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snapshots from our second location...

MOJO WORKIN'

May is here and we’ve got our mojo workin’…

To some, “mojo” refers to a magic spell, charm, or the thing that keeps Austin Powers motivated to perform his duties.  But it also refers to a number of different sauces, featuring a variety of heat levels, with origins in the Canary Islands.  

Now popular throughout the Caribbean, mojo (pronounced “MO-ho”) takes on different forms in places such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, with a few basic similarities, including: lots of roasted and/or crushed garlic, citrus juice, paprika, and cumin.

We’ve taken inspiration from these sauces and influence from their Caribbean homes to create our features for the month of May.

For our monthly sausage special, instead of simply garnishing our hand crafted forcemeat with a version of mojo sauce, we’ve made a garlicky, citrusy, all-pork sausage that includes many of the different flavors of mojo sauce within, while bringing a bit of island flair by topping it with a house-made mango chutney that is both sweet and spicy.   

We will be pairing this with a bold and colorful jicama slaw that provides a delightful crunch and sharp citrus bite.

Also stay tuned for a few drink specials, seasonal shake special and of course our popular ‘dog of the week’ series. 

JJ's Red Hots, Part Deux!

Growth

I have heard it said that, during the growth of a new restaurant company, the most challenging time is when it expands its scope from one restaurant to two because everything instantly doubles...efforts, headaches, and (we hope) sales. Well, at JJ’s, we are preparing to do just that. On Monday, April 8, we broke ground on our second location, which will be at 15105 John Delaney Dr. in the Ballantyne section of Charlotte, NC. (See map here)  It will be 2600 ft. sq. and have 70 seats inside and 24 seats outside under a nice covered patio. We are very excited for this location to take shape and are planning on opening sometime in June of 2013.

Having learned a great deal about our operation in the last 9 months, we were able to make some very nice adjustments to the new location, in my opinion. We have been constantly updating our menu and tweaking some things and I feel like the menu is in a great place right now. It’s simple, but has something for everyone.  We can deliver the menu quickly, but remain committed to quality. We have expanded some sections and streamlined others. We have handmade soups and salads that are tossed fresh and made to order. We have options for vegetarian, piscatarian and gluten free guests. And of course, we have the most delicious hot dogs and sausages known to mankind. (Well, in our opinion anyway) 

We have also made some exciting tweaks to the design of the physical space. These are mostly cosmetic, except for the fact that we are going to add a beer and wine bar at this location. Time and again, our customers have told us that they’d like to be able to sit down and enjoy a craft beer or nice glass of wine. Well at Ballantyne, you will be able to do that!

Value, service and quality food will continue to be our main drivers and of course, we will always try to create an experience for our guests that is unique and memorable.

Thanks to our management and crew,who have hung in there with us and most of all, thanks to our guests who have been incredibly supportive and loyal. Thank you all!

Onward!

 Lease Signing, with our attorney Tom Gates.

April Ball Park Specials

'Fenway Style' Italian Sausage

All-American Chicken Noodle Soup

Garlic Parmesan Fries

Yep folks, it’s that time of year again.  Each spring welcomes back the crack of the bat and the pop of rawhide hitting leather, while the air fills with the unforgettable smell of glove oil, fresh cut grass, and hot dogs and sausages on the grill. 

Yes, baseball is back!  And we at JJ’s have a few new menu items on deck to lead off the season.

 Whether it’s on Lansdown St., Brookline Avenue, or Yawkey Way, anyone entering or leaving Fenway Park can attest to the popularity of the ever-present Italian sausage stands.  

We’ve chosen to feature Sahlen’s Italian sausage (a product of Buffalo, NY—go Bisons!) for the month of April, topping it with a smoky-sweet chili sauce (inspired by Jon Luther’s great aunt Dorothy Dragich) along with sautéed onions and peppers and Weber’s mustard. It’s spicy, smoky, sweet, and tastes good even in the cheap seats.

Our featured side item for April offers ‘Giant’ flavor—our take on the popular San Francisco ballpark garlic fries.  Crispy french fries topped with fresh grated Pecorino cheese, finely chopped garlic, and minced parsley.

And finally, for soup, we chose to do something as comforting and as American as the beginning of a new baseball season itself—chicken noodle.  We didn’t reinvent the wheel here, relying rather on the memory-conjuring power of this most traditional soup.  A home run every time.

With all these great new, limited-time only options, why not swing for the fences and make it a combo.  Our Full Count Combo scores you a char-grilled Italian sausage, your choice of either garlic fries or soup, AND a drink, for only $6.99! 

