Smoking Kow BBQ — Restaurant in Alexandria

Extremely disappointing. I ordered the pulled pork platter with cheesy jalapeno grits and baked beans. I opted into the Mambo and Golden sauce, but also used the Original, so really Chipotle was the only one I missed. The sauces, on their own were passable. Nothing special, but decent enough (if you like Carolina style vinegar sauces), but they were totally lost once they touched the meat. The pulled pork should have been called pulled fat. I was hard pressed to find meat and when I did, the amount of grease it was coated in was disgusting - so much so that I've been sick ever since the meal. My litmus test is always pulled pork. If a joint can pull off the pulled pork, then I'll return. When you get the foundation of BBQ so wrong, it puts a literal and metaphorical bad taste in your mouth. The issue I also take with the meal, is that in addition to an extremely greasy, fatty serving of pork, their choice to then opt in for a strictly vinegar based lineup was a grave mistake. Riddle me this, what happens when you add oil and vinegar together? Now imagine that happening to your meat. Good luck getting any sauce to stick, spoiler, it didn't. I don't know which came first in their business plan, the meat or the sauce, but whichever followed was a mistake as the two do not go together from a chemical standpoint. Any flavor the sauces had were greatly lost and just became a pool on the tray. For a true vinegar sauced to work in this pairing, it needs to be incorporated early on in the preparation process so that the meat has time to absorb the flavor, which is why traditionally sauces more in line with a Kansas style are favored due to their ability to be added post-preparation at the time of serving/consumption, which is something establishments need to be mindful of when going to vinegar based route (and yes, I know vinegar is found in all sauces - this is strictly speaking about the Carolina style which heavily favors vinegar in lieu of ketchup, molasses, or mayo). The sides: The baked beans were okay. They're not in the traditional brown sugar sauce that you will find most places, rather in a sort of stew. They were okay but lackluster as once again, the flavor was all in the "sauce" which sat in the bottom of the dish (thanks no spoons available). The only redeeming quality were the cheesy jalapeno grits and the only reason this review is getting two stars instead of one. They were the only item that had any semblance of flavor. My peach iced tea was the most flavorful thing I had though, if that puts things into perspective. When I grabbed my bread, my entire experience was summed up with what I saw - a heaping puddle of oil on the reverse side. Hours later and my stomach is still upset. I would recommend trying another dish and while some might fault me for not complaining and requesting either a different serving or meat altogether, when an establishment pushes a product like that through their window, it speaks to the quality they're letting represent them. It's one thing to get the temperature of meat wrong at some lower end places and get a medium rare instead of a well done steak, because while you should be able to tell, it's disguised from plain sight. Not this. The pulled pork from the second I saw it was just chunk after chunk of fat, how do you look at a tray and call that acceptable or representative of your brand?

There are other alternatives in the area. There was an article about this making the short list of top 15 BBQ places in the DC area - honestly not sure how. I would opt in for a McRib at McDonald's next door over this place. At least then I have a realistic expectation of what...

ok food, worth a visit.. honorable mention; the guy at the register seemed easy going, that is, he didn't act like he hated his job and didn't want to be there. he was very pleasant & happy to help. very refreshing from most restaurants where they are running around and busy and stressed out. so.. I feel like I'm going to be too picky with this review, maybe because I've done so many over the years. I'm sorry to the owner, but I am going to be honest. I liked my pulled pork sandwich, it was more meat than would fit in the bun. I tried 2 of the sauces and they were very runny/watery. I ended up w/the South Carolina which was kinda mustardy. My wife liked it too and said it tasted vinegary to her (she was actually looking for vinegar, or a vinegar type flavor). I have a hard time finding decent cole slaw, and usually try the version they've made almost everywhere I eat. Usually it tastes too much like mayo, this one had a strong mustard, which I had never found before. Bottom line, I did not finish it, and would get a different side next time. My wife and boy shared a meat platter, and I tasted what they got as well. So, to start off, I don't do spicy.. sorry, I am a spicy wimp (which isn't most people). I actually worry about food being spicy, `specially when someone says it's not spicy (most of the time, it isn't to them, but it's too spicy for me). I didn't care for the mac & cheese (but I grew up on Kraft in the box). It was too spicy for me, but my boy said it was OK and the spice made it taste better. I really liked the brisket. The ribs were again too spicy, and the meat had too much char on the outside. The char was really what ruined them for me tho. The cornbread was ok, no complaints there. We brought some home, but I don't think I'll be able to try any more, as everybody else is devouring what's left. If I happen back, pulled pork, brisket, &...

New review: Sept. 29, 2023

HUGE thank you to Taylor, the smoke masters, and Diane of Smoking Kow!

A friend of mine has a severe onion allergy, so I called ahead to see if there were any items she could have or should avoid. Taylor checked with the smoke masters in the kitchen (who are amazing as well) and determined they could accommodate the request.

We had an amazing meal with delicious smoked meats and sides. It is such a treat to be able to come to places like this where folks like Taylor make such careful measures to assure an allergen-free dining experience. Thank you very much!

And a heartfelt thank you to Diane who called later to follow up on my friend. We were happy to report that all was well and that we enjoyed our meal immensely.

Smoking Kow and everyone who make it happen are outstanding professionals.

Thank you!

From 2018: Anyone who knows me, knows I can smoke some incredible meats and veggies. This place surpasses my skills. I give up my title of Grill/Smoke Master to Paul, the GM and his team. The smoked turkey is moist and not dry. The chicken is also moist and not dried out. Fantastic pink coloring from smoking in just the right way. Perfection. Ribs and brisket so outstanding that my friends from out of town start planning future visits. Pulled pork so good I bet it could turn a vegetarian. Wow. They were also able to accurately tell my friend who has a serious allergy exactly what ingredients were in their dishes and sauces so she could find something incredibly delicious. Eat in or take out, you win either way. Plenty of parking across the street, or down the side street, so you have no excuse not to visit. Well worth the visit, and serious competition to other eateries nearby. Thank you...