(02/08/10)

Boston BBQ: Blue Ribbon Visit Report

As I've said many times on this site, I've visited Blue Ribbon a lot less in recent years now that I'm working in Worcester (PigTrip is only a hobby). So when I met a friend in Newton last Monday night, I jumped at the chance to visit Blue Ribbon, where I sampled some chili and a trio. Here's the low-down:

 

Pork chili: This item from the specials board featured a high meat-to-broth ratio with tender pork, black beans, sour cream and cilantro, accompanied by a large block of cornbread. I was tempted to grab a hot sauce bottle off the shelf, but I resisted. The sneaky heat wasn't noticeable at all at first, then kept creeping up nicely. If it were a permanent fixture, this chili might make the tail end of my chili list. Part of me wishes Blue Ribbon had an every day chili, but part of me is glad there's enough creativity that the soups, chilis and sandwiches not only keep changing but keep my interest.

 

Ribs: This item has seen some fluctuations over the last couple of years at Blue Ribbon as they transitioned to an offsite smoking program and experimented with various rib cuts and suppliers. The ribs have always been at least good, but not always reliably great as in their heyday a few years ago. On this visit the ribs were great: big and juicy, pink color, good texture, and the flavorful, slightly crisped bark was prominent for the third visit in a row. These tasted fresh, not steamy.

 

Pulled pork: An ample portion, not as much bark as usual, a little light on the smoke flavor and more than a little steamy even though the overall texture was good. For most other joints, this would suffice, but at Blue Ribbon it was a little disappointing.

 

Chicken: A thigh was very tender and faintly smoky with marginally crisp skin, good flavor in the meat and fantastic flavor in the maple barbecue sauce that topped it (another special that night). It was a good mix of maple syrup with some heat for balance, and it still let the chicken do most of the talking. If they sold this sauce by the jar, I'd buy one.

 

Sides: Collards and slaw were their usual selves, with some light heat and good meat content in the greens and a crisp and creamy balance to the slaw.

 

Cornbread: This is probably more of a referendum on style than execution, but I consider Blue Ribbon's cornbread the prototype for what cornbread should be. It's thick, just moist enough, just sweet enough, with more of a baking powder component than most and no reliance on vanilla, cinnamon or other oddball flavors. Monday night's cornbread was nothing out of the ordinary, but solid. As baseball geeks who value high OBP like to say, it "kept the line moving."

 

 

 

 

 

(02/07/10)

Jefferson Would Have Whupped Namath

If you're doing a little web surfing before the big game and are equally into sports arguments and political arguments, have I got a site for you: America Bowl, where writer Don Steinberg pits the 44 American presidents against the 44 Super Bowl games (first president versus first Super Bowl, and so on) and picks the winner for each one. www.americabowl.net

 

 

 

 

(02/06/10)

New York City BBQ: A Beefy "Feed Your Face" Challenge from Hill Country

Here's another one of those eating challenges where if you can stuff your face with more food than you'd ever really want to eat at one sitting, the meal is free. Hill Country (NYC) is known for its beef, so two pounds of it are just the beginning of this interesting challenge. Eat a half pound of lean brisket, a half pound of moist brisket, a half pound of beef clod, a half pound of prime rib, two small sides, a 32-ounce soft drink and a cupcake—and do it in less than an hour with no bathroom breaks—and this $65 meal is free. More importantly, you get a free T-shirt and a lifetime of bragging rights.

 

I'm itching to get back to Hill Country, but not for this challenge. I'll stick with my usual order of a quarter pound each of moist and lean brisket, a Kreuz hot link and a small Texas caviar. Not hurling when done: priceless.

www.hillcountryny.com

 

 

 

(02/05/10)

Lists: Favorite Wings, Favorite Chili

No, I haven't gotten around to revised rankings for the new year just yet. But with the Super Bowl just days away, I thought I'd dust off my 2009 rankings for wings and chili at barbecue restaurants and make them just a little easier to find.

 

2009 BBQ Wings Rankings

2009 Chili Rankings

 

My opinion today is pretty close what I had to say in these year-old rankings. RUB and Hill Country, both based in New York city, are the only joints to make both lists. Unfortunately and somewhat disappointingly, wings list finishers High Street Grill (N. Andover MA) and Ruby's Famous BBQ Joint (East Meadow NY) are now both closed.

 

 

 

(02/04/10)

New Hampshire BBQ: So This Is Texas BBQ?

