Uncurbed DC

It’s a pretty simple concept really, and part of why it works is because of its simplicity. Take your favorite food trucks, give them a space to actually seat patrons, add in some alcohol and a chance to get to nosh with the owners and find out what inspires them. This is the impetus behind Uncurbed DC, a new traveling pop-​up restaurant concept, featuring food served from different food trucks served each week in a new location. I was fortunate enough to attend the opening night hosted by the extremely friendly guys from the BBQ Bus, and although my location will be their spot for a week or so, please be aware that it will change over time. Stay tuned to the business website for the most up-​to-​date truck sponsors and venues.
The theme for the week is Holidays at Home, and the BBQ Bus guys did a great job of decorating the rented out space with their very own furniture and accessories, down to the books, photos, and memorabilia, and lit up each room with Christmas lights and even had a full size tree in one of the rooms. It definitely gave the setting a unique feel and with the paper table cloths felt a lot like the BBQ cookouts I was used to down home in North Carolina.
The BBQ itself has improved slightly by my estimation since the last couple times I’ve visited the truck, although this was the first time I’ve tried their sampler platter and ribs instead of sticking to their great sandwich combinations. I actually don’t generally care for ribs because so many places screw them up, but these were done nicely and not overly saturated with wet rub so that you wind up a sloppy mess at the end. Naturally, the pulled pork was my favorite of the meat trio, with the chicken just narrowly edging out the brisket for second place. I did have an issue with their NC style sauce, as to me it tasted nothing like what I remember, but I’m guessing they were emulating a more Western NC style with the sweeter ketchup base than the Eastern NC with more vinegar and no sugar. If you’re gonna call it NC you gotta know the difference! I did love the slightly spicy sauce though, although it was more the flavor of spice than any actual heat… mixed with the smoked BBQ sauce it made a really nice combo for the pork and chicken.
We tried some of the blueberry cobbler with ice cream to finish, and it was a really heaping portion for just $ 5, served nice and warm with a good crumble on top. This is another unique thing that they can’t really do on the truck, but with the extra space it’s much easier to produce a wider variety and really show off what they’re capable of. The wait for everything was pretty much nonexistent, as this setting allows them to crank out food much faster without having to deal with lines of folks trying to figure out what to order.
One of my few complaints actually has to do with the alcohol, another thing that isn’t possible when visiting these guys on the move. At $ 6 a piece it would be nice to see a better beer selection than Boddington’s, Red Stripe, Heineken, Sierra Nevada and Miller Lite ($ 4 for the ML). Food trucks are supposed to be on the fringe of creativity, so how on Earth are they not supporting small craft breweries? I realize this is a passion that few people share, but the two ideals are so closely linked I can’t believe they’re missing this great opportunity to show their palates aren’t limited to food.