UNION72
4 out of 5 stars
The Shops at Wiregrass, 2000 Piazza Ave #150, Wesley Chapel. Barbecue: $3.50-$17; sides: $2.50; desserts: $5; drinks: $2-$6. 813-575-9999; union72.com.
Good things come in small packages. Or so they say. It's also true that great food sometimes appears in the unlikeliest of places. Way out Wesley Chapel way at The Shops at Wiregrass you'll find an intimate new barbecue restaurant called UNION72 wedged between The Brass Tap and Cantina Laredo, just past the plastic ice skating rink — where the inventiveness of American entrepreneurship is on full display.
U72 is a casual place. You order at the counter and take a number, then grab a drink and wait. Shortly, your meal appears. This same ritual usually accompanies humdrum food that may be fine, but is nothing to write home about. It's with that modest mindset that we make our choices, expectations firmly in check.
Our first surprise is that there are special treats on the drinks front, especially if you're not in the mood for a lager, ale or house-made tea. First is the craft fountain soda, which expands on cola to embrace black cherry and orange cream. Even better is grilled lemonade served in a logo-emblazoned glass jar. The secret is grilled caramelized lemons, which are then chilled, freshly squeezed and infused with lavender. The result is memorable, and we're all abuzz.
But when our food arrives and we start chowing down, there's an unexpected silence — followed by some "oohs" and "aahs." We're distracted for a moment before my dining companions and I exchange curious glances. Is yours as good as mine? Something special is going on here.
It seems that local restaurateurs Jeff Martin and Bharat Chhabria felt a revolution was in order. It was time to unleash the global spices of the world's street cuisine to create a chef-inspired barbecue restaurant; time to "challenge the rules; free my BBQ." With pitmaster Geoff Zukosky, the owners have cracked the secret code. At the core, of course, is the quality of the eatery's slow-smoked meat. But UNION72 really soars with the menu's "handhelds," where chef-inspired combos can take flight.
The Cali features chicken marinated overnight and slow-smoked for four hours. Its pulled shreds are topped with avocado, caramelized onions, candied bacon, Cheddar and drizzled with house-made smoked tomato barbecue sauce on a toasted brioche bun. What's wonderful about the mashup is that it's in perfect balance where each element is identifiable. The layers of flavor meld together beautifully. It's simply a joy to eat.
The bánh mì puts a Texas twist on this Vietnamese favorite with dry-rubbed beef brisket that gets the 16-hour slow-smoked treatment. A baguette filled with tender beef slices comes alive with pickled vegetables, cucumbers, bean sprouts and spicy aioli to make it sing. Again, the synergy of ingredients delivers a surprising package that's a delight.
I'm on record as a pork devotee, so The Conquistador's marinated, Spanish-spiced slow-smoked pork (a mere 14 hours in this case) has me swooning. A toasted brioche bun appears once more with pulled meat topped with chimichurri, caramelized onions and a fried egg oozing yolk. It's just delicious.
These handhelds, or sandwiches, are triumphant. There are other variations that add kimchi or fried jalapeños, as well as a trio of tacos. And then there are wings — glorious wings.
The smoked hot wings are superb, even without any of the six dipping sauces. They're dry-rubbed and slow-smoked, then finished in the deep fryer. You may opt for them to be served wet (with your choice of sauce) or naked (just the rub). Each sauce has its own allure: white barbecue (aioli-esqe), sweet barbecue, spicy barbecue, the aforementioned smoked tomato barbecue, sticky Asian (with a hit of soy) and Carolina-style (yellow with mustard). These house-made dips all hit the mark.
Every meal features a choice of sides. There are the usual suspects of fries, slaw, collards and okra. Plus, our picks of mac and cheese (slightly sweet with a candied bacon garnish); a loaded "smoked potato" buried in sour cream, chives, Cheddar and bacon; and beautifully charred grilled corn coated with herbed cotija cheese. As with everything else we taste, the sides are fresh and made with care. The flavors sing.
The day's desserts by Buttermilk Provisions (just a mile down the road) are listed on a chalkboard behind the counter. We sample both available options. The doughnut banana pudding is made with sugar doughnuts instead of bread. It's very tasty, with strong banana aromas and a smooth texture. And while the tiramisu has lots of flavor, it's not what you'd expect. I wouldn't have recognized it without being told. It doesn't mention doughnuts, but whatever's in it isn't light like ladyfingers and mascarpone. The individual serving in a plastic cup is very dense at the bottom, where the coffee flavor is hiding. If you keep an open mind, you'll enjoy this one as well.
UNION72 is a revelation wrapped in a revolution. If only I didn't reside in a condo — then I could have a "Free My BBQ" lawn sign.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2016 – Jan 5, 2017.