Good barbecue is out there, but you have to be willing to travel. It usually means getting way the heck out of the South Bay, but Wilmington’s Smoky Doky just might be the only exception. I’d normally drive any distance to pick up the good stuff, but a newborn blocks any path out the door. Fortunately there is Doordash, where you can pay someone else to venture out their door to yours.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Smoky Doky, but a lunchtime craving had to be fulfilled. One bite of the Brisket with a small swipe of their spunky bbq sauce to double the heat, and I know this place is legit. Wood smoke permeates the crevices between the marbled bits of tender meat, and the fat is nicely distributed so the meat falls apart.
They have no shortage of sides, all of which are made with the same care as the meat. A side of Slaw cools the fat, and every order comes with Sweet Rolls from King’s Hawaiian to sop up the drippings.
You can’t go wrong with Baked Beans - they take on the rich savor of blended beefy bits. Potato Salad comes from the pitmaster’s mama, enriched by egg and lightened by sharp raw onion. The Mac n’ Cheese is a gooey carb, housemade cheese sauce coats completely and leaves no elbow room between the macaroni.
Try the Tri-Tip if you’re looking for something a little more lean and a little more like steak. It’s a fender cut, smoked all the way through, a beautiful medium-rare red.
Pulled Pork is softly shredded, dripping savory juices.
I think there’s a lack of local barbecue because you can’t cheat the barbecue. Anyone can fire up a grill, but the real stuff takes time, and you get what you give. Smoky Doky makes theirs low and slow, and the time it gets to soak up the smoke does show. A lot of their food is made to order or at least on the day of, and their meat has been going all night. So if you want the real stuff, venture past your borders, both physical and self-imposed and give Smoky Doky a spin. See if you can’t taste the difference.
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