Last Friday saw another date night, another trip to a mall—this time the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua—and another opportunity to check out another food court barbecue operation—this time Texas BBQ Factory. There was just one problem: it's Chinese, not barbecue. Some politically correct types might suggest that I'm jumping to conclusions based only on the all-Asian (I'm assuming Chinese) staff, but that's not the case here. The problem was the incredibly familiar steam-table-under-glass setup, with the incredibly familiar assortment of food court Chinese food: egg rolls, fried rice, vegetarian delight, bright red boneless spare ribs and about a half dozen permutations of boneless chicken, running the gamut from mildly sweet to mildly spicy. I know there's a town called Paris in Texas, but who knew there was a Beijing?

 

 

A gander at the wall menu shows that they do indeed have brisket, but that's a "special order" item requiring a 4- to 5-minute wait. There's no pulled pork and no pork ribs on the bone (not even the red Chinese American kind). I tried to take a few photos of the setup and the menu, but was told that photos weren't allowed and that I'd have to delete the one photo I took. (They didn't pose any time frame on the request and didn't check my camera, so I deleted the photo from my camera, but after uploading it to this site.)

 

Compelled to see this brisket, I made the special order ($5.99). The staff in the back room cut some slices off a cold brisket and took it out to the grill to reheat it and get a light char; a few brushings of sweet barbecue sauce added some moisture and flavor. I think it was real brisket. The thin, stringy slices had somewhat of a beef jerky consistency, but the fat along the edges balanced things out. The natural beef flavor poked through the sauce, and all things considered, it wasn't bad, even though it was about as Texan as I am Chinese.

 

 

The real reason to patronize Texas BBQ Factory is the Chinese selection. Not for quality, but for the value: a 7-item combination plate is a mere $2.99. I discarded mine shortly after taking photos and a few cursory nibbles, but it's not bad for food court Chinese. I'm guessing that a $3 outlay here will fill you up and a $6 outlay will give you more food than you can handle. So if that's what you're looking for, Texas BBQ Factory is worth keeping in mind for your next mall visit. Just don't expect barbecue.

 

 

 

 

(02/03/10)

Boston BBQ: It's Schlesinger's World; We Just Live In It

In the latest issue of Stuff magazine, Louisa Kasdon contributes a "5 Courses With" mini interview with Chris Schlesinger of East Coast Grill. read the Stuff interview with Chris Schlesinger

Boston BBQ: Some Rare Intel on Whiskey's

A few weeks ago, a new publication called Dirty Water News had a review of Boston's Whiskey's Smokehouse on Boylston Street. There wasn't a whole lot said about the 'cue (or even if it really is 'cue), but a quick glance at the Whiskey's website tells me that this is a joint whose main attraction isn't the food.

read the Dirty Water News review of Whiskey's

 

 

 

 

(02/02/10)

Boston BBQ: New England's Top Competition Pitmaster Is Now a Restaurateur

The worst kept secret among the Northeast competition barbecue community is that there's a new place in Weymouth to satisfy your 'cue cravings. The joint—the Red Rose Café, an Irish tavern on Broad Street—isn't new, but starting today at 4:00PM, their kitchen will feature the food of New England BBQ & Catering. This outfit is the joint effort of Steve Farrin of I Smell Smoke! (reigning New England Barbecue Society Team of the Year and more barbecue grand championships than any Northeast team in the last five years) and Brendan Burek of Transformer BBQ. If the 6-day-a-week offerings here can consistently approach what I've tasted from this duo on the competition circuit, today may prove to be historic.

 

 

 

(02/01/10)

Massachusetts BBQ: A Return to American BBQ, This Time in Beverly

Last Wednesday night I met some friends in Beverly MA, where we checked out the second location of the American BBQ, based further north in Rowley. The Beverly outpost is a lot roomier and looks more more suburban than the barn-like original. There's no bar; a small but well chosen assortment of beer is available. As for the food, here's the run-down:

 

Free snacks: There's something welcoming about a place that's willing to feed you a few different freebies before you even place your order. You can help yourself to baskets of popcorn and peanuts in the shell well ahead of the counter, which has a sample basket of homemade potato chips. The chips had all the characteristics I look for in a perfect cookie: crispy exterior, chewy interior and enough of the complementary flavor (in this case, jerk seasoning) to make an impression but not so much that it barges its way past complementary status. I could easily eat a bag of 'em, and were it not for my diet I would have easily purchased a bag for two dollars and change.

 

Onion rings: Homemade rings made with thick cut onions and puffy batter. These needed some salt, but I still liked the overall flavor, and really liked the crispness, which isn't always a factor with this style.

