance of textures and taste among the ingredients.

A side of a Skillet of Cornbread with Allan Benton's Tennessee Bacon

A side of a Skillet of Cornbread with Allan Benton’s Tennessee Bacon

Located off of Queen Street in downtown Charleston, Husk resides in an old Victorian house.  Supporting both floors for seating, the restaurant can support a decent amount of diners.  If you didn’t make a reservation and you do have to wait, the rocking benches on the porch are really clever and make waiting for a table a bit more enjoyable.

Outside Husk on Queen Street

Outside Husk on Queen Street

 

The paper menu printed each day each meal

The paper menu printed each day each meal

Some of the decorations located on the lower floor dining room

Some of the decorations located on the lower floor dining room

 

The dining room on the lower floor of Husk

The dining room on the lower floor of Husk

 

Neal’s Ratings:

  • Atmosphere = A   (Well decorated, decent size, clean, bright, and a parking garage across the street.  The bathroom on the lower floor is a single unisex bathroom, so could be an issue if more than one person needs to use it)
  • Service =  A-
  • Food = A+    (really amazing shrimp and grits, the pork was fatty heaven, the burger had some magical sauce on it that was to die for, but the corn bread was a little dry though)

Mobile Barbeque in the Miami Wynwood Art District

It isn’t everyday that you find good barbeque parked on a side street in an empty part of town.  But on this beautiful Sunday, we stumbled upon proprietor and grill master, Mark Gibson’s BBQ-2-Go mobile barbeque establishment in Miami Florida’s well known Wynwood Art District southeast of I-95 and I-195.

We had been driving around Wynwood for a couple hours , taking pictures of the amazingly colorful and artistic graffiti, when we turned down NW 2nd Avenue and saw a black cage of a trailer that was transmitting smoke infused with sweet carnivorous barbeque smells.  Having already eaten a few hours earlier, eating again wasn’t terribly high on our to-do list.  But, how can you pass up a barbeque stand that you fortuitously stumbled upon in the most unexpected of places?!

So, we pulled over and parked next to The Beetles ‘Abby Road’ mural across the street from Mark’s BBQ-2-Go stand.  We walked up and Mark was socializing with a lovely lady he knew sitting out front under the thoughtful canvas overhang.  After introducing himself, we got right to the ever important discussion about what smokey meaty morsels he has ready to eat.  Mark responded with “I have chicken, pork and ribs shortly.”

Portrait of the BBQ-2-Go proprietor and grill master, Mark Gibson.

The scrumptious meats on the barbeque pit.

Possessing an affinity for pulled pork sandwiches, we elected for pork.  Mark removed a large meaty morsel from under the foil and began chopping it up with his cleaver from the Dexter television show.  He then proceeded to give us a paper bowl, opened the bun up and dumped his surgically chopped pork on top.  We were then faced with the crossroads of selecting which of Mark’s homemade barbeque sauces to complement this pork sandwich.  Posing this quandary to Mark, he quickly responded with “Have the Gangsta Gold.”  Yes, that is correct, Gangsta Gold.  What a fantastic name and tasty mustard based sauce.  It had a sweet, tangy and mild mustard taste to it.

Pulled pork barbeque sandwich covered in “gangsta gold” barbeque sauce.

The seasoned and sauced up ribs cooking on the grill.

Really fantastic.  The pork was tender, not too dry.  Really well done.  Unfortunately we didn’t try any of his other barbeque creations, but the sample that we did have was very well done.  So, if you see a smoking mobile barbeque stand around Miami, Florida and you aren’t vegetarian, stop by and try it out.

After visiting Mark Gibson’s BBQ-2-Go mobile stand, my nephew indulged in the pulled pork sandwich with its “gangsta gold” sauce.

Neal’s Ratings:

  • Atmosphere = A+   (outside, shady tarp, convenient location)
  • Service =  A+    (lively personality who has pride in his food)
  • Food = A    (only tried the pork and sauce, but both were great)