Dining review: Madame Roque’s Meat Emporium in Hendersonville more than meat and tattoos
There is something different about Madame Roque’s Meat Emporium. You might even go as far as to say it’s odd. But, the owners probably wouldn’t bat an eye at that description. I have a feeling "odd" was in the business plan.
Jesse Roque, chef and owner of nearby Never Blue, is also the owner and chef behind the atypical situation going on at the Meat Emporium. Sure, it may seem like your standard counter service restaurant, but keep walking to the back dining room and you’ll find rooms dedicated to tattoo artists and a tarot reader. Not to worry if you usually don’t work a tat or reading into your daily lunch or dinner. Most diners looked like they only came for the grub, including a group of older ladies behind us who did not appear to be tattoo candidates. Stick to the front dining room and it's business as usual.
The colorful walls and tabletops might be inspired by tattoo art, but the food does not play second fiddle. It’s not a place you’ll find a sommelier, place setting changes or even, well, glassware. But you will find meat.
The menu is definitely meat-centric, with items like ribs, pulled pork and tacos with fillings from goat to jackfruit, so there are some meat substitutes.
Meatloaf might seem like the tame option when goat tacos are lingering about, but this was one big, bad meatloaf sandwich. If you’re picturing days when your grandmother slapped a slice of leftover meatloaf slathered in ketchup between two slices of Wonder Bread and called it lunch, erase that image. First off, this is served in a large, slightly toasted baguette that had just enough malleability left to make it easy to eat. The melted American cheese kept it from straying too far from grandma’s kitchen. But much better than Heinz tomato ketchup was a layer of apricot barbecue aioli. The apricot flavor added subtle sweetness, while thick slices of crisp smoked bacon made sure things didn’t get too fruity.
The meatloaf, even with all the embellishments, was still the highlight. It had the tenderness of a slow cooked meat, making the sandwich even easier to eat. Most importantly, chipotle added subtle spice to an already flavorful sandwich.
More:Meat, tattoos and tarot: New Hendersonville restaurant puts it all under one roof
Pickled curiosities
Pickling is a thing with the chef here, and one I applaud. There are several of what the menu labels “house-made pickled curiosities.” You receive a 2-ounce portion for a little more than $1, but most entrees incorporate pickles already, so only order more if you’re feeling extra curious. The sweet pickled jalapenos and onions, for example, were the perfect acidic, sweet and spicy mix for the meatloaf.
Tacos are ordered a la carte with just meat or with cheese and sour cream. We took the jerk chicken and beef barbacoa au naturale, then visiting the sauce bar for onion, cilantro and a few accompanying sauces. The jerk chicken was mild but came to life with the help of some jerk sauce at the bar.
However, if you want flavor right from the beginning, the barbacoa delivers. The spices aren’t as deep as some versions I’ve had, but not lacking in any way. Not only was the beef flavorful, it was incredibly tender. I’d recommend a little tomatillo crema to really take the barbacoa to the next level.
If you’re feeling a little rowdy, the Fritos Loco handles your craving with finesse, with oversized Fritos piled nacho-style and topped with buffalo chili, a beef and pork affair that appeared to have been cooked low and slow. Melted cheese didn't drown out the other ingredients, including black beans, house-pickled jalapenos, an abundance of cilantro and lime and chipotle crema. The warm, thick corn chips piled with quality ingredients put most nachos to shame.
For sides, we abstained from the bacon wrapped carrots and chose a slice of elote corn bread. Crumbly and mildly sweet, it would pair well with most of the entrées here. The smoked cheddar mac and cheese didn’t present a lot of smoke, but it did have a surplus of creamy cheese sauce.
This might be a restaurant with a twist, but when it comes to the food, the twist is a good thing. Here, meats take a unique spin with additions of pickles and sauces, and it's evident a lot of thought went into preparing everything that's possible from scratch. The concept might be, well, unusual, but the house-made key lime margaritas will move you right past that.
Matthew DeRobertis is a chef, writer and father to a kid who loves food more than her dog. Contact him at matt@chefdero.com.
IF YOU GO
The restaurant: Madame Roqué’s Meat Emporium, 828-844-4064, @madameofmeat Facebook, 117 S. Main Street (Hendersonville).
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Atmosphere: Casual.
What to try: If you’re only going to order one thing, make it the meatloaf sandwich. If you’re feeling indulgent, go for the Fritos Locos, which might be one of the best plates of nachos you’ve had in a long time.
Beverage notes: Beer, cocktails, soda.
Prices: $3-$25.
Service: Proficient.
The bottom line: There’s more to this emporium than meat. But, unless you want to venture to their back rooms for a tattoo, you won’t regret focusing on the food. It's not all meat; you can order a jackfruit taco. But for those indulging, you’ll find an abundance of taco choices, several entrees and plenty of pickled curiosities and house-made sauces to layer on flavor after flavor.