 

Chili: Made with mostly ground beef, unmelted cheese and what looked to be a few scraps of barbecue meat, this mildly spiced blend was nothing out of the ordinary and wouldn't receive consideration for making my chili list, but I still give it props as a competently prepared straightforward "everyday" chili.

 

Ribs: Generously covered with barbecue sauce (my bad for forgetting to request no sauce), these had a good crust, nice smoke ring, faint smoke taste and good overall flavor despite the lack of a real rub presence. What brought these down a notch for me was that the ribs were very overcooked, to the point where they tasted pre-chewed.

 

Pulled pork: Also sauced but less generously, the pork was similarly cooked past the point of tender. There was a little bark, but not much, and the very thin, very delicate strings had little resistance and minimal flavor. Some Carolina sauce helped.

 

Brisket: Bark was absent; flavor was decent. I'll give them points for tender, but the parts that weren't rubbery reminded me of pot roast.

 

Chicken: It was nice to see a half chicken on the 3-meat combo, something I'd only seen done at Goody Cole's (Brentwood NH). The skin was rubbery under a heavy dousing of sauce. Dark meat was succulent; white meat was dry. The flavor had a light smokiness.

 

Sausage: Served as slices about 1/4" thick, even these were sauced. The edges were crisp and the insides had the same kind of texture you get in a sliced meatball on a pizza. Oddly, I probably liked the sausage the most of all the meats.

 

Collard greens: These were probably the highlight of the visit, offering a grab bag of leaves and stems that were chopped just enough to be manageable and cooked just enough to make them slightly tender while retaining just a hint of al dente crunch. The condiment was a flavorful broth and a grab bag of pork (or was there chicken in there too?) and sausage. I remembered pepperoni from my first visit, but whatever was in there on this visit was better.

 

Fries: After a pretty impressive onion ring starter that I thought was homemade, the industrial strength frozen fries let me down.

 

Mac and cheese: Smooth, creamy, soft and mild. Perfect for children and those seeking childhood memories; not so perfect for those seeking adult flavors.

 

Cole slaw: This had a lot of potential, with crisp, thinly sliced cabbage dressed with restrained use of a faintly sweet lubricant and a heavy sprinkling of celery seed. It felt and tasted like it was prepared just minutes before serving, but if the flavors had a chance to settle in, this could be very good.

 

Cucumber salad: Same deal as the cole slaw.

 

Cornbread: Each combo was topped with a piece of cornbread that was literally the size of a brick, but it was surprisingly light, like angelfood cake. It was sweet like angelfood cake too, with a little crunch at the edges.

 

Sauces: Four different barbecue sauces are available at a well-stocked condiment, cutlery and plating station (I love that you can get different sized styrofoam plates, cups and takeout boxes). The regular (brown) and hot (more red) are slight variations on ketchup, though the regular that topped the meats as served seemed to have more zing and more spreadability. The "Yellow" sauce (that's the name they use) also had some zing and sweetness, and I'm pretty sure it's a Cattleman's product (not that it's a problem). The Carolina sauce had lots of pepper and spice flecks and was significantly thicker and more full bodied than a typical vinegar sauce.

 

Overall, a mixed bag, but there were enough highlights and enough promise to make it a worthwhile visit.

 

 

 

(01/30/10)

New York City BBQ: Hoedown for Haiti at Hill Country Tomorrow Night

 

The recent glut of fundraisers for Haiti seem to be more geared to self promotion and shameless attempts at boosting various businesses, but tomorrow night's event at Hill Country (NYC) looks like a refreshing exception: a $35 donation gets you a 3-hour open bar (beer and wine), Texas style barbecue, live band karaoke and exciting raffle prizes. Even more refreshing is that Bono won't be there. www.hillcountryny.com

 

 

 

(01/29/10)

Brooklyn BBQ: Fatty 'Cue Offers Super Bowl Catering

Fatty 'Cue (Brooklyn NY) still isn't open yet (and Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead), but you can get a sneak preview of their menu on Super Bowl Sunday next weekend. The menu, as reported by Andrea Strong on The Strong Buzz) includes:

 

The deadline for ordering is Monday; minimum order is $100; the pick-up is free; a $40 delivery option is available for Manhattan. Place orders by phone or email Andrew@fattycue.com or (917) 476-2901.

 

 

 

(01/28/10)

Boston BBQ: Dinosaur Headed to Hub?

