Baby Blues BBQ

Sept 8, 2018

Venice, California – This place pops up on Best Barbecue in Los Angeles lists occasionally. That’s how it landed on my radar more than a decade ago. Having some business to attend to in neighboring Santa Monica presented the perfect opportunity to finally check them out. But it was going to have to be a to-go order.

Baby Blues BBQ first opened its doors in LA in 2004. After a little growth and a couple of changes of venue, the current LA-area line-up includes locations in Echo Park, and the one here in Venice. Because so many people clamored for their fare, Baby Blues has further expanded to the San Francisco and Philly markets.

The entrance is on the corner; signs on the window will point you to the proper doors to use. But once you enter, be prepared to find yourself in a very, very tight ‘reception’ area while you wait to be seated. There is a counter area to your immediate right. The main dining area appears to be straight ahead once you get inside. I didn’t pay too much attention to the rest of the interior since I was getting my meal to go, not dining in.

When I began planning the day and realized I could squeeze in a visit, I went to their website to see what they were working with. There are quite a few options to choose from. I decided to try the Big Blue Platter ($32.95). The Big Blue Platter comes with your choice of three meats. Today those three meats would be brisket, tri-tip, and Memphis-style pork ribs. Platters come with two ‘Fixins’, made fresh in house every day, along with house-made cornbread. My choice for the fixins were Collard greens and potato salad. I also decided to get a Texas beef rib (Market Price $31.95 today (!)) a la carte, plus a smoked beef link ($4.95).

I placed my order, then took a seat in one of the chairs outside. While waiting, I sipped on the lemonade ($3) I ordered. It was not made from fresh lemons. It tasted like it was made with one of those lemonade mixes like Country Time or something similar. That should’ve been my first clue as to what lay ahead.

Right after I finished it, one of the hostesses brought my meal out to me, nicely packaged. It was served in two take-out boxes made from recycled products. I appreciate that. Thank you, Baby Blues. I’m starting to see more and more restaurants use this type of container.

After I arrived home, I immediately warmed up everything and dug in. First up was the sliced brisket. (Baby Blues also serves chopped brisket). The description says it is dry-rubbed Black Angus, coated with a sweet sauce, then slow smoked for 14 hours. It had what looked like a smoke ring around the outside, while a pinkish tint appears in the center. In addition, it had a rainbow sheen on it, which, at first glance, reminded me of deli meat slices. The pepper crust contains lots of pepper (and coriander seeds, I think). I took a bite, expecting to get the flavor of beef followed instantly by smoke. Instead, what met my taste buds tasted like pastrami. A LOT like pastrami. I kid you not. Not even close to barbecue. Ironically, in the center of the brisket, well away from bark, it did taste somewhat close to barbecued brisket. There was a tiny hint of smoke flavor in there somewhere.

Four types of sauce are available to choose from: BBQ, sweet, hot, and XXX. I went with BBQ and sweet. The description for the BBQ says it is mild, vinegar-based. They got the mild part right. Kind of weak but it did have some decent flavor. I preferred the sweet (the description says it has a tangy, bbq-molasses flavor) because it had more flavor. I could taste the sweetness. Did I detect a bit of hickory smoke in both sauces?
I alternated between adding the BBQ and sweet sauces on the brisket but there was no saving it. It just tasted too much like pastrami.

Next, I tried the tri-tip. According to the menu, this is prime cut sirloin, marinated and smoked until medium rare, then sliced and grilled. It is definitely grilled; you could see the grill marks. But where’s the smokiness? I didn’t detect any. It looked more like carne asada, with a taste on the bland side. On top of that, it was a tad overcooked.

Moving on to the Memphis pork ribs. The menu says it is rubbed top to bottom with their blend of dry spices, slow smoked, then grilled and lightly basted with their house BBQ sauce. It certainly was easy to pull off the bone. This was the closest to barbecue taste of any of the meats so far. I could taste a little bit of the spices used in the rub. Alternating between the sauces here was enjoyable to an extent. It moved the flavor up a notch.

The Texas beef rib is “smoked on the bone” but no mention of any spices used. It was basted probably with their own barbecue sauce. Thick, thick meat but it only covered about half of the bone. The bones were flat like bars of a xylophone. I’m guessing they probably used short ribs. True to its claim about being tender, the bone pulled right out.

Two beef ribs were in the order. Satisfactory flavor on the outer portion where the sauce was. But it lost spice and flavor the closer I got to the bone. The spice and sauce then gave way to a real beefy flavor. When I reached the bone, there was no barbecue flavor or spice to be found, just the taste of cooked beef. I tried putting the extra sauce on. Alternating between the sauces changed things up a bit. No real preference for how each sauce combined with the ribs but it did improve the taste a little.

Not sure what kind of link the smoked beef link was. I was expecting a link like a Louisiana hot link or something similar. Though a beef link, it tasted like a hot link with all the personality (and heat) taken out of it. One positive was that it was a good size, filling the bun I put it in. Also, the casing had a good consistency and held the contents together through every bite.

The cornbread caught me by surprise. It had a brown color, much darker than I’m used to. It almost looked like sweet potato bread, if there is such a thing. Kind of dry, too. Inside the slice, I encountered a couple of kernels of whole corn. It had a strange flavor to me that was saved only by the honey flavor I think I detected.

How about those fixins? The collard greens had large leaves. They could (and probably should) be cut smaller. I was not used to the taste. They had an overbearing pork flavor. A little heat came through in between bites. Readers of this blog know my stance on ordering greens at a restaurant. For those of you who are new to Kanale Eats, the short version is almost everyone on both sides of my family and my wife’s family cooks greens very well. So I am admittedly biased when it comes to greens and as a result it is hard to impress me. The greens here are an example of why I don’t order greens at most barbecue places. They did taste better the next day, however, but only marginally.

The potato salad featured chunky red, skin-on potatoes, and generous cuts of celery. The mixture was somewhat peppery. It could use a bit more mayonnaise, but otherwise it was pretty good. A hearty and filling side dish.

A lot of people like Baby Blues as attested to by how long they’ve been in business. It is pretty popular as attested to by the number of times I’ve seen Baby Blues mentioned in lists of top barbecue spots in LA. Though born and raised a So Cal city boy, my parents are from down south. My in-laws are from down south, too. So it is with a Southern predisposition that I approach barbecue.

