Goody Cole’s Smokehouse is all about the barbecue and nothing else. There’s no cute decor with country-themed knickknacks on the walls like big fish or pictures of moose — well a little bit in the Exeter restaurant — but in Brentwood, their second location, threre’s just a bare cement floor, some tables inside and out, a counter to order from and a huge black smoker burning hickory wood and cooking up some of the best BBQ in the state, nay, in New England, and that’s really all you need.
 Goody Cole’s Smokehouse 374 Rte. 125, Brentwood 679-8898 Also at 50 Lincoln St., Exeter 773-5657 goodycoles.com Price guide: $ Inexpensive - up to $15/person; $$ Moderate - $16 to $30; $$$ Expensive - $31 and up Ratings guide: * acceptable * * good * * * worth a detour * * * * worth a journey Visit the Dining section of NewHampshire.com to read previous Our Gourmet reviews listed by town. |
My companion and I drove to the Smokehouse and dined outside for lunch then brought some more food home for dinner. We munched on some peanuts from a big barrel while we waited for our food, which didn’t take long to get. I tried the pulled pork sandwich with a side of cucumber salad included ($7.99). As I said, the pork has no sauce, so I added the medium variety, which had a pretty good kick to it. The meat is smoky and tender in a soft bun and the cucumber salad is a mix of sweet and tart with thinly sliced cukes in a vinaigrette. Simple and delicious.
My companion tried the kielbasa plate with sides of Cajun corn and a smoked sweet potato ($7.99). Big chunks of juicy sausage are piled on the plate. These barely needed a sauce at all. The half sweet potato side — a whole one can be had for $2.50 — is soft and not too smoky, still in the skin and great slathered in butter, as is a slice of warm cornbread, although I found the cornbread a bit mushy for my taste.
We brought home a Big Rib Plate, a half-rack of dry-seasoned, slow-smoked ribs ($11.99). To say that the meat practically falls off the bone is cliched but true. Slightly pink from and moist from the smoking process inside, the outside of each rib has a great chewy surface. A side of potato salad wasn’t as creamy as I like but the side of BBQ beans were great with a sweet yet tangy brown sauce.
The beef brisket plate ($7.99) is also good, with thick slices of meat, a little less smoky than the ribs, and with a touch more fat in them, which sounds like a down side, but actually adds to the juiciness and the flavor. A side of Cajun corn was fine, but could have used more Cajun spice to add some more interesting flavors. You can also order smoked turkey, chicken, and other items just by themselves and add your own sides or try one of the family variety packs which feed four to seven people with sides ($18.99-$38.99) for a regular southern style smorgasbord. A combo plate of two or three meats is also a good choice if you can decide what you want ($10.99-$14.25). Desserts are scarce, although they sometimes have cookies or whoopee pies, which are the standard fare.
Goody Cole’s Smokehouse also has specials on the weekends, and get this, hunters, you can now bring in your game for a proper hickory wood slow smoking to get you through the winter. In the meantime, just walk in and get some take-out or bring the family for a huge and inexpensive chow down on the most authentic barbecue around.
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