Grub Street and Eater both had vague reports yesterday speculating on Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's expansion plans that could include a Boston outpost. The barbecue mini chain is looking for "buildings with character" that also have 6,000 to 10,000 square feet. Even though Boston hasn't always been accepting of New York imports, I think this one has a good chance of succeeding. Fanueil Hall would be ideal, but I'm thinking Arsenal Street in Watertown makes more sense, assuming that's still "Boston" enough for them. Don't hold your breath for anything immediate—the Albany area Dinosaur that opens later this summer has been in the works for at least two years.

 

Some Menu Updates

Spanning the northeast to bring you the constant variety in menus:

 

 

 

(01/26/10)

Boston BBQ: M&M Ribs Reviewed

Rather than wait until I finally make it down for a second visit, I decided to take this month's first impressions of M&M Ribs (Dorchester MA) and turn it into a full fledged review, the 172nd one for the site. Check it out via the link above, the Reviews page or the red icons in the Joints directory. When I go again, I can always update it, but for now it's available and easy to find. And I still have a guest review on M&M on the way.

 

 

 

(01/25/10)

A Little Home Cookin'

Barbecue restaurants had to yield this weekend to other endeavors: a little healthy eating on Friday, a little Asian on Saturday and a little backyard cooking on Sunday. The ribs and chicken were finished shortly before the clock struck midnight for the New York Jets early in the second half. I normally don't cook or eat babybacks, but then I don't normally root for the Jets either. Sometimes you just have to empty out what's in your freezer. Ditto the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Everything came out okay, but nothing came out spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(01/21/10)

Catching Up on Some Recent Eats

Here's a grab bag of candid thoughts from my most recent barbecue meals:

 

Firebox, Bedford MA

I visited Firebox last Friday for the first time after posting a pretty positive review.

 

Smoked turkey: This was cut thick, strong on smoke flavor, light on moisture (not dry but not moist like you'd see in a turkey commercial). I liked the turkey aside from the fact that it was served very cold. I'm not talking luke warm or even room temperature, but out-of-a-cold-refrigerator cold.

 

Brisket: In my review, I noted the difference in quality between my two brisket tastings and hoped the better, more recent one was the barometer. Friday's was about halfway between the dry, pale first visit and the pink, moist most recent visit. There was no bark, no pink, decent texture (not moist, but not dry) and a down-the-middle flavor. Not bad, but a slight backslide from the previous batch.

 

Pulled pork: Moist, smoky, good bark content, good flavor. No dropoff from Firebox's previous excellent performance in pork.

 

Pork ribs: As I mention in the review, these sometimes can be firm and with a rub coated surface that's not crisped up as much as it should, and the ribs from Friday had both faults, undermining what was a good flavor. I prefer ribs with a little bite to fall-off-the-bone tender, but these were undercooked.

 

Miscellaneous: I mentioned to the chef/pitmaster that the turkey was very cold, so he took my plate back to the kitchen and grilled the slices. That's good reaction and good intentions, but he should have simply replaced the turkey with a new batch, without taking my plate away. Or replaced the entire plate, including the luke warm ribs and brisket that were getting colder by the minute while the turkey reheat was in progress.

 

There were some positives and negatives to this visit, with some of the negatives making me question my original review, but Firebox's greatest strengths—pulled pork and chicken—had not slipped. The turkey was basically good, so I'll chalk the temperature issue up to a correctable oversight. Much more disappointing was that the ribs were undercooked and undercrisped again. So my endorsement of Firebox stands, just stick with the pulled pork and chicken as your safe bets.

 

 

Tupelo, Cambridge MA

This darling of a joint near Inman Square gets the label of Southern cuisine stuck to it way before barbecue or soul, and that's okay. And it's a somewhat highfalutin brand of Southern at that, but that's okay too. A July first visit had some very high highs and much promise, including the vague promise of smoked meats down the road. Fast-forward to winter, and ribs and pulled pork are on the menu. I visited with a friend last Thursday night, and here's what we had:

 

Cornbread: Slightly dry, finely granulated and more savory than sweet (though I'm sure some vanilla was in there somewhere), this minor upgrade from the first visit was a decent start to the meal.

 

Oysters: Plump, crisp and juicy, with a slightly higher batter-to-oyster ratio than the first time and now accompanied by housemade pickles instead of green tomatoes. These are fantastic. I could eat several orders.

