Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders, taken by Andrew Fabian

The term “New Southern” began cropping up in the late 2000s to describe the emergence of Southern classics as a serious subject of culinary study. Sean Brock opened Husk 2010 in Charleston, South Carolina to much critical success by applying high-brow expertise to what was considered low-brow food for generations. Mashama Bailey took Southern cuisine to new heights while simultaneously celebrating the African roots of the cuisine in her Savannah, Georgia restaurant, The Grey. Today, almost every city in the South has its own expression of New Southern, and in Sarasota, one such expression looks something like Brick’s Smoked Meats.

The fact that it’s located in a bustling, high-end sector of Downtown itself points to the elevation of Southern cuisine. Its smoked meats celebrate the tradition of Southern BBQ, the inclusion of vegetarian options point to a modern sensibility and its fusion options expand the cuisine’s possibilities. For lunch, the Nashville hot chicken biscuit sliders offer a delightful interpretation of the Tennessee specialty and depart from the restaurant’s largely Texan style. Served on cheddar jalapeno buttermilk biscuits, the sliders come spicy, but not so spicy as to burn a hole in your pantaloons. Garnished with pickled cucumber and poblano slaw, the feature component of these rich mini-sandwiches is the fried chicken itself. Crispy and juicy, the chicken provides a satisfying crunch to go along with the savory cheddar biscuits. For those who feel guilty ordering fried chicken sliders for lunch, order a side of the roasted brussels sprouts to check a serving of vegetables off of your daily to-do list.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders, taken by Andrew Fabian

Brick’s Smoked Meats, 1528 State St., Sarasota, 941-933-1435