With that in mind, I must sadly admit I came away disappointed with what I got here. Very little to no smoke flavor on any of the meats. High prices for the meats didn’t help. I kind of expected things to be a bit expensive here given the area but the market price for the Texas rib caused my jaw to drop.

In my opinion – and this is just my opinion – although they are pricey, stick with the ribs.

Baby Blues BBQ – 2.5 forks. Passible. They do cater.

 

Rudy’s “Country Store” Bar-B-Q

July 8, 2017

Corpus Christi, Texas – Last time I was in Texas, I was just passing through. (Yeah, it took a LONG time). This time we were attending an event in Texas. Though our time here was limited, I knew I wanted to have either a Texas-sized steak or some barbecue before I left the state.

I had seen this place a few times over the weekend as we passed by it. It came time for dinner on our last full day in Corpus Christi and we still had not decided where to go. It became a now-or-never proposition. Pretty much on the spur of the moment, we decided to try this place.

I found out that Rudy’s “Country Store” Bar-B-Que has about 40 locations across five states – 32 stores in Texas alone. This particular location looks like it used to be a gas/service station in its former life. As such, it was easy to find and easy to access, right on South Padre Island Drive.

We walked in and headed toward the back. Inside, the place seems to be divided between market and counter, and the dining area. You’ll probably have to get in line to place your order (don’t worry. It moves pretty fast). To keep the line moving, try to decide what you want before you get to the front. What you’ll find once you get to the front is a counter with all of the different meats available on display.

The meats are sold by the half-pound. Not sure what you want? They provide samples. Barbecue prime rib was one of the meats on offer. I absolutely love prime rib. I had made up my mind to order some but got a sample anyway.

Rudy’s meat options number a baker’s dozen. Sandwich lovers have half a dozen sandwiches to choose from. I was happy to see they offer about ten sides, one of which is green chile stew. I’ll have to try that next time. The menu also lists over a dozen breakfast tacos. Yes, breakfast tacos, not breakfast burritos. Desserts? Yes. There are six of them.

All of Rudy’s meats are cooked in a wood-fired pit with oak as the wood of choice. They also make their own special dry rub. To compliment your meats, choose from two types of “sause” (that’s how they spell it): Original and Sissy.

After pondering over all of the available items, I finally made my decision.
My order today was a half-pound each of brisket, prime rib, and pork spare ribs. My drink? Sweet tea, of course!

Once our orders were prepared for us, we took our bounty over to the dining section and sat at the picnic tables. With a nearly full room, long rows of tables covered with gingham tablecloths, and food spread out over the tables, the dining area looked like a large, indoor barbecue. I couldn’t wait to dig in.

Normally I will have unsweetened tea. But it was nice to have some sweet tea for a change. It certainly complimented all of the food we had today.

The barbecue prime rib was not quite what I expected. I guess I was somehow expecting some of that slow-roasted flavor. But, this is a barbecue joint. No ‘slow roasted’ here. Must be me not being used to smoke flavor in prime rib. Once I got my mind right, I began to enjoy it.

The ribs had a nice flavor. They were tender and juicy. The sauce went well with them. I appreciated that these were the larger type ribs.

I wasn’t prepared for how the brisket hit me. It was fall-apart tender. Properly smoked. Rudy’s rub adds to the flavor while still allowing the meat to be the star. This was the best brisket I have ever had! I couldn’t stop eating it. It was so good I had to tell one of the workers how much I enjoyed it.

Ever decide to stop somewhere based solely on intuition and have it be way better than what you imagined? That is what happened at Rudy’s today.

If you didn’t get enough at the store, some of their meats and ‘sauses’ are available online.

Rudy’s “Country Store” Bar-B-Q – 5 forks. Very highly recommended. Surpassed all of my expectations.

 

Great American Land & Cattle Company

December 20, 2012

El Paso, Texas – There was no way I was going to leave Texas without having some barbecue.

We were driving back home on my first cross-country road trip – literally all the way from a beach on the Atlantic to a beach on the Pacific. An unexpected problem set us back a whole day so we had to make the trip in three days instead of four. We knew we needed to stop overnight somewhere in Texas. We ended up stopping in El Paso. We didn’t have time to research any recommended restaurants, but this place was nearby. What sold me was the word ‘cattle’ in the name.

We were pretty tired and it was late when we got to El Paso, but like I said, I was not leaving Texas without some ‘cue. It was around 9:00 pm when we arrived at the restaurant. That is usually too late for me to have the barbecue meal I hoped to have.

Great American Land & Cattle Company has two locations: this one here in El Paso, the other in Vinton, Texas. My first impression was that this location was much smaller on the inside than it looked from the outside. That was until we rounded the corner on the way to our booth. It was huge! Plenty of room for dining. There was a large bar area. A roaring fire was going in the fireplace in the corner. Even though we weren’t near it, just the sight of it warmed me up. A good thing because it was nearly freezing outside.

After passing the hostess station, you’ll notice that the place appears to be divided into two distinct sections. The place has a rustic feel. Symbols of the Southwest are found throughout: cactus, heads of cattle, etc., with sandstone pillars and faux brick walls. I counted five big-screen televisions and one projection TV.

Our server came and took our order. There were three of us: myself, my son, and my grandson. I ordered something called a Chuck Wagon ($19.99). What this is is four different types of barbecue; beef ribs, baby back ribs, smoked sausage, and brisket. It comes with a roll, beans, and Cole Slaw. To wash it down, some sweet iced tea ($2.25) and a Shock Top ($4.25) got the call. My grandson had a kid’s meal burger ($5.99), while my son mirrored my Chuck Wagon.

It didn’t take too long for the meal to arrive. I couldn’t wait to try some good ole Texas-style cookin’.

The tea was pretty good. I prefer to drink unsweetened tea, but when in the South, well, sweet tea does just fine. Usually I like Shock Top. Most of the time it goes with whatever I’m having. Tonight was different. Tonight, to my surprise, it did not go well with my meal. I’ll have to remember not to pair barbecue with Shock Top in future.

The beans were hearty, about what I’d expect at a campfire. They were slightly spiced. I love it when the beans can stand up to the rest of the meal. A surprise came when I moved over to the Cole Slaw. The cabbage really came through. The surprise was finding pineapple chunks in the slaw. They added some texture and some sweetness. I actually took out a couple of the pineapple chunks and added them to my brisket sandwich, which you’ll read about shortly.

