If there are two words that exemplify barbecue, they are most certainly "slow" and "low". With that in mind, it was almost impossible for me to resist a lunchtime excursion to Slow & Low BBQ Bistro, especially since this was one of the first rainless days Nashville has seen in nearly a week.
You'll find Slow & Low in a renovated and converted house in far west Nashville, something that instantly gives the joint a rather cozy feel to it. Couple that with a full-size pig costume (which I sincerely hope they put to use) in the corner, and you've got a very welcoming atmosphere. Parking is a big snug here, and tables, at least the inside ones, are also limited. I guess that's why they call it a bistro.
Hickory appears to be the wood of choice at Slow & Low. I grew up accustomed to oak and pecan, but hickory does a great job, too. In fact, hickory often tends to impart a little saltiness on the meat, which is a good thing despite what my doctor keeps telling me.
For some bizarre and yet undetermined reason, many of the Nashville-area barbecue joints I've investigated don't offer multi-meat combos on their menus. Not Slow & Low. These guys have a glorious Four Meat Feast! Of the five available meats, I selected pulled pork, wings, brisket, and ribs, with Mama's tater salad and beer-battered onion rings as my sides. I could hardly contain my excitement while my meat-tastic meal was being prepared.
Even though Slow & Low had only been open for twenty minutes by the time I arrived, I received their very last portion of potato salad. I was perplexed, but glad to have it nonetheless. The potato salad had a great mustard flavor and plenty of black pepper to go around. All of the onions and pickles also gave it a nice crunch. The onion rings came out crisp and full of flavor. They were also seasoned well, and the onions themselves tasted really fresh. I didn't even dream of ruining them with ketchup.
I wasn't sure where to begin with the meats, so I just picked the pulled pork at random and dug right in. It was tender and had a decent amount of smoke, especially in the fattier pieces. There was also a good seasoning on the bark. I briefly considered sampling their sauces, but it seemed altogether unnecessary, so I passed.
Hot wings were an obvious consideration, but I got mine naked so that I could give the true flavors a fair shake. The skin had a fantastic char and an equally tasty blend of spices. I found only a moderate smoke level, which is fairly typical for barbecue chicken. The meat itself was moist and quite enjoyable.
The fatty layer right on top of the brisket had obviously soaked a ton of smoke, which I was more than happy to eat. There was also a good crispness to the bark that I don't find all too often. The meat was certainly tender, though maybe just a tad dry at times. It was difficult not to inhale all of it at once, but I wanted to leave some leftovers for the next day's lunch.
My ribs were covered in a beautiful black crust and just a light drizzle of sauce. As soon as I bit in, I immediately got a big punch of delicious smokiness, almost as much as I found in the brisket. There was also a slight spiciness in each bite from the sauce. I'm not normally a big fan of sauced ribs, but it really worked well here.
Slow & Low BBQ Bistro may be a bit off the beaten path as far as Nashville barbecue goes, but it's absolutely worth the trip.
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Slow & Low BBQ Bistro
333 54th Avenue N
Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 385-7800
http://slowandlowbbqbistro.com/
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