 

Gumbo: An entree that easily fed two as a split appetizer, the hefty bowl overflowed with smoked Andouille sausage, smoked chicken, large chunks of okra and a few other unidentifiable goodies. The dark, thick broth carried a good amount of smoke, or possibly carryover from the Andouille, but whatever it was, it was very good. I initially wanted to ask for some Tabasco, but I held back and was glad I did, because there was enough flavor in there already.

 

Ribs: Attractively plated as criss-crossed 2-bone pairs, the ribs showed good bone retraction and a light, crispy bark that held its texture under the sauce. The slightly stiff texture indicated a reheat, but the flavor was pleasing, though not smoky.

 

Pork: Light and very tender, the pulled pork was a little overcooked and underseasoned, relying on the sauce to wield flavor. I detected neither smoke nor bark. Somehow, it still worked, but I'd recommend satisfying your pulled pork cravings elsewhere.

 

Chicken: A half bird had rubbery skin and no smokiness, but I liked everything else about it: the liberal dose of assertive rub, the just-saucy-enough condiment, the wiltingly tender meat and the intensity of the flavor that permeated it.

 

Adding ribs and pulled pork still doesn't make Tupelo a barbecue joint, and that too is okay. Despite some minor technical issues, I enjoyed both, and they might have been smoked, but there was a clear line of demarcation of quality between the Southern items (oysters, gumbo) and the barbecue-like items ("barbecue" was not mentioned on the menu). I'd skip the latter, but I'd go back in a heartbeat for the former—as well as the friendly, attentive service and appealing overall vibe.

 

 

Firefly's, Framingham MA

Since Firefly's is so close to the Mass Pike's Natick exit, I often choose it as a meeting place or jumping off point for other destinations. Such was the case last week when I met a friend for a trip to Tupelo in Cambridge. While waiting, I tried a single rib. As I've mentioned previously, single ribs are an offering that's common among Boston BBQ joints. At Firefly's, the rib can be ordered with choice of sauce, and I ordered mine with Dixie Kiss, a dark, sweet sauce with a little more heat and a little more nuance than your typical Kansas City style sauce. It arrived piping hot, so there was clearly some reheat, but it had a fresh taste and mouthfeel. The meat was pink and full of flavor aside from the sauce. The outer bark was still a little crispy under the sauce. Overall, a good rib and one of the better ones I've had at Firefly's lately.

 

 

SoulFire, Allston MA

SoulFire is the barbecue joint I visit most, for a variety of reasons on top of their more than respectable 'cue: it's fairly close (a half hour) to my home, it's very close to a Boston Sports Club that's open later than most of the rest, and it's one of the few places I can dine/drink solo and never feel uncomfortable. I wound up dropping in two Wednesdays ago after a late (for me) workout nearby.

Brisket: This was an unusual (in a good way) presentation, with the slices laying on their sides rather than flat on the plate. The coloring was different from what I've had at SoulFire lately: lighter (uncrispy) edges and paler inner meat. But it was still appetizing, with a faint sheen and prominent pink smoke ring that made the slices look a little like larger, beefier versions of Chinese pork strips. Even though it didn't have that familiar bacony appearance, the meat had echoes of the bacony flavor I've noticed in the brisket here lately. Fat was almost nonexistent, but its flavor and moistness made their way into the meat without any steaminess.

Babybacks: These had a good color and a thin but well defined crust. Tenderness was almost exactly what a barbecue purist looks for: a bite that pulls of cleanly and evenly while leaving a little snap. For me, the doneness was ideal, but  someone who thinks of Chili's as the gold standard for babybacks would probably be disappointed. The ribs had a nice porky flavor and a faint smoke, noticeably lighter of smoke than usual.

Collards: Typical SoulFire collards, cooked well past wilting, more sweet than savory.

Rice and beans: It had been a while (maybe two years) since I tried this before rediscovering it on my previous visit, and I was impressed: very moist rice with black beans and lots of vegetable goodies thrown in to keep things interesting.

Cornbread: SoulFire's cornbread is the cakey style, and they execute it as well as or better than anyone, with a mosit, fresh good sized piece.

Overall, a good visit with everything good, nothing through-the-roof wow-worthy. 

 

 

(01/19/10)

New York City BBQ: No Bull: Adam Perry Lang Cooks for Professional Bull Riders

First Bucky Goldstein, now Adam Perry Lang. Check out the story from FOX News yesterday.

Fox Foodie article on Adam Perry Lang of Daisy May's BBQ

 

 

 

(01/18/10)

Joints Directory Madness

Here's the latest batch of barbecue Joints directory activity, spanning seven states. This largest update