Moving on the to meat, the beef ribs were actually a single beef rib. But it was a big rib. It had plenty of meat but could use more smoke flavor. There were four baby back ribs. I liked these the best, especially with the sauce. Small bones with lots of meat, they were very happy in the slightly sweet barbecue sauce. The smoked sausage link was sliced on a diagonal and was indeed smoky. Rounding out the meats was the brisket. It was sliced thin with a pink, almost crispy edge. It was cooked very well. Using the roll, which was basted with butter, I made a sandwich from some of the slices of brisket. Adding the pineapple chunks took it up a notch.

Great American Land and Cattle Company feels like a place best experienced with a group. The portions are very generous so you can share and still have plenty for yourself. I would love to come back here and bring the rest of the family.

Great American Land & Cattle Company – 4.5 forks. Highly recommended.

 

El Galleon Restaurant

June 26, 2012

Avalon, Santa Catalina, California – El Galleon landed on my radar in 2003. We were on the island for the Catalina Jazz Festival then. Last year I decided to dine here next time I visited Avalon. Fortunately, that was only one year later.

After a lot of hiking around the island on an unbelievably clear day in Avalon, our group of three stopped in for lunch. I’ve seen this place packed on weekends and late on weekdays. We got lucky; when we arrived, there was only one other group inside. That changed pretty quickly. By the time we left, there was a line outside waiting to get in.

Many restaurants in Avalon have come and gone since the 1950’s. The old John’s Island Café was remodeled and became El Galleon Restaurant. The current owners are dedicated to preserving the 1950’s style of restaurants in Avalon. In business on the island since 1967, El Galleon is part of a group of five other restaurants, including Antonio’s Pizzeria and Catalina Cabaret.

El Galleon sits right on Crescent Drive. Some tables butt right up against the low brick wall that demarcates the patio – or as close a ‘patio’ as they can get. Enter on the right side of the restaurant. It will lead directly to the hostess station. There, small chalkboards promote the day’s specials. Inside you’ll find lots of booths. The ones along the wall are covered in green leatherette, while the ones down the center are covered in red leatherette. Upstairs in the mezzanine, a more private dining area awaits with a very nice view over the main dining area and on out to the street.

The décor? Think early, funky pirate ship without the pirate. (Don’t ask, just go with it.) On the walls hang paintings of scenes from around Catalina. Adding to the ambiance are portholes, Mardi Gras beads hanging from a chandelier, mounted sailfish and swordfish, metal fish, ocean-themed art…and a pig. Canon barrels are aimed outward from the railing on the mezzanine. The ship, er, restaurant has large screen televisions, of course, for your viewing pleasure. And true to the period, lots of wood.

The interior looks ready for action and so are we. Our server brought out menus. On it were a bewildering number of items to choose from. While Dennis and John made up their minds, I was still taking in the décor. Dennis ordered the BBQ burger with bacon and a pineapple ring. John had the fish and chips.

When our server came back, I still had not decided. She took others’ orders. Eventually I had to ask what El Galleon is best known for. Among those items are steaks, fresh fish, live lobsters and ribs. She mentioned the ribs twice. I had seen the ribs listed on the board outside so I went with the ribs, which came with onion rings.

Apparently, Tuesday is happy hour all day. They were offering reduced prices on several drinks including their selection of Paulaner German beers brewed in Munich. We all ordered drinks.

To go with my Luau BBQ Pork Ribs ($12.95), I ordered a ½ liter glass of the Paulaner Oktoberfest Amber ($7.50, $6.50 happy hour). It is described as a “German ‘marzen’ March-style, rich amber in color, slightly creamy, mild carbonation, lightly hopped.” I’d say that described the taste very well. I like this one a lot; it had some substance to it. And the Paulaner-logo glass it comes in is a nice touch.

We sipped our drinks and chatted while our meal was being prepared. Soon our server returned, loaded down with our booty, er, lunch.

We already talked about the beer, which paired very well with the ribs and the onion rings. The onion rings were very thinly sliced. I couldn’t really taste the onion because it got lost in the flavor of the batter. The batter itself was crunchy, a bit salty, and had a slight kick to it. My guess is it was due to the pepper. Ranch dressing came with for dipping. Though the batter was good, using thicker slices of onion would give the onion a fighting chance to be tasted.

Now, for the main event. The Applewood-smoked ribs were slathered in sauce. No chance of picking one up without getting sauce all over your fingers. Just jump in and go for it. They looked like short ribs but were very meaty. The meat pulled off the bone with very little effort. What steals the show is the sauce. It really went well with the meat. Molasses-based, sweet, and it had a hint of smoky flavor. I think the board outside said something about the sauce having plum in it. It was delicious! Yes, there was a whole lotta finger lickin’ goin’ on. After all was said and done, there was a bit more than half a rack of ribs; I counted eight bones.

El Galleon has a hit on their hands with this one. Even though they have a very extensive lunch and dinner menu, I’d be more than happy ordering the Luau BBQ ribs every time.

Dining solo or with a group, you will have an enjoyable visit. With a menu as varied as El Galleon’s, everyone should be able to find something that floats their boat. But remember, as with most restaurants in Avalon, El Galleon can get very busy on weekends and during the summer months.

El Galleon Restaurant – 4.5 forks. Highly recommended.

 

Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ

March 25, 2013

Van Nuys, California – I’ve been diagnosed with barbecue deprivation. Aside from a deep craving for ribs from an honest-to-goodness wood-fired smoker, my symptoms included a chronic desire to return this eatery after being away for about a decade or so. I prescribed myself a trip to Hogly Wogly’s as soon as possible. Turns out today I’d be travelling through the San Fernando Valley on I-405. That makes today a good day to fill my prescription.

My first visit here was when a colleague told my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I about Hogly Wogly’s way back in the late 1980’s. We joined him there for dinner one night. A year or so later when I mentioned it to my father, he said he had known about them for years. He seemed almost surprised that I hadn’t heard of them before. It was almost as if he wanted to say, “Where have you been?”

Law enforcement, truck, bus, and taxi drivers are devoted patients, er, patrons of Hogly Wogly’s. You know that means good food is served there.

Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ has been around since 1969 and has since become a fixture in the Valley. How did the place get its unique name? Glad you asked. The founder, Dr. Johnny Greene, is a real doctor, a pharmacologist by trade. There’s the Doctor part. Hogly Wogly? That moniker is attributed to his wife. You can figure out the Tyler Texas part.

From outside in the small parking lot you can smell the faint aroma of wood smoke as you near the eatery. Pay attention to the signs in the lot and side streets. You do not want to have your car towed.

After walking inside and letting my eyes adjust, I realized Hogly Wogly’s is a small, homey place. It is busy with mostly regulars. Busy, but the turnover is fast. Walls are covered in wood paneling accentuated by accolades and pictures hung thereon. A half-dozen or so 4-person booths, plus a handful of 2-person booths on south side compose the dining area. All booths are two-toned brown with light brown backs and chocolate brown seats. Tables are dark wood. Outside you’ll find a patio area.

I purposely arrived toward the end of lunch expecting to enjoy a quieter, unhurried dining experience. There were maybe a dozen or so people there enjoying their meal and conversing. Upon entering, I was immediately greeted and given the run of the house to sit.

My server came by to take my order. I asked for water to start with. Intending to sample as much as possible, I went with the 3-way combination dinner ($26.95). The 3-way is pretty much what you’d expect at a restaurant that specializes in barbecue: 3 types of meat. My choices today were brisket, beef ribs, and spareribs. The menu should say that 3-way really means you should share it 3 ways. They give you a ton of meat with this feast. I challenge you to finish it all in one sitting. It comes with two sides. Potato salad and barbecue beans were today’s choices. All dinners include freshly baked homemade bread in the shape of a large, square dinner roll. Three pickle chips top the meat.

To wash it all down, I ordered iced tea, which came to the table a couple of minutes after ordering. The tea was noticeably weak and lacking in flavor. It didn’t taste watered down, just that the tea itself had very little tea flavor. Maybe I’ll order something else next visit.

In an incredibly short period of time, my server delivered the banquet to my table and explained the two sauces: regular and hot. Regular lives in a small metal pitcher, hot in the red squeeze bottle. She deposited a Wet-Nap on the table, which would definitely get used later. Thankfully, there is also a well-stocked napkin dispenser on every table.

First up were the beans. They looked different from any barbecue beans I’ve ever seen. These are white beans and tasted like a sweet potato was added to the mix. Golden color, it is served in a small brown ramekin. If you are a fan of Indian food, imagine the taste of a sweet dal tadka minus the chilis. The taste surprised me at first but after a couple of forkfuls I began to really like it.

Next tasting was the potato salad. This was served in a small white bowl. Less vinegary taste than I expected. Probably from lack of pickle relish. It was creamy with sizable chunks of potatoes. I was very pleased with it.

All of the meats were very tender, extremely juicy, and succulent. Good enough to eat sans sauce. This is where Hogly Wogly’s stands out. All taste as if they had been marinated for some time prior to cooking. In reality, I had that backwards. The meats put in their time in the wood-burning smoker – or oven, as Hogly Wogly calls it – first. Then they are marinated in the good doctor’s “famous secret sauce”. None of the meats had much, if any, fat. Another plus.

Remember the sauces mentioned earlier? The regular sauce is kinda feeble. It has some nice spices in it but there just weren’t enough of them to stand up to the meat. I bathed one slice of brisket in the sauce and could barely taste it. The only way to get the full flavor of the sauce was to dip my finger in and taste it. And even then I had to repeat the process a couple of times. What I did taste was a bit of black pepper, either brown sugar or molasses, and the tomato base possibly delivered by ketchup, plus a couple of other spices. I had to use a lot of sauce to feel the heat in the hot version but it is there and will eventually sneak up on you. As I said, though, the meat is good enough to eat without sauce.

Starting with the meats, the brisket was sampled first. It flaked easily under the side of the fork. It was so tender that the only time I picked up the knife was to slice the bread to make a brisket sandwich. Though the true flavor was hidden behind marinade, you could still taste a slight smoky flavor. And the marinade infused a hint of sweetness. Not enough to cause distraction, but enough to happily notice. Very lean, too.

The spareribs were large and meaty. Very tender and perfectly cooked. They had a gentle, smoky flavor, which I would’ve liked to taste a bit more of. In contrast to the brisket, I couldn’t taste much of the marinade on the spareribs.

When you say ribs in Texas, you’re talking beef ribs. Hogly Wogly’s ribs are short boned but the amount of meat on them more than makes up for it. Both sides were meaty. Unfortunately, this is where the sauce fell short again. Even the hot sauce couldn’t stand up to the bold flavor of the beef ribs. But as I mentioned twice already, they really don’t need sauce at all. If you do prefer your ribs with sauce, I would suggest a bolder hickory flavored one. When I arrived home, I added some hickory barbecue sauce to the leftovers and WOW! What a difference! The beefy flavor of the ribs really came alive, supported strongly by the sauce. I even ate the silverskin off dem bones. (By Wednesday, the marinade had really worked its magic, permeating every last molecule of the rib. No need to add any sauce of any kind; I ripped into the last beef rib – sadly, the last of the meal – just as it was.)

By this time I was stuffed. I had warned my server ahead of time and she was ready when I gave up. What does Hogly Wogly’s use to pack up what’s left of your meat? Large plastic bags. Your server will gently remove the bones from your plate, anchor the plastic bag over one end of your plate, then tip then whole thing up. The remaining meat slides neatly into the bag. Small plastic containers of sauce can be requested if desired. With half of the meal now literally in the bag, lunch and possibly dinner tomorrow has been taken care of.

Hogly Wogly’s serves dessert but after only making it halfway through the meal before my stomach said “no mas,” I couldn’t even think about having anything else today. Next time maybe I’ll try the 2-way combo with links. Perhaps there’ll be room left then.

If you are hungry and in the mood for barbecue, Hogly Wogly’s is just what the doctor ordered. (Couldn’t resist that pun). A bit pricey but with the heaping helpings they serve, it is definitely worth it. It is doubtful you’ll leave here hungry. A good, solid meal, every time.

Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ – 4 forks. Recommended. A San Fernando Valley institution yet still a well-kept secret.

