Phantom Gourmet: Rivershed In Stoughton
STOUGHTON - There are some people who insist you can't find a good plate of ribs, a slice of cornbread or basket of fried green tomatoes north of the Mason-Dixon Line. But we're here to tell you that authentic Southern cuisine is being cooked by two New England natives - from behind a dance studio.
Rivershed in Scituate may be a little difficult to find, and once you get there, the curb appeal won't blow you away, but walk inside and you'll feel like you landed in Downtown Nashville, with funky chandeliers, eclectic signage and a wrap-around bar.
"We are just kind of a little place where you feel like you're at home," said co-owner Kara Tondorf.
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Rivershed wasn't always this way. In fact, when Kara and her brother Michael first stepped foot in the space, it felt anything but welcoming. But what they found waiting in the kitchen convinced them to buy.
"The first thing I saw was this shiny smoker that wasn't getting a lot of use. And a lightbulb just went off in my head, and I said, 'we have to use this thing. We have to do barbecue,'" said Michael. "I looked at my sister. We smiled at each other, and the rest is kind of history."
Though Michael is no stranger to cooking, he was far from a pit master when he started out; so his success comes from following a simple formula.
"In one sentence, the way to do it is you gotta cook your barbecue low and slow," he explained. "I've made a mistake in the past where, 'Oh I didn't cook off enough brisket. Let me try to rush it.' I'll never make that mistake again."
Luckily, that batch of brisket never made it to the customers, and every platter today is cooked to perfection. In fact, the barbecue here is so popular the kitchen has the smoker running over 20 hours a day!
"I walk in here, I come in at 6:30, 7 in the morning, and all I smell is barbecue," said Kara. "Sometimes I come home, and it's like, 'Oh you smell like a smoker.'"
You can pile your plate with brisket, pulled pork or their signature, tender and tasty ribs. Or you can order a combo and try it all. Just don't forget about the side of cornbread, because the staff here certainly didn't.
"We serve it with honey butter. It's not just a cut and serve. We butter it up, we put it on the griddle, and we take a lot of pride," Michael explained.
Other Southern-inspired favorites include spicy Buffalo Shrimp with bleu cheese barbecue sauce, Fried Green Tomatoes served by the bucketful, chunky Cheese Dip made with homemade pimento cheese, Skillet Mac n Cheese featuring bacon and smoked Gouda, and a Chicken and Waffle Sandwich drizzled with maple horseradish aioli.
"I think that kind of really tells us who we are: hearty, savory, big portions and keeping the Southern concept alive," he said.
Not everything on the Rivershed menu is a Southern classic, but you can trust it's all hearty, flavorful and served very, very generously. Some of their most popular meals, in fact, come in the form of a burger, like the Volcano Burger stacked with onion rings, fried jalapenos and pepper jack cheese.
For a burger that will really make your taste buds explode, order up the award-winning Caveman Burger, boasting Applewood smoked bacon, boneless baby back ribs and a fried egg.
"It's intense. It's very intense," Kara said. "People come in and their eyes just light up when they order it."
If the burger looks a little too large, there are plenty of tacos to enjoy instead: everything from a Veggie Taco loaded with black beans, corn, and cotija cheese; to fresh Fish Tacos topped with red cabbage slaw and pineapple salsa; and Pulled Pork Tacos finished with crunchy pickled apple.
"It's got the smokiness of the pulled pork, and the sweetness of the creamed corn, and the tartness of the apple. The flavors are perfect," described Kara.
If the weather outside is perfect, you can finish your meal out on the patio. Order a warm Peach Cobbler or Deep Fried Oreos, while you play a round of cornhole and grab a drink from the Little Red Shed.
"We set up to make it seem like you're in your own backyard. We've got cornhole out there, and we've turned the shed into the bar. It's great," Kara said.
Even if it's raining, the atmosphere indoors is just as fun, with live country music and open mic nights. You may even catch a performance from Kara herself. But Rivershed doesn't need games or gimmicks to keep you coming back; Michael says all it takes is a single bite.
"My father told me a long time ago that the quickest way to a person's heart is through their stomach. And I believe that."
You can find Rivershed at 17 New Driftway in Scituate, and online at therivershed.com.
Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.
