A Southern Slow And Low BBQ Lunch Feast At Shotgun With Tabl

We’ve made no bones (or should that be ribs) about our love for Shotgun – the southern BBQ restaurant on Kingly Court from Brad McDonald of The Lockhart. I won’t bang on about it again, you’ll just have to read it.

Tabl‘s Southern slow and low BBQ lunch feast (£40pp) event there sounded too good to miss. Here’s what they suggested on their site: ‘Join the crowd at Shotgun BBQ for a hands-on Southern barbecue lunch feast. Expect a selection of snacks and a boozy cocktail in your hand on arrival. We’ll be bringing the kitchen into the dining room, slicing brisket, pulling pork, and splitting ribs before your all-you-can-eat eyes. Feel free to ask your ‘cue questions of our pit masters and chefs. Wash it all down with some pudding, then melt back into your seat with another one of our signature cocktails.’

Er, yes please!

We were quite surprised to get there to find we were individually seated in our parties, not all together in one big group. This came as quite a relief seeing as Ade had a severe case of Man Flu and I was unsuccessfully battling a migraine. It was basically like going out for a regular meal but the restaurant had been closed for this event.

An aptly named ‘Cure All’ cocktail was placed before us, shortly followed by some devilled eggs and Ade’s fave, Pimento cheese – a slightly smoky, lightly spiced cheese and piquillo pepper dip served with Ritz crackers. Then a beautiful couple of items arrived – pretzel buns filled with pulled suckling pig and bacon jam and served with carolina mustard sauce, we could have eaten these crusty glazed buns all afternoon, amazing.

Those plates aren’t going to stay empty for long

Then came the best bit, table by table, we were invited down to the kitchen to collect our meat. The plan was for them to come to us and serve up in the dining room but we liked this idea better. We love any excuse to explore a kitchen, especially one at a restaurant that we admire so much.

It was like the best carvery of our lives, which led us to think, imagine if they did one on a Sunday, a southern take on a roast dinner – we’d be there with bells on.

Our senses went into overdrive as we were served up black pepper-rubbed USDA point end brisket, pulled and chopped suckling pig and baby back ribs. Not forgetting a selection of seasonal sides house made sauces and pickles such as cornbread and their fab cucumber salad (great for cooling down after a mouthful of fiery barbecue beans.)

… and you can go back for seconds!

We could have hung around in that kitchen for hours, just watching the slicing and breathing in the most incredible meaty smells but we had a plate of dreams to take back to our table. We feared there was no way we’d get through it all but somehow we did. Unfortunately we were unable to take up the offers of returning to the kitchen for another helping, so no doggy bag to knock up a hash the following day.

Waitress for scale

Of course we had room for dessert though, we think another part of the stomach must cover this for we can always squeeze it in. Along came the waitress with a gigantic glass bowl of banana pudding – sorghum biscuit, caramelised banana pastry cream and honeycomb. This is where our only criticism comes in, it needed a bit of texture through it, more honeycomb perhaps. This didn’t stop us eating the whole lot though.

We made a swift exit after dessert as Ade was seriously flagging, gutted as we missed out on an after-dinner cocktail. For £40 a head this is a brilliant deal at an outstanding restaurant , especially considering you can go back for more if you’re up to it. Plus, with no menus to decipher or choose from, its ideal for catch ups or dates and for Shotgun to showcase their best bits.

tabl.com

Find them on Facebook
Follow them on Twitter
Follow them on Instagram

We ate at Shotgun as guests of Tabl, this does not affect our review in any way. We always write with complete honesty.