Bryan Meredith, Sue Johnston and John Duncan plan to open Queen City Q in January at 225 E. 6th St. (where LaVecchia's once was, before moving to Hearst Plaza), and what once were plans for "Queen City 'Que" to open in the next few days in the 7th Street Public Market (that's the very same block) have changed significantly.
Duncan's name you'll recognize from Bonterra, and he was a founding partner at Mac's Speed Shop; Meredith was formerly in software and Johnston has catering experience and will run the catering arm of this.
The 'cue, described as "fresh Q smoked daily," will be done by Dan “Boone” Gibson, says Meredith; he was the first pit master at Mac’s, has worked various other chef positions in town, and is a CPCC culinary grad. The menu aims to include brisket, ribs, chicken and housemade sausage, plus sides, salads and desserts. Hours are planned for 11 a.m.-midnight nightly.
This joins, on the uptown 'cue horizon, City Smoke from restaurateur Pierre Bader, and what had been planned as Queen City 'Que from barbecuer Dan Huntley at the market.
Now, Huntley says his opening a place within the market is off, since his plan to use a gas-and-wood rig under the existing restaurant hood (the same brand as Queen City Q plans to use in the former LaVecchia's space, incidentally) was nixed by county engineers. He now says he'll be parking his food truck -- dubbed Outdoor Feasts ("it's an LLC; I've had it for 10 years" -- on the market's property and serving barbecue from there during market hours Wednesday-Sunday.
(Meredith, of Queen City Q, said he was "shocked" to read news of Huntley's "Queen City 'Que" some weeks ago, since he'd incorporated the name with the state: "I don't really know how all that happened.")
Expect from their place, says Meredith, a rustic look with barn wood and paprika red walls, and prices in the $10-for-lunch range. And as for the sudden proliferation of 'cue uptown: "My basic philosophy is this: Nobody goes to the same place every day of the week. My job... is to make sure one of those days you come to our place. I don't care where you go the other four days ... Try 'em all! Enjoy 'em all."
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Uptown 'cue plot thickens
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10 comments:
so we have a Queen City Q and also a Queen City Que coming soon?
I would guess not, Anon., but seeking clarification even as we type!
As you can see I pay close attention yo your every word.
by the way the Q place at the 7th street market, will they be using local, pasture raised meats? If not how did they ever get to be part of a farmers market? Or is this market going to be a farce and have resellers rather that growers(farmers) selling who knows what grown who knows where? Hope you can do some investigative journalism and find the answers for us.
Where will the pit be?
Thats right, there won't be one?
Will this market rent to anyone? Will they have a McDonalds? Are thought farmers markets had local farmers selling locally raised veggies and meats? I so confused, please clarify.
Do we really need another place in Charlotte that does the generic "brisket, ribs, chicken and housemade sausage"? To be in a state with such a rich BBQ tradition and to have a city/county that ignores it completely. Do they really think that people wouldn't appreciate some honest-to-goodness Lexington or Eastern-style chopped or sliced pork with outside brown, slaw, and hushpuppies? When they're calling a former cook at Mac's a "pitmaster," you just know they have a long way to go.
Interesting that two 'cue restaurants are going to be located that close. It's nice that Charlotte is trying to grow it's BBQ scene.
I'll be most anxious to see how these 2 restaurants will handle the low and slow aspect. Will the meats be cooked off-site and brought in? Will they use gas to cook? Or will they take other precautions to meet regulations?
I find it interesting that folks care about how it will be cooked ( me too ) but no one seems to care WHAT will be cooked. Does anyone do low and slow locally raised Q in town. I know I would love some pasture raised pork or grass fed beef, raised locally and cooked low n slow w/ wood smoke. That would be delicious, more healthy and better for the local economy. Maybe the problem is it just makes too much sense?
So what happened to Nick's? It opened where Lavecchia's was for about 2 weeks or so. The signs touting the opening were up longer than it was open. It shut down, they took the signage off the doors and windows, and now it's like it never existed
A couple of years ago I started a competition BBQ team. We have competed for the past 2 years in an around the Charlotte area and the Carolinas. Our name: QCQ, for Queen City Que. We have no affiliation with either restaurant or know any of the people mentioned, just a small group of guys who like to compete and make awesome BBQ.
Guess it's too bad I didn't trademark the name back then...
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