 

Everett and Jones Barbeque

December 4, 2010

Oakland, California – Back in the ‘aughts’, my cousin brought me here for dinner. I was blown away by the food then. Today I was in town for a private party. The hotel I was staying at was, coincidently, a very short walk away. Would I be able to make a return visit?

At the anniversary party I had a full dinner, including two steaks. After all that, you’d think I’d be full and not even thinking about having another meal. But Everett and Jones kept calling to me. Years ago I vowed to myself never to miss an opportunity that I might later regret not taking advantage of. With that vow in mind, I went back to Everett and Jones with my cousin.

You’ll find Everett and Jones about a block or so up from Jack London Square on the corner of Broadway and 2^nd Street. Other locations are Berkeley and Hayward. The Oakland restaurant features two clubs inside: Q’s Lounge and Dotha’s Juke Joint. Q’s Lounge features, according to their site jazz, neo-soul, and contemporary artists. Dotha’s is actually a small stage on the bay side of the eatery that features blues. There are tables so you can eat while you enjoy some good live music.

The inside of the restaurant is actually very spacious and is much larger than you’d expect judging from the exterior of the building. On the corner of the building you’ll find a plaque denoting the area as the birthplace of Oakland. Once you enter from the Broadway entrance, you’ll see seating areas on both sides of you with the blues stage to your far right. The smoker is straight back, surrounded by display counters and a refrigerated counter. There’s a full bar available for those who wish to imbibe.

Everett and Jones uses oak wood in their smoker. That probably has a lot to do with the excellent taste of their meats. Seems the public agrees; Oakland Tribune readers voted Everett and Jones the “Bay Area’s best ribs”.

Since we arrived about an hour before closing, there weren’t a lot of people left so we were seated immediately. Our waitress arrived shortly after. She was very friendly and even volunteered to take our picture. In combo mode, I decided to get the three-way combo with ribs, links, and chicken ($21.40). They also have brisket available. The four-way combo will get you all four of their meats.

You have a choice of three sauces; hot, medium, or mild. Last time, I ordered a meal with the hot sauce. Let me warn you about their hot sauce: They’ll tell you up front that it’s hot. Just how hot? It registered about a 9 on my heat scale; hot enough to get my nose running and eyes watering. Noticing my reaction to the spiciness of the sauce, my cousin remarked, “how can you taste anything if it’s that hot?” Yet through all that, I really could taste the flavor of the meat beneath. Remembering last time and knowing that I’d be going to sleep soon, I asked if they could mix the hot and medium sauces. They weren’t able to mix them but what they did do was put the medium sauce on the meat and give me a bowl of the hot sauce on the side.

Combos come with cornbread muffins or whole wheat bread, plus two sides. I chose cornbread this time. For the sides I went with “Mom’s fresh homemade greens”, and baked beans. Tonight’s beverage was iced tea. Like I always say, if the iced tea (or lemonade) comes in a Mason jar, you know the food is gonna be good.

My cousin and I were having a good conversation as we always do so I didn’t notice fast or slow the turnaround was to get our meal.

Starting with the sides, the greens turned out to be collards with some cabbage added. They were firm, not soggy like some places. It was pretty good but… No secret ingredients that I could discern or lack of essentials. They just didn’t quite stand out. Keep in mind that coming from a family where just about everyone knows how to cook greens and cook them well, I have a high standard when it comes to greens.

On the other hand, the baked beans were outstanding! Because of the sauce they were in, I couldn’t tell what else they put in the beans but it tasted like bits of brisket. I really liked the fact that they were hearty and not runny. Addictive! I could have made a meal off just these beans alone.

On to the beef link sausage. I haven’t had beef sausage but a few times so seeing it on the menu sealed the deal for me. Everett and Jones apparently makes theirs fresh daily right there in their kitchen. It is served sliced on a diagonal. It held together well. Very lean with a nice, beefy flavor. I liked the spices they used. I took half of it home. Good thing because it made a heck of a good sandwich the next day.

As you know from reading this blog, bbq chicken is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition for me. Lately I’ve been on a roll with good bbq chicken. Everett and Jones’ chicken is really good. Even without the sauce, it was good. You could tell the bird had spent some time in a smoker and came out with a mild, smoky flavor. Another plus was that it wasn’t dried out. 

Now for the ribs. Remember I said earlier the Everett and Jones was voted best ribs in the Bay Area? Now I haven’t visited a lot of rib joints in the Bay Area, but after this meal I see no reason to doubt the choice of the Trib’s readers. These ribs were delicious! Very meaty and stood up well to the sauce. Even though the meat is nearly swimming in sauce, the sauce didn’t drown the taste of the ribs. Like the chicken, you can taste that nice, smoky flavor courtesy of the oak wood-fired smoker. Just some doggone good ribs. I took some of them home, too.

Dessert? It’s on the menu but between this dinner and the one I had just a few hours earlier, there was no way I was going to have any room for anything else. But if you have room left, they have sweet potato pie, pecan pie, chocolate, Sock-It-To-Me, and caramel cakes.

You know the feeling you get when you have been looking forward to a great meal and it meets every bit of your expectations? That was this dinner.

Following the meal, take a stroll down to Jack London Square. You may need to walk off some of that delicious food you just ate.

Everett and Jones Barbeque – 5 forks. Very highly recommended. If you like the sauce, you can buy some online for enjoyment at home.

 

E and L Bar-B-Q House

July 18, 2009

Lancaster, CA – Saw the folks from E and L at a local fair a while back. They had their booth up and were serving barbeque. They were also promoting the upcoming opening of their new place. I promised them (and myself) I’d stop by and check them out after they opened. Fast-forward three months to today.

Earlier in the day, I was running some errands near the area. I remembered E and L and decided to try them out. Using the menu I got from them when they exhibited at the fair, I called ahead to place my order. (When I arrived and saw the prices, I changed my order… I got more food!) As I got close to the entrance, I got a whiff or two of meat being smoked over hickory. Always a good sign that real barbeque is gonna be served inside. Customers, start your drooling!

Open barely two months, E and L Bar-B-Q House occupies a space that looks like it used to be a Mexican restaurant. It is a brick building with arches and anchors a strip mall. Inside are a couple of benches with tables. From the counter you can easily see the kitchen and the food being prepared. Not much in the way of decoration, or anything notable on the walls.

