But over the past couple of months I have visited a few of the local barbecue restaurants hoping to learn something new about cooking with wood or at least walk away with a few new ideas for food I can cook on my grill at home. And something very unexpected happened. Instead of leaving inspired, I was left dumbfounded and disappointed. These restaurants, which had been recommended by a number of people, were serving food that was just not good. Ribs with no flavor, dry brisket reheated on the flat top, and vinegary mush that they were claiming to be pulled pork. It just seemed that no one around here knew anything about cooking food with wood, until today.
A couple of weeks ago, as I followed my wife to the Honda dealership at 7:15 in the morning to drop off her car, I passed Swig and Swine and noticed smoke coming from the cooker out front. I thought to myself. "Cooking at 7:15 in the morning seems pretty legit, I definitely need to try that place." Well, today I ate there for lunch and I am sorry I didn't do it sooner. I had the three meat plate with pork belly, turkey, and pulled pork and it was amazing. I had collards and mac and cheese for sides and they were spot on too. Lucky for me, I was able to talk with partner and executive chef, Anthony DiBernardo, and he was gracious enough to share a little about how he is able to create such fantastic food. From using only hickory, oak and pecan in his custom made, reverse flow cooker to using salt and pepper as the primary seasonings, this guy was speaking my language. By keeping it simple and letting the wood do the work, the folks at Swig and Swine have a great thing going. Meat cooked the right way, sides that are to die for, quality beer on tap, and fast, friendly service are what make this place so great. If I'm not cooking it at home, I'm eating it at Swig and Swine!
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