Rollin’ Smoke Barbeque, Las Vegas NV

Rollin Smoke Barbeque

AYCE Plate 1 – Brisket, Pulled Pork, Spare Ribs, Corn Nuggets, Hush Puppies

Banana Pudding

Corn Bread

AYCE Plate 2 – Beef Rib, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Meatloaf, Loaded Mashed Potato, Fried Onion Strings

Peach Cobbler with Blue Bell Ice Cream

Having recently returned from a Lone Star State tour of smoked meat Meccas ranging from Black’s and Snow’s to Pecan Lodge and Franklin it was with modest expectations but high hopes that I approached Rollin Smoke, a space many locals and critics have hailed as the best barbeque in Las Vegas, and opting to explore the menu through a generous $24.99 all-you-can eat program I must say I walked away a (very full) believer. Located on South Highland where outdoor smokers and burning hickory alert the senses to something more than industrial surroundings Rollin Smoke is as small and homey as many a’ Texas or Kansas City ‘cue spots and staffed by Razorback pitmaster Trey Holland plus a dedicated team of enthusiasts the service is every bit on par with that down south – a true love of the art noted in lengthy answers to questions about woods, temperatures, and process while simultaneously making sure every guest is content. Featuring a diverse menu with spices and rubs harkening the style of BBQ found across the south but a bit more aggressively sweet than that in Texas it was with a trio of smoked meats, two must-order sides, and buttery cornbread that I began and although brisket was a bit drier than I’d prefer the smoke was prominent and flavor was on point – a trend extending to fatty ribs and supple pulled pork that lacked not for juices, the latter falling just short of KC’s Oklahoma Joe’s reference standard. Still nibbling at the creamy corn nuggets as plate two arrived it was here that I sampled Holland’s two most raved items and with a blackened caramelized crust overlying tender flesh and melted collagen the beef rib wowed just as much as the signature meatloaf, absolutely rife with hickory notes and light heat amidst a delicately packed beef. Ignoring decent but mundane chicken and mac n’ cheese I found inedibly bland compared to the rich potatoes and previous fried sides it was with a duo of desserts that I rounded out the tasting and suffice it to say that while banana pudding tastes straight from a box the focus should instead be directed to the cobbler, a bubbling bowl of soft peaches with buttery pie crust crowned with Texas’ own Blue Bell vanilla – a perfect end to a pretty damned good meal by any standard.

http://rollinsmokebarbeque.com