Since they’ve only been open two months, I was not surprised that they don’t have a website up yet. What did surprise me was that there was absolutely no listing for them anywhere on the Internet. This review may possibly the their first mention in cyberspace. Operative word: possibly.

E and L is a family affair. Mom and son and other relatives keep the joint humming along. I struck up a conversation with the son while I was waited for my food to be packed up. Had he not been working, I’m sure we could have talked for several hours.

If you have been following Kanale Eats for any length of time, you’ll know that I am big on the combo. I think it’s the best way to see what a restaurant is working with, especially a ‘cue joint. So today I ordered the 3-meat combo. My choices were chicken, tri-tip, and ribs. For sides I got Cole slaw and bbq beans. Thinking ahead to the next day’s lunch, I got a link sandwich, too. Remember I said I changed my order and got more? E and L has something called a ‘Hymn sandwich’. More on that in a minute.

When I got home, I changed my mind and started with the link sandwich. Their link sandwich is a big hot link served on a hot dog bun. The link itself was spicy. Not quite hot enough for me, but you know I like really spicy foods. On the other hand, the hot sauce I ordered was hot enough. I probably shouldn’t have eaten that on an empty stomach but no harm no foul. Besides, it tasted good. I was full after eating it.

It was dinnertime by the time I got to the combo.

Starting with the sides: the Cole Slaw came in a small container to keep it separated from rest of food. E and L puts red cabbage in their version. It was pretty good, but a tad too much liquid. Good thing they put it in a separate container. The bbq beans were very good. Slightly sweet with chunks of onions.

Normally I don’t get excited about barbequed chicken but E and L’s chicken is an exception. It was delicious! It was very tender, relatively easy to pull the meat off bone. It had a nice smoky flavor. I notice as I eat and write this, as the chicken lost heat, the more the smokiness came through. But the smoky flavor did not overpower the taste of the chicken. That is a testament to E and L’s ‘cue skills.

I can’t quite put my finger on the different taste of the tri-tip. Possibly it was the black pepper. Like the chicken, the tri-tip had a light smokiness to it. The meat itself could use a bit more flavor, though. Either more marinade or more time in the pit. The tri-tip was tender like the other meats.

The ribs – or more correctly, rib – was well marinated. Black pepper was noticeably present. Three for three for tenderness in this combo. The meat easily pulled from bone. I savored the flavor.

I asked for mixed mild and hot sauces for the meats in the combo. Their sauce blended in nicely with the meats, not overpowering them. I was pleasantly surprised by this realization. A lot of sauces made at some other places scream for attention, or try to cover up the taste of their inadequate meats. E and L’s sauce is a great team player. It is more versatile that way. It moistened the meat well. The hot can get pretty spicy so unless you’re used to it, go with the milder version.

One suggestion: it would be nice if they included a slice or two of bread or a roll with the combo.

So what is this Hymn sandwich I told you about earlier? I asked the son (I wished I had asked him his name) what it was. He said his mom came up with it. Simply, it is pulled pork and tri-tip in a bun. You can add a link on top if you want. Hymn sisters are a smaller version of the sandwich – kind of like sliders. They aren’t on the menu but you can order them if you know they exist. The son gave me a taste and I decided on the spot to get the sandwich.

When I started in on the whole sandwich, I was extremely glad I got it. It was very good! They pack a ton of meat into this sandwich! I’m sure once they figure out how much meat is really in there, they’ll either have to cut back or raise the price. I hope they don’t do either. Even if they did cut back on the meat by maybe 20%, it would still be worth the price. The pulled pork was very tender. You already know about the tri-tip. I could really taste the contrast in the meats. I wish they put more sauce on the sandwich. Next time I’ll get an extra cup of sauce.

Later, I learned how the Hymn sandwich got its name. Unfortunately, it is impossible to explain it to you in words and do it justice. About the best I can do is say that when you bite into it, you’ll say, “I feel a hymn comin’ on.” If you want more elucidation, you better ask somebody.

Dessert, anyone? E and L serves plenty of different homemade cakes you’d expect to find in a good barbeque joint, in addition to a few other offerings. Selections vary. If you come at the right time you may see mom making one of them in the kitchen. I didn’t have one this time but on my next visit I will most likely indulge.

E and L Bar-B-Q House – 4 forks. Highly recommended. You and your guests will be pleased with E and L’s catering.

Update: E and L closed down a while back. However, they did keep the catering operation going.

 

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

June 4, 2009

Rancho Cucamonga, California – Several months ago, a few new stores sprung up on a new pad in a business park. Of the three restaurants that were to open soon, one was called Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Out of curiosity I stopped in the parking lot to see what the place was about. Opening day was still a few days away so I grabbed a menu and filed it in the ‘places to try’ file – until today.

Family-owned since first opening the original Dickey’s in 1941, their simple goal has always been to “serve barbecue so good people will crave it. And don’t make ‘em wait too long to get it.” The last part was certainly true. I didn’t have to wait long to pick up my order, which I had called in beforehand.

Looking at the menu, you’ll notice how nicely it is laid out. You have your sandwiches listed up top, plates below that, available meats, sides, drinks, kid’s meals and family deals.

Never having even heard of Dickey’s before, I wanted to see what they had to offer. So I ordered a three-meat plate. My selections were pulled pork, beef brisket, and pork ribs. Barbecue beans and green beans with bacon comprised my choice of sides.

Let’s dig in. First to meet my fork were the BBQ beans. They were good. Hearty. Nice pieces of onion mixed in. These are the kind of beans you’d expect at a good cookout. Each time I took a forkful of the beans, they tasted better and better. The green beans, on the other hand, tasted like they came from a can, even though they had actual bacon pieces. They must have added the bacon in afterwards. It was a nice try but the green beans still had that ‘fresh from the can’ taste.

A dinner roll came with the meal. The flat, rectangular kind. Nice and buttery. Pretty good. It really didn’t need a pat of butter on the side but it would have been nice had there been one. I’m sure some people would have used it.

All of the meats were very tender. I was able to cut the brisket with a plastic fork. To me, the brisket tasted best of the three. Good enough to eat without the sauce. Next, in order of taste, were the ribs. The ribs were tender, the meat coming off the bone with little effort. Dickey’s says they are slow cooked. After savoring a bite for a few seconds, the smokiness started to come through. Score a few points there.

