When Smoked On Main (SOM) was first opening maybe a few months ago, a friend who knows I follow new food spots messaged me. I think BBQ restaurants require a high degree of skill and experience, and I wanted to give SOM a chance to develop some muscle memory before I visited. Recently, I picked up takeout for my wife and I. While service was very friendly, and the inside was quite nice, our food experience was mixed.
We ordered a two meat sampler with pulled pork and brisket, Street Corn Salad, Mac n Cheese, Cornbread and Turkey chili. We live about 15 minutes from SOM. Predictably, the food was not especially hot when we arrived home. I can't blame SOM for that, so I'll pretend everything was a perfect temperature.
The Good
I thought the pulled pork in the Kansas City sauce was tasty and had good texture. If I return, I'll probably order a Pulled Pork Sandwich.
I also thought the cornbread was good. My wife said that she thinks it's the best she's had in the area. I wouldn't go that far, but it's better than at least one well known area place.
The Less Good
The Mac and Cheese, brisket and turkey chili were all decent, but I didn't really connect with them. The brisket had a bit of a wet texture and seemed like it may have been kept in au jus. That's not what I've seen at the best BBQ Brisket spots in places like Texas. I also didn't notice much of a smoke flavor. The turkey in the chili seemed pretty good, but the base of the chili didn't pop for me. The pasta texture was decent, but the cheese flavor and texture didn't stand out.
Not a Fan Of
The Street Corn Salad did not work for me. It didn't remind me of Street Corn, which I associate with Mexican Street corn. It had chopped red onions and mixed chopped peppers and a mild sauce that didn't have much presence. I'd feel better about it if they just called it Corn Salad. But either way, the mix of flavors was not interesting to me. It also doesn't help that one of the BBQ places in Hartford makes a fantastic off the cob Street Corn side.
Overall, I can't say that Smoked on Main's food is better than average for BBQ at this point. They may still be growing though. I might visit again in a few months if I'm already in the area, but I prefer some other places that are about as close.
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