Jeremy Guthrie, Food and Beverage Director

April, 2013

Momentum

Steve Amedio and The Whisky Dollars

The Whisky Dollars Backstage 

(Bruce McKagan, Mark Bruinooge, Jon Luther, Sumter Cox, Lou Mondelli)

View From The Stage

 Crimson Darnell, Manning the helm.

 The JJ's Table.

 Melonbelly, who shared the stage with the WD$.

I met Steve Amedio in 2007 while I was working for Muzak, and ever since that day he has been introducing me to fascinating and talented people. Many - including Steve -  are now close friends, trusted advisors and business partners. He introduced me to my current business partner, JJ’s Co-Founder, Whisky Dollar guitarist and compadre Mark Bruinooge - for which I will be eternally grateful - and he has graciously included me in his vast network of small (and large) business owners, dedicated professionals, oddball entrepreneurs, and respected citizens who occasionally get together for cocktails, dinner, coffee or to play golf. He is an inspiring individual, and I am a better man because I know him and his beautiful (and growing) family. 

Along the way, Steve also introduced me to a guy named Rob Eubank. I played golf a few times with him and his partners at ettain, saw each other at charity tournaments, and we even had drinks on the roof of the building that is now JJ’s Red Hots. I didn’t know him well, but knew him well enough to know that he was a good man, a great father and a loving husband. His loss was devastating.

But turning that darkness into light is really  - in my eyes, anyway - the true purpose of the All In To Fight Cancer organization. And with Steve’s passionate leadership and the collective talent and drive inside the entire group, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if one day, this organization were found to be directly responsible for finding a cure. I truly believe that.

Last Tuesday, March 12, the third annual All In To Fight Cancer Poker tournament was held at the Fillmore in Charlotte. And what a big night it was. A fantastic event attended by over 500 people that helped to raise a ton of money for a great cause. 

Above are a few photos of the event. Check out many more photos at the All In To Fight Cancer website, facebook page and twitter feed. 

JJ’s Red Hots and the Whisky Dollars were thrilled to be a part of it, and look forward to being a part of it's future. 

Thanks to all of the people who made this night so special - especially Steve, Scott Miner, Erin Faucette and Brittany Forrestal  - and may God bless all of those courageous souls who are currently battling this cunning disease.

(For more information on this event and the incredible organization behind it, please visit: www.allintofightcancer.org)

March 'Badassness' @ JJ's Red Hots

Irish 'Banger' Sausage, Beer Braised Cabbage, Guinness Mustard

Creamy Potato Soup, Truffle Oil, Chives

Pickled Pearl Onions

March: a time for college basketball (Go Heels!), hopes for an early Spring, and everything Irish.  Who are we to argue with tradition?  With that thought in mind, we offer up our March menu features, which highlight our tradition of hand-crafted deliciousness and affinity for cooking with beer.

Irish Sausage

Based on a traditional English banger-type sausage, this fresh all-pork sausage takes a turn to the Irish with the addition of Guinness stout.  Traditional bangers, often made with water (especially during WWII), earned their moniker from their tendency to explode while being prepared—the only explosion involved with our rustic version is one of flavor!  We top our latest creation with a hefty portion of beer-braised cabbage and Guinness mustard, making it perfect for sausage fans and beer fans alike.

Beer-Braised Cabbage

House-smoked bacon + Cabbage + local craft beer = no brainer!  We take cabbage, a staple of Irish cuisine, and marry it with Ramble On Red, a moderately hopped amber ale from our friends at NoDa Brewing (who happen to also be our Brewery of the Month for March).  A slow braise further caramelizes the malt profile of the beer, spreads the smokiness of the bacon, and makes this a great topping for the Irish sausage as well as a nice side item for any of our signature dogs.

Truffled Potato Soup

Potatoes have been the ignoble workhorse of Irish cuisine for so long it’s become synonymous with an entire country.  It is hard to refute, however, the unbelievable versatility and value of this humble tuber.  We couldn’t feature Irish food without it, so we chose to make one more hearty soup as Charlotte refuses to let go of winter temps.  Made entirely of Yukon Gold potatoes (gold…get it?) with a finishing touch of white truffle oil and chives, this soup will leave you feeling lucky.

Enjoy!

Jeremy Guthrie

Food and Beverage Director

JJ's Red Hots

February Focus: Carnival Time at JJ's

Andouille (An-dooo-weeee) Sausage

Williford and Guthrie, making sausage 'ropes'

Recipe Notes

February Focus/Louisiana and New Orleans

Until our grand opening at 2PM last July 4^th, this blog was our primary form of electronic communication with our (then potential) customers. At that very moment, things changed dramatically. Our website went live, emails were captured, newsletters were pushed, Instagram and Twitter feeds - rich with visual content  - began to flow, and our Facebook page became our primary form of dialogue. That, and the restaurant of course, where the meaningful discourse really happens and decisions are made instantaneously. In real time, as they say.

