Had a chance to eat at North and South, 605 S Main Street in De Forest this past Tuesday. The restaurant is not a stereotypical BBQ joint -- it has the tidy, casual vibe common to many suburban restaurants. Even so, the menu and website for North and South promotes their seafood, fish, and smoked meats.
Walking into the restaurant, I was greeted with a faint but definite whiff of nice hardwood smoke, so my mouth instantly watered for some good BBQ. I didn't have a big appetite, however, so I opted for soft tacos. You could choose pulled pork, smoked chicken, or brisket for the meat, and I chose the brisket. The tacos had a bottom layer of crunchy slaw with a definite, spicy heat. The slaw was tossed with a thin dressing that I don't think had any mayo, which was fine with me. The middle layer of each taco was an appropriate helping of sliced meat and the top was dressed up with a spoonful of a chunky, slightly sweet salsa with tomato, peppers, and sweet corn. It was a nice combination of fresh veggie, mild tortilla, and meat.
The brisket was moist and tender with good meaty flavor, but it didn't have that definite smokey flavor profile nor the darker outer crust that I associate with a long-smoked brisket. On the other hand, it didn't have the flavor or texture of a brisket that had been baked or braised. So I was a little puzzled.
I would like to give their BBQ another chance. I have 3 more days of training in De Forest through the weekend. If the opportunity arises, I'll give this restaurant another chance to strut its BBQ stuff. I will update this review if I have more to add.
De Forest is a bedroom community just to the north of Madison. There's a second restaurant in Madison proper -- 6604 Mineral Point Rd, Madison, WI.
Walking into the restaurant, I was greeted with a faint but definite whiff of nice hardwood smoke, so my mouth instantly watered for some good BBQ. I didn't have a big appetite, however, so I opted for soft tacos. You could choose pulled pork, smoked chicken, or brisket for the meat, and I chose the brisket. The tacos had a bottom layer of crunchy slaw with a definite, spicy heat. The slaw was tossed with a thin dressing that I don't think had any mayo, which was fine with me. The middle layer of each taco was an appropriate helping of sliced meat and the top was dressed up with a spoonful of a chunky, slightly sweet salsa with tomato, peppers, and sweet corn. It was a nice combination of fresh veggie, mild tortilla, and meat.
The brisket was moist and tender with good meaty flavor, but it didn't have that definite smokey flavor profile nor the darker outer crust that I associate with a long-smoked brisket. On the other hand, it didn't have the flavor or texture of a brisket that had been baked or braised. So I was a little puzzled.
I would like to give their BBQ another chance. I have 3 more days of training in De Forest through the weekend. If the opportunity arises, I'll give this restaurant another chance to strut its BBQ stuff. I will update this review if I have more to add.
De Forest is a bedroom community just to the north of Madison. There's a second restaurant in Madison proper -- 6604 Mineral Point Rd, Madison, WI.
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