Key points:
- Chef Todd Richards opened Que-Riosity in McDonough.
- The veteran Atlanta chef and cookbook author refers to Que-Riosity as part barbecue restaurant, part grill room.
- Expect everything from smoked chicken, steak, and baby back ribs, to oysters, deviled egg flights, and Bananas Foster cheesecake for dessert.
The next restaurant from veteran Atlanta chef and cookbook author Todd Richards opened in McDonough.
Called Que-Riosity, the restaurant’s menu centers on grill room classics, barbecue, and the Southern and soul food dishes for which Richards has become known for over the last 20 years in Atlanta.
Making moves in McDonough
After getting married three years ago, Richards moved to McDonough, 30 miles south of Atlanta. His wife, Gloria, already lived nearby. Like many suburban residents, Richards now commutes to Atlanta multiple times a week, where he works as the executive chef of the Waldorf Astoria in Buckhead and owns restaurant stall Soul: Food & Culture at Krog Street Market.
On a good day, his commute to Atlanta takes about an hour. Richards realized other people make that same drive daily for work, or to eat at one of Atlanta’s many independent restaurants. Opening Que-Riosity in McDonough would provide locals with another option closer to home.
“[McDonough] has a lot of chain-driven restaurants, which serve a purpose. But there are pockets of independent restaurants you wouldn’t know are here, like Sweet Auburn Barbecue,” Richards said. “We’re right off I-75 and probably the biggest suburb [south of Atlanta].”
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Black pitmasters + science
Que-Riosity pays homage to Black pitmasters, particularly Richards’ father, Willis, and James Beard award-winning chef Rodney Scott. Local, ethically sourced ingredients reflect his commitment to small farmers and help showcase the varied terroir and regionality of barbecue and smoking techniques.
Richards is on a mission to break apart the idea of barbecue as a monolith. The same principles of fine dining hospitality, for instance, can apply to running a barbecue restaurant, as long as traditions and history aren’t lost in the process.
Don’t come to Que-Riosity expecting a traditional whole-hog operation. Que-Riosity’s building isn’t big enough. Instead, Richards refers to Que-Riosity as part barbecue restaurant and part grill room that relies a lot on the science of cooking and knowing the local environment.
Rather than keeping cooked meat hot all day, for example, Richards lets it cool, then slices it and brings the meat back up to temperature over fresh wood. In addition, Richards and his team use grill room techniques, such as finishing ribs on the grill before serving.
Wind and rain can affect the cooking and smoking processes. Richards said it’s important to know how the local environment impacts ingredients. The smoking wood, vegetation animals feed on, even the air impart regional flavors into the meat.
“Wood is very geographic to barbecue, which is very important to understand why people use mesquites or applewood. They’re just using what’s in that territory,” Richards said.
Que-Riosity smokes meat over Georgia oak and pecan wood.
What to expect
Richards calls Que-Riosity “an oasis in a sea of monotony,” where people can have oysters and a glass of wine after work, grab dinner on date-night, or just come in for a casual meal with friends.
Start with East Coast oysters, a deviled egg flight, or a caviar bump, before ordering smoked wings with a beet and cocoa-infused red velvet waffle, or heirloom fried okra tossed in barbecue spices.
Entrees include plates of smoked chicken, blackened king salmon served with stone-ground grits, and a thick-cut Delmonico ribeye. The glazed hot honey and pineapple baby back ribs on the menu serve as a tribute to his father. On weekends, Richards offers a special coffee-rubbed, smoked bone-in short rib. For dessert, Bananas Foster cheesecake stands in for banana pudding.
Look for cocktails from Ramsey Kashlan (One Flew South), such as the Tipsy Garden Gnome (gin, St. Germain, tonic, cucumber, apple, lemon, and rose petals), or zero-proof drinks like Taking the Keys (passionfruit, pineapple, hibiscus syrup, lemongrass, and soda). Wines by the glass start at $10.
“What we do at Que-Riosity is not going to be for everyone. But we want to do the best for the people that do come through our doorway,” Richards said. “It still honors the South, but has this little spice and something traditional.”
Que-Riosity, 1931 Jonesboro Road, McDonough. Open Thursday-Monday, 3-10 p.m.