Lawrence Barbecue - Durham, NC

I forgot how nice it is to have a lot of space. Everything is so spread out down south, even in settled cities like Raleigh and Durham. I absolutely LOVE the location of Lawrence Barbecue, the seemingly middle-of-nowhere Boxyard. Someone stacked a bunch of shipping-container shops selling everything from barbecue to pizza and beer to ice cream and clothes and created a courtyard with shaded picnic tables where you can enjoy your haul. 

Lawrence Barbecue is the main mission, and with two kids and a dad in the car, it was a regular grab and go. 

My tray is a sampler of everything but the wings, which I now wish I hadn't missed. First, the special, the Hoodoo Brown Crispy Skin Pork Belly with a skin so loud you swear you bit right down into a bone. You feel that crack deep in your skull, and the river of fat-juice that flows from the belly layers beneath is just so savory. The contrasting textures and the technique required to get them should not be overlooked. Stack on potato bread and eat with all the pickles.

It's been so long since I've had ribs fall off the bone, I had started to think they were going out of style. But quality is always in fashion, and they know how to make pork ribs properly. Lovely smoke, sosoSO tender. I always pick brisket over ribs, but these might be my favorite thing here. 

That's no reason to skip the Brisket, though. The smoke is solid on these fall-apart slices, and that pile of pulled pork in the corner is also sure to please. 

You're here for the meat, but the sides are strong, and you'll need at least some Slaw to balance out the meaty-meat. Theirs makes a crunchy contrast, and the vinegar dressing keeps it light. Baked Beans are beefy and smoky, a thick and meaty mix with bits of brisket in between. Too heavy to stand aside but too delicious not to try. They also get creative with the Brussels, which are darkly charred, burnt and bitter but finish cheesy and sweet with a pickled hit at the end. 

It's been a long time since I've had BBQ this good, and I think the secret is in small-batch. A peek around the corner reveals only three smokers so they have to make every bite count. Best BBQ I've had this year, top 5 for life.