In third place was the pulled pork. And a distant third at that. It tasted a bit bland. Tender, but bland. The sauce helped, but not much. I’m not sure what would help it but one suggestion would be to season it more.

Now for the sauce: A small tub-shaped container of sweet sauce is provided with the meal. I added one small container each of hot and sweet from the sauce warmer near the beverages. I did a quick taste test to see which one to add. The sweet tasted a bit weird. It was slightly sweet. It tastes almost like a store-bought hickory-flavored sauce with some type of sweetener added. The hot tasted like the sweet with some crushed chili added in. Not very hot at all. Both sauces were watery and neither stayed on the meat long before slowly running off.

I also ordered a drink. They give you their signature yellow 32oz souvenir cup. Near the bottom of their service-marked phrase, they state, “Now that’s good barbecue. That’s Dickey’s!” I’d say it’s decent barbecue.

To satisfy your sweet tooth, Dickey’s serves pecan pie. On Sundays they have free ice cream, but it’s only for kids 12 and under. Restrictions apply.

For this niche called ‘fast-casual’, Dickey’s is not bad. They also cater. Personally, if I were to have Dickey’s cater, it would be to an office party, not a family gathering or picnic.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit – 3 forks. Recommended

 

Papa’s Place – The Mecca of Barbecue

November 26, 2012

Lancaster, California – I was planning to go to a barbecue restaurant in the San Fernando Valley today but my plans had to change due to an unforeseen delay. So instead, with a lingering hankering for barbecue, I decided to give Papa’s Place a try.

Papa’s Place opened earlier this month. I had seen the sign on the building a couple of months back and was glad they were finally open.

If you are approaching from the parking lot, the front door is not where you’d expect to find it. It isn’t right off the parking lot. That is the emergency exit. The front door is off the street and set back a ways from the sidewalk. And you’ll probably think you missed it before you see the path leading to the entrance.

Once you do enter, you’ll be greeted by your hostess, who will escort you to your table. There is a small waiting area right inside the door.

It was between lunch and dinner when I arrived. The place was almost empty except for a group of four that left a few minutes later, and another couple. I was greeted and seated immediately. Soon after, a family of four came in, then another group.

A small but attractive bar frames a corner of the kitchen area. Frosted glass and decorative lighting makes it look somewhat like a private bar in the home of a high roller. About a dozen bar stools line the bar, with a flat-screen television above. It’s easy to see how this can become a regular hangout after work or for the game.

The color scheme of the interior seems to represent the different facets of the eatery, with mustard yellow for the main dining area, and red for the sports bar side. On the sports bar side you’ll see about 5 more flat-screen televisions on the wall, plus a flat, wall-mounted jukebox, something I had never seen before. The main dining area is spacious with about two dozen tables with chairs. Large windows let in plenty of light. I like the track lighting they used. Blues played softly over the speaker. Lots of napkins in the dispenser on the table, plus a few more wall-mounted dispensers around the room. A good thing because you’re going to need them.

The tables in the main dining area are covered with black tablecloths, which, in turn, are covered with rose-colored heavy-duty construction-type paper. The paper is replaced for each new diner.

The décor, in my opinion, doesn’t give the impression that this is a barbecue place. It is very nice inside, but not what you’d expect from a barbecue joint. It’s more like upscale casual dining. And therein probably lies the source of my reasoning; referring to any place that primarily serves barbecue as a ‘barbecue joint’. Note to self: Let that be another lesson about applying labels to things.

Ok, time to eat. My choice for today’s meal was the Pit Combination Platter #2 ($19.99). With the #2, your plate will have a ¼ chicken, sliced beef brisket, and two St. Louis-style pork ribs. You get two sides with the combo. Pit baked beans and collard greens got the call today. A dinner roll comes with. Today’s beverage was iced tea ($2.49).

A word about the combos: Papa’s serves also rib tips, beef back ribs, pulled pork, and catfish. Nice selection, but you can’t make your own combo for dinner. During lunchtime you can choose your own, but you can only pick from 4 meats; chicken, brisket, St. Louis ribs, and pulled pork. It would be nice if Papa’s allowed patrons to select from all of their meat offerings to create their own combo.

It did not take long for my food to come to my table. I was impressed by the size of the plate and the portions on it. I was also impressed by the rope design on the handles of the flatware.

On the plate in its own separate small porcelain container were the beans. They tasted sweet and similar to what you find in the supermarket. Not sure if that’s what they used, but that’s what it tasted like.

The greens had a different flavor for me. It was almost as if Papa’s was going for a healthier option by not using the fat from the ham hock to cook them in, yet they still added ham hock. Peppers in the greens turned up the heat a bit. No pot liquor, though. It was a taste I’ve never experienced before and I’m not sure that it worked for me. I need to qualify that by saying, as I have in many of these posts, it takes a lot for me to be impressed by greens.

As I mention often in this blog, the test of good barbecue is how it tastes without sauce. However, all the meat was bathed in Papa’s special BBQ sauce (which explains why you’ll need all those napkins). That made it impossible to get a bite without sauce already on it. I must admit the sauce was good. It was sweet, a honey or molasses based concoction. By the way, Papa’s sells their sauce if you want to pick up a bottle or two.

In order of preference, here’s how the combo breaks down: White meat chicken was a little underdone. I could see some pink in the meat near the bone. There was not very much smoky flavor. The ribs were meaty and tender, but like the chicken they did not have enough smoky flavor of its own. Moving to the brisket, we start to score a few points. Along the edge of the thinly sliced meat there’s that nice pink coloring. Biting into it revealed that it was tender and I could taste a bit of smokiness. Due to the amount of sauce on the meat, I could not tell if there was any marinade or rub used before the meat made the journey to the smoker.

(Curiously, when I walked out following the meal, I saw the large, wood-fired, trailerable smoker out back, smoking away. Looking like a narrow-gage locomotive, it sent a comforting aroma wafting out over the parking lot.)

As I was finishing my meal, the owner stopped by to see how I was doing and thanked me for coming by. She stopped by all of the other tables as well.

Papa’s does serve dessert, but I did not have any this time.

