What’s in a name? Apparently for The El Felix in Alpharetta, Georgia it’s redundancy. While I cannot explain why it’s The El Felix and not simply El Felix, I can say that this nuevo Mexican restaurant seems to be made for unvegans like me. I had a tough time picking from all the great-looking meaty options, but when the waiter made a strong sell for the Tacos Al Pastor.

But these weren’t like the al pastor that I am used to in LA. Instead, these were made from crisp, slowly cooked pork belly and pineapple. They were pretty good, with some nice fatty flavor and solid caramelization, but the big winner here was the tortillas. These were made in-house and had just the right thickness and chewiness that one could ask for in a tortilla. Plus, they had spent just enough time on the griddle to get some brown crispiness to them.

The pork belly was good, even if a little oversold by the waiter, but the tortillas were really what made this meal. Next time the waiter may want to sell on those, but I can’t complain.

When you travel for business, you don’t really stop to think about just how much food you’re taking in. Thus, I felt it necessary to follow up my first BBQ dinner in Alpharetta, Georgia with another one. This time I went to ‘Cue and split ribs and brisket in an attempt to get enough meat to compare to the night prior at Smokejack.

So let’s begin with those ribs. They fell off the bones like nobody’s business, as in when I tried to pass half of the slab to my eating companion I failed because the whole thing just fell apart. Yet, as tender as they were, I felt that the rub was not as good as the night before.

As for the brisket, it was decent, but really nothing special. I have high brisket standards and this one was just kind of eh. Regardless, the spicy vinegar sauce ‘Cue had was fantastic. It was one of a few different choices and it easily took the brisket and ribs to the next level.

Now you may be wondering what sort of delicious side that piece of bread seems to be hiding. Why, it’s none other than Mac and Cheese, or as the menu calls it, “Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.” This stuff lived up to its billing and had a nice crispy crust to it to go with the creaminess. There was a thought and care that went into the mac and cheese, and that went appreciated.

Yet, when it came to the end of the meal I couldn’t help but feel if I had only one BBQ meal to eat in Alpharetta it would be Smokejack. Perhaps it’s only because I tried them out first, but the combination of greater meats and nearly-as-great sides just did it for me.

Alpharetta, Georgia isn’t exactly a food blogger’s destination of choice. Yet, when the day job sends you off to such an exotic place, you make do. And that’s what I did when I made my way to Smokejack, a BBQ that I hoped would represent The South well. Smokejack is located in what can best be described as Alpharetta’s Main Street (because it is), and while all the other restaurants nearby looked good, Smokejack just drew me in.

Fortunately, I was with a fellow BBQ lover and we proceeded to order the biggest platter possible to split. It was called The Jack and came with 1/4 lb. pulled pork, 1/4 lb. burnt ends, 1/4 roasted chicken, 1/4 rack spare ribs, 1/4 rack baby back ribs and 4 sides (I suppose to keep the 4 theme going). We picked Mac and Cheese, Pimento Cheese Grits, Baked Beans with Bacon and Corn Pudding for our sides, because we had no need for greens.

Yet, Smokejack seemed to disagree, because when The Jack arrived, it cam with a boatload of pickles tossed in one corner. I did my best to ignore these as I dug into the meat. While each item seemed to borrow BBQ styles from other places, they were all great. The Memphis-style spare ribs were fantastic, as were the baby back ribs. The burnt ends probably could have been a bit more tender, and the pulled pork could have used more flavor, but then again the rubs were so great on the ribs that the pulled pork probably would have tasted better on its own. The chicken was even pretty good, and super juicy.

As for the sides, I was pleased with all of them. The baked beans did not fall into the nasty habit of being overly sweet and the mac and cheese didn’t amaze, but still tasted solid. The pimento grits were probably my favorites, being creamy, textured and flavorful.

I left Smokejack packed to the brim, and happy with the quality as well. Atlanta locals may not think Alpharetta has good BBQ, but this transplanted Los Angeleno was impressed.