As such, seldom do we get a chance to kick back and conjure up things that are ‘blogworthy’. But it is a platform we enjoy, because it gives us an outlet to present appropriate long form content. (Such as what follows) And, with a new location on the horizon, we hope to again photograph and document the design process and the construction of our second location. So, thanks very much to our loyal customers and welcome back, one and all!

This month begins what we hope to be a successful program that allows us to focus our culinary efforts on monthly seasonal offerings. Each month we will choose a different sphere of influence. In February, we have chosen to feature the cuisine of New Orleans and Louisiana.

Louisiana is a melting pot of French, African, American, Spanish, Canadian and German ancestries, yet it has a pure identity all it’s own. At its core are two complementary yet opposing forces, Creole and Cajun cooking. They both are known for iconic dishes like Jambalaya, Etouffe, Gumbo, Beignets, Po’boys and Red Beans that feature ingredients pulled from its immediate environs. Exotic ingredients lurk and splash everywhere like catfish, gator, shrimp, crawfish, oysters and swine. And inside its borders are world class restaurants and the people who make them great. Commanders Palace, K-Paul’s, Lafitte’s Landing, Bayona, Dooky Chase’s, Popeye’s, Mother’s. Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, John Folse, Leah Chase, John Besh, and Susan Spicer. Any many, many others.

Equally inspiring is the rich musical heritage in New Orleans. The confluence of so many cultures in the early 19^th century gave birth to the uniquely American musical forms of Jazz, Rhythm and Blues (Which eventually became Rock and Roll), Blues, Zydeco and Funk music, and it is the best place on the planet to see live music. Here’s a short list of the many influential artists that hail from New Orleans: The Meters, Allan Toussaint, The Neville Family, The Marsalis Family, Professor Longhair, The Radiators, Louis Prima, Lee Dorsey, Jelly Roll Morton, Marcia Ball, Marva Wright, Irma Thomas, Tab Benoit, Beau Jacque, Clifton Chenier, Pete Fountain, Anders Osborne, Eric Lindell, Snooks Eaglin, Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Little Richard, Dirty Dozen, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

In February, JJ’s Red Hots will pay tribute to both the flavors and sounds of Louisiana and New Orleans. We are really proud of the work being done in the kitchen by Jeremy Guthrie, our Food and Beverage Director and the entire culinary team. Our specials for the month include:

House Smoked Andouille Sausage

Andouille sausage is a 400 year-old peasant sausage from France that made its way through Acadiana to the bayous of Southern Louisiana. Its popularity is due to its bold spiciness, hearty nature, and the fact that is can be used a base for many other dishes.

One of the things we’re most proud of at JJ’s is Jeremy Guthrie’s handcrafted sausage - especially our Andouille. A favorite among us at the shop, it is dense and chewy, with pleasant smoke and a bold kick on the finish. We serve it on a toasted roll with a little slaw and remoulade (Rem-you-lahd), a traditional New Orleans condiment.

Andouille and Chicken Gumbo

This is Jeremy’s wonderful house made roux based gumbo redolent with aromatics, okra, our own hot smoked tasso ham, andouille and chicken. It is served over white rice and garnished with green onions. JJ’s Gumbo is available as a side order for $2.99 or as a part of our Crescent City Combo.

Red Beans and Rice

Our Red Beans will be a based on the traditional ‘washing day’ Red Beans, flavored with house smoked tasso and andouille and a hambone or two. JJ’s will serve this over rice with a little green onions. This rich, creamy side dish is best enjoyed with a little kick of Tabasco. Available as a side order for $1.99 or as a part of our Crescent City Combo.

Pickled Okra

Our famous pickle bar at JJ’s is our version of the Louisiana custom of serving a ‘langiappe’ (lan-yap) with meals – which means ‘a little something extra’. You can enjoy seasonal pickled vegetables year round at JJ’s, but this month, we will be featuring pickled okra alongside our regular offerings.

NOTE: A special thanks for recipe and history notes to Chef John Folse. He is widely known as the preeminent authority on New Orleans cuisine and Cajun cooking and was very kind to lend his ear and his expertise to us during our menu testing for the February promotion. I had the pleasure of listening to one of Chef Folse’s lectures and eating his incredible food a while back and it had a lasting effect on me. The fact that he even returned my call was an honor. For more information on Chef Folse, please visit his terrific website: http://www.jfolse.com

For more on New Orleans Cuisine, please visit:

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/cuisine/

For more on New Orleans Music, please visit:

www.offbeat.com

http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/

- Jonathan Luther, February 2013