Eggplant seems to be a consistently dooming ingredient when it comes to plating and presentation, but Boucherie did a damn good job exhibiting it to its best potential in this amuse of savory eggplant over cool slices of cucumber. The cucumber could’ve been a bit thinner, but it was overall a refreshing and vivacious counterpoint to the salty fattiness of the smooth, viscous eggplant. A whimsical twirl of red pepper on top added color as well as a lush, sweet crispness.
Pulled pork with pickled red cabbage and potatoes confit was heaven on earth, especially with Boucherie’s housemade barbecue sauce, a vinegary concoction redolent of North Carolina and outdoor barbecues. This was made all the better with an additional sprinkling from the bottles of spicy vinegar on each table; somehow, it made the unctuous shreds of smoky pork even moister, so that each bite was an uncontainable spree of delectable juiciness.
Boucherie is an awesome little neighborhood stop – a real gem in a quiet Riverbend neighborhood off Carrollton. Each dish is a tasteful re-imagining of Southern cuisine and flavors, ranging from the traditional (brisket with supreme garlicky parmesan fries) to the inventive (smoked scallops with watercress chimichurri and black pepper spaetzle) to the fresh, simple, and lovely (goat cheese and fig roullade with Holly Grove Market veggies). With its low prices (no large plates exceed $15), it’s an indulgence that you can afford to make pretty regularly (go back and try a new plate each time; I’ve already got my sights on the boudin balls for my next visit). Wait, is that a good or a bad thing?
Great photos, as always. And this is a very timely post, too. I was there recently, and took a shot of the scallops, but I couldn’t remember what they called the sauce.
Thanks!
I went for dinner for the first time on Friday night, but thankfully I left my camera at home and thus will not be embarassed by amateurish photography skills (or lack thereof). I’m glad that I have you two to do my work for me.
Oh yeah, the food was very good. Plus, you gotta love $5 corkage. I’ll write it up soon and will make sure to do a subpar job so as to make you two look better. Don’t thank me. It’s just what I do naturally.