As for being the “Mecca of barbecue”, Papa’s Place over-hypes itself with that title. You can’t blame them for promoting themselves, though. While they are good and I will probably come back again, it isn’t pilgrimage-worthy. Being a newly-opened restaurant they are still ironing out a few things. I just wish the meat had spent more time getting acquainted with the smoker instead of having to rely on the sauce for the taste.

Papa’s Place – The Mecca of Barbecue – 3.5 forks. Recommended. They also cater.

Update: January 15, 2014: Papa’s Place has closed down. Their Facebook page confirms it.

 

Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs

March 24, 2008

Sherman Oaks, CA – Last week someone sent me a review of a barbecue place called Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs. I had heard of this place before. In fact, back in 2002 it was mentioned as one of the ten best barbecue restaurants in the Los Angeles area (they have a location on Pico Blvd in West LA). So it had been on my list of places to try since way back then but I was never in the area. Today I finally had the time to try out Mr. Cecil’s. My plan was to visit the West Los Angeles location, but in order to get a jump on traffic I decided to visit the Sherman Oaks location instead.

According to their website, Chef Jonathan Burrows has taken “western American barbecue” and given it decidedly unique California style. How? By infusing a hint of Asian influence, using high-quality, fresh ingredients (even the chicken and veggies are organic), and adding fish and a variety of salads to the menu. Oh, and there are plenty of ribs.

Mr. Cecil’s was easy to find; it has a big red patio cover proclaiming the name of the place, and large lettering on the building itself. I walked in around 5:20pm or so. Since it was before the dinner hour it was relatively empty. There were two ladies at the bar and a group of four people at one of the patio tables. The hostess greeted me and said I could sit anywhere. I chose the patio since it was still in the upper 70’s in the Valley by this time.

The enclosed patio was covered by a red canvas, paneled in wood. There were a few pictures of cows on the wall. One of the benches was painted like a cow. The legs were carved in the shape of cow’s legs, hooves and all. Since there was all that wood paneling and wooden tables, it would have been nice to have wooden chairs. But they were metal. Still, it was nice sitting out there, watching the world walk – and drive – by on Ventura Boulevard. Most of the windows were open and there was a nice little breeze. Quite relaxing.

My server showed up rather quickly and asked if I wanted anything to drink. Homemade lemonade seemed like the obvious choice on a day like this. She returned almost immediately with the beverage. It tasted sour and sweet (a little too sweet), but not quite homemade. No pulp swimming around in the glass. Nonetheless, it was refreshing. My server was either a mind reader or eagle-eyed because each time I would so much as think about another round of lemonade, here she comes with another cool glassful. I downed three of those puppies over the course of the dinner.

Since I was by myself, the only way to sample a variety of their wares was to order 3 or 4 different meals. No matter. This way I’d have dinner for the next several days. They have a Beef Short Rib sandwich on the menu. This caught my eye since you usually don’t see this offered. It’s served on a Kaiser roll and comes with grilled red onions (!) and horseradish-mayonnaise sauce. First impression was this was kinda dry. But that’s what the two sauces on the table are for – one a hickory-flavored sauce (which tastes a lot like Kraft’s hickory-flavored sauce), and a Cajun sauce, which, as Emeril would say, has been kicked up a notch or two. Both are molasses-based. The sauce helped moisten the meat (not that the meat itself was dry) but the bread was still on the dry side. The meat itself actually did taste like barbecued short ribs. I was pleasantly surprised.

The sandwich comes with one side. Barbecued baked beans filled that slot. The beans are loaded with chunks of bacon you can actually see. I eagerly dug into these first. Hmmm. Hot from the kitchen but if not for the bacon, these beans would be run-of-the-mill. They were kind of on the sweet side, too. Since the bacon had raised the taste up a level, I finished them in short order.

To get the best sampling of ribs, it got kind of complicated. I ordered the rib combo, which gives you a choice of two types of ribs from the available baby back, St. Louis, and beef. I chose the beef and St. Louis, and ordered a side of baby back ribs. The combo comes with two sides. I chose the steamed green beans. The second choice, grilled corn with chili lime butter, jumped out at me from the menu. My server said it was delicious so I took her word for it. Obviously two examples of the California-style menu options chef Jonathan has created. The steamed green beans were plump, long, and crunchy. Score a few points there. They had a buttery, garlicky flavor. Very tasty.  The corn was cooked on a grill and had a hint of lime flavor. I expected a bit more kick from the chili, but realized that more chili taste would had subdued the natural taste of the corn. After thinking about it, this is a tricky combination of tastes to mix and Mr. Cecil’s got it right.

Now for the part I came here for…RIBS! I ordered these to go since I had already eaten the sandwich. But I couldn’t help sampling a couple of each type of rib. First thing I noticed were the baby backs. The looked like they had been cooked much earlier that morning but were still tender enough to easily separate with your fingers. The St. Louis ribs were just as tender. The beef ribs looked the freshest. The meat came off the beef bones just as easily as the other two styles. You gotta hand it to Chef Jonathan; these ribs were very tender. Of the three, I’d have to say the St. Louis-style ribs tasted best. That’s only because the beef ribs were kind of greasy. And they were a bit on the short side. I like my beef ribs to be long enough to play drums with.

All of the ribs were good enough to eat without sauce, but the sauce really improved the taste. I tried switching off between the two sauces – one bite with one flavored sauce, one bite with the other – and ended up mixing the two. The result was a kicked up, Cajun-hickory sauce. My eyebrows rose at the unexpected great new taste I had ‘discovered’.

Unfortunately, the ribs did not have that smoky flavor I expect from a barbecue restaurant. Maybe they were par-boiled, then put on a grill for a few minutes. Call me a purist, snob, whatever, but real barbecued ribs are supposed to taste smoky, whether from the grill or from a smoker. The lack of smoky flavor results in a lower rating in my book and also causes me to wonder how Mr. Cecil’s, though the food does taste good, makes into the top 10 list of best barbecue places.

I didn’t realize how much I had eaten until I walked out the door. Attempting to walk off some of the dinner, I ended up walking about a half a mile up one side of Ventura Blvd and back down the other.

Mr. Cecil’s seems more like a place to visit when you’re with friends and you’re more interested in talk than taste. It’s a good bet that the ‘California style’ of this restaurant is the reason for the prices. For a barbecue restaurant, the prices are quite high. Still, I would visit again.

Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs – 4 out of 5 stars. And plenty of Wet-Naps.