Anyone who really knows me is keenly aware of my mild obsession with Bravo shows, one being Top Chef. So to be able to eat at the season one runner up’s restaurant here in Boston is like dining with royalty to me (please withhold your judgment!). I have somehow managed to eat everywhere except for Sweet Cheeks in the last few years since its opening. But alas, after a dining companion (who knows of my love for all things food) suggested a night of Southern BBQ, there was no hesitation in my response… the time had come, and it was on. And the icing on the cake? I learned that their Monster Wings were named in the listing of the top 25 wings in the US by Epicurious.com. Hello.
So I picked out my best BBQ eating outfit ensuring that wouldn’t show the remnants of the feast, and played it cool as I took my seat at the table. From here, the real fun began.. Luckily my dining partner is all about sharing, so we opted to order two of the trays. After very little (or no) indecision, my choice was obvious with the Monster Wings. We then agreed on the brisket for our other mainstay. For sides I knew the staples of collards, and mac & cheese were musts but I had heard that the carrot and raisin salad was necessary. Lastly, a simple potato salad rounded out the spread. I had heard the portion sizes were on the smaller side, I absolutely disagree. We questioned whether or not we should have ordered the biscuits, but we were barely able to finish what we did order. The trays came out, and my breath was temporarily taken from me (don’t worry, a quick sip of my PBR tall boy revived me). I cannot express the excitement I feel about both wings and BBQ, both favorite food groups of mine. So with little hesitation we dug into the mounds of wings, meat, and sides. Now I promised my cousin that I would go against the food writing grain and use the words “crispy” and “cold” in this entry. Well the carrot and raisin salad was just that, it was perfectly crispy and just the right amount of cold to balance the heat in one of the in-house made sauces, it was really something I could have made a meal of on its own. All of the sides came out, more than enough to share, and were the perfect accompaniments to the meats. The mac & cheese had just the right amount of breadcrumbs on top while the rest remained perfectly creamy. The collards had just the right amount of vinegar and the addition of the pork really made the dish. So I know what you’re thinking, “What about the meat?”. The Monster Wings truly lived up to their name with their monster flavor (ok, now you can judge me). They were piping hot, so I’m wearing Band-Aids on the majority of my fingers today, but it’s my own fault for not waiting. The smokey flavor was so simple and delicious on its own that I ate mine without the addition of a sauce. Moving on to the brisket, I’m usually pretty picky about this as it’s often a little overdone and tends to get a bit dried out. Sweet Cheeks’ brisket left me wondering why I agreed to share and should I have ordered it for myself only. It was that good, perfectly tender and mixed with all three of the sauces was really one of the most memorable parts of the meal. I can guarantee there was not much of anything left on either tray.
As much as I’d like to say I saved room for dessert, there was no way I was going to be able to make room for the oversized Nutter Butter cookie I eyed at the neighbors’ table. I guess this means I have to go back again, but I suppose there are worse things in life right? At the end of the night I checked Sweet Cheeks off of my list, but I know I’ll be back soon.

Bon appetit ya’ll!