Hot Stuff
Southern restaurant (US) · East Carrollton ·
Southern meat-and-three with updated recipes and fun decor
Southern meat-and-three with updated recipes and fun decor
"Visit Hot Stuff, the Turkey and the Wolf team’s twist on a Southern meat and three, on Wing Wednesday and get a glimpse of heaven. Beginning at 3 p.m., smoked wings with your choice of Alabama-style habanero pineapple white barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce go for just $1 a piece — a steal. They are on the rotating menu on other days of the week as well, but call ahead if you want to be sure." - Beth D’Addono
"The Southern meat and three gets a Turkey and the Wolf twist at Hot Stuff, Mason Hereford and team’s new Uptown lunch restaurant. The steam table centerpiece and cafeteria-style service are traditional, if not the funky, eclectic setting and updated recipes: There’s a hamburger steak au poivre drenched in a creamy black peppercorn sauce, marinated cucumbers in chili crisp, vegan black-eyed peas, miso green beans, and pickle cheese (like pimento cheese, but made with pickles). Mains change daily, and might also include smoked pork ribs, fried chicken, pot roast, red beans and rice, fried catfish, and more. Don’t miss the glazed Mountain Dew cakes zested with lemon and lime — they sell out early." - Clair Lorell
"Chef Nate Barfield grew up in rural Alabama, where meat and threes flourish and thrive. After helping put Turkey and the Wolf on the map with restaurateur Mason Hereford, Barfield stepped up as partner in Hot Stuff, his vision for what a plate lunch should be: food like hamburger steak with a rich au poivre sauce, hot sauce and buttermilk-brined fried chicken, and gooey cavatappi pasta mac and cheese. Desserts are good too, including Mountain Dew cakes and banana pudding that tastes like Foster is its middle name." - Beth D’Addono
"Stepping into the simple brick building at 7507 Maple Street, the team transforms a mid-century corner store into a Southern-style meat-and-three that feels like a south Louisiana fishing camp with Turkey and the Wolf’s maximalist, nostalgia-packed touches. The cafeteria-style service has diners grab a tray and pick a main (one meat in the core price), a roll brushed with herby sage brown butter or continuously baked cornbread, and as many sides as they want; the base plate (one meat, cornbread or roll, and two sides) is about $15 and runs roughly $20 after tax and service. Nate Barfield—whose Alabama roots inform much of the cooking—and Mason Hereford built a menu of perfected classics and small twists: hamburger steak au poivre over mashed potatoes; marinated cucumbers in a chili crisp dressing; stewed okra and tomatoes cooked down “super far”; creamy mac and cheese; vegan black-eyed peas; miso green beans; collards with ham hock; and a playful pickle cheese served with saltines. Mains rotate (eventually with set weekday menus—Monday will be red beans and rice), and other offerings include smoked pork ribs, buttermilk and hot sauce–marinated fried chicken, smoked chicken wings with pineapple-habanero white barbecue sauce, and fried pork chops; desserts range from individual Mountain Dew/7-Up–style cakes glazed and zested with lemon and lime to classic banana pudding with Nilla Wafers. The tin-roofed back patio is layered with vintage signage and funky decor, countertops and tables are embedded with nostalgic knick-knacks and toys, and diners can even buy spirit pours at payment to mix at the soda fountain. Hot Stuff is largely Barfield’s vision and opens with daily hours 11 a.m.–9 p.m. (Sundays 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Tuesdays)." - Clair Lorell
"Set to open later this month at 7507 Maple Street, the latest offshoot from Turkey and the Wolf will add a modern touch to the Southern meat-and-three format in Uptown. Chef Mason Hereford and Nate Barfield are partnering on the counter-service concept centered on a long table with a daily rotation of mains — examples include buttermilk and hot sauce–marinated fried chicken, hamburger steak au poivre, and red beans and rice — alongside sides like miso green beans and garlic chile crisp–topped charred cabbage wedges. While the team won’t try to reinvent the meat-and-three, diners can expect distinctive Turkey and the Wolf twists, including pours of various spirits meant to be mixed at a soda fountain (a playful callback to Turkey and the Wolf’s beloved frozen margarita made with 7 Up). Decor will include vintage toys and signs, eclectic posters, Southern-brand logos like Popeyes, and flashes of neon; the former Favori Deli space houses a 30-seat dining room and small covered patio, and the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. when it opens in late May." - Clair Lorell
