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Picking up on the newest trend in stylish Southern home cookin’, D.B.A. Barbecue recently opened in the old Vine location in Virginia-Highland. A far cry from the grungy, dilapidated shacks that often make the best pulled pork and smoked ribs in Georgia, D.B.A., a play on “Doing Business As,” is clean and new looking. Upon entering, it’s hard to decide which to take in first: the aesthetically-appealing combination of brick and wood walls, wood floors and an open kitchen or the enticing scents of barbecue and smoked meats wafting through the room.
Small enough to feel intimate, but large enough to show it’s the real deal, D.B.A. features seating in the main dining room, at the bar and on the patio. From high-gravity beer and classy wine to watermelon mojitos and other specialty cocktails, D.B.A. is not shy when it comes to showcasing alcohol. And who wouldn’t want a key lime Tom Collins to go with their fried bacon?
Diners often opt to start with Gerry’s warm white cheese muffins served with sweet honey butter or the Southern succotash hummus made with butter beans, corn and red pepper and served with deep-fried pita points. Depending on the level of hunger, sandwiches, po-boys, salads and Brunswick stew are possibilities, as are raw bar items like fried oysters and shrimp.
A few "Southern specialties" include pecan-cursted trout meuniere—fancy!—shrimp and cheese grits with peppers and andouille sausage, and a vegetable plate. But the smokehouse entrees are where D.B.A. really gets down to business. The seven choices range from the usual baby back ribs and pulled chicken to Texas beef brisket and smoked tofu. Each comes with two sides, and there are more than 14 to choose from. The three-cheese mac-n-cheese has a spicy kick to it, while the broccoli, mushroom and cheddar casserole is quite creamy. There’s also Doug’s whole-fried okra, sweet potato French fries and deep-fried corn on the cob. Are you sensing a pattern here? If you don’t like fried stuff, stick to the tomato, cucumber and Vidalia onion salad, which is pretty refreshing.
To top it off, you can get raisin bread pudding or a classy strawberry shortcake or Key lime pie. Tasty? Yes. Trendy? That too. Is a stylish barbecue joint an oxymoron? We think yes, but will it stop us from dining there? Definitely not!
