Soul Fire BBQ

Review by: ayersian

***THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED***

Despite its monopoly on littleneck clams, roast beef, and baked beans, Boston could be the buckle of the BBQ-less Belt. The pitmasters of New England give it a whirl, and a few come out slightly ahead, but ultimately it’s a letdown. It’s simply not the place to find good BBQ for those who’ve dined at the best parlors in Texas, or Kansas City, or Memphis, or either of the Carolinas. (By the same token, be very wary of Yankee pot roast and Indian pudding below the Mason-Dixon Line.) However, BBQ aficionados can find great items here and there, and Soul Fire BBQ is an excellent place to start.

Appetizers at most BBQ restaurants are mostly lost causes, but the Fried Mac & Cheese is an absolute revelation. We’ve choked down terrible mac & cheese bites around the country, always falling prey to the hope that this next one might be worth the trouble. Soul Fire does it extremely well: huge cubes of dense mac & cheese, rolled in what resembles fried chicken coating, and deep-fried just enough so that the outside is crispy. Break one open, and you get steam, gooey threads of cheese, and enough substance to film a TV commercial. A small order has four of these beauties, and oh, what delights they are!

The pulled pork is uncannily good—such that no sauce is needed. Their three homemade sauces (all warmed in large, help-yourself pumps, which is a definite plus) suffer from the Goldilocks syndrome: the molasses-laden Sweet Sauce is too sweet, the Fiery Sauce (with extra chili peppers) is too hot, but the basic Soul Fire sauce is just right: a semi-sweet, tomato-based concoction with a peppery kick. The dry-rub ribs are meaty and large, and they do benefit from a little sauce application. The brisket is also good but not great, though the fat layer quite literally melts in the mouth. Skip the below-par baked beans (these are not BBQ beans, but dark molasses-based baked beans) in favor of the collard greens, and you’ll be a happier camper.

For dessert—if you still have room—both pecan and sweet potato pies are on the menu. They were out of sweet potato when we visited, so we ordered pecan. It’s actually not a slice of pie but a pecan tart with whole pecan halves and chocolate chips (strange, because the next table over from us was sharing a whole pie that looked tasty, but they must’ve brought it in with them). It was also quite delicious and an admirable finale to a fine meal!

What To Eat

Pulled Pork Sandwich

DISH
Sliced Brisket Sandwich

DISH
Fried Mac and Cheese

DISH
Collard Greens

DISH
Pecan Pie

DISH

Soul Fire BBQ Recipes

Discuss

What do you think of Soul Fire BBQ?

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