tmidgett wrote:Lem's (short ends/links)
My friend Andrew and I have been making a lot of barbecue lately.
Sometimes, it's pretty damn good. He concentrates on brisket and pulled pork, I do ribs, we have both done pretty great rib roasts.
I had Lem's a few weeks ago, and it reminded me of how far one can go when it comes to smoked meat.
It was transcendently great, as it sometimes is. It's always at least real good.
Also, I wanted to add schwa to the discussion. They are closed for now, but they are supposed to be reopening in the next month or so.
I very much enjoyed eating at schwa. Small-plate experimental food not a mile away from Grant Achatz' at Alinea.
Alinea's food and service is essentially perfect. Schwa's food is not as consistent, and the service is nice and competent enough but intentionally perfunctory, though not the kind of thing that will bother anyone who isn't a tightass.
schwa also costs maybe 1/3 as much, it's BYOB, and it is a very relaxed atmosphere that just added up to a loose, extremely enjoyable meal.
Out of the twelve things we ate, one was a total miss (the last course, dessert, just not that good), a couple had proportion problems (too much pine gel in the pine cone thing), and the rest was varying degrees of great.
I last saw Michael Carlson, the head chef there, eating Xmas eve dinner at San Soo Gab San. I hope to see him next in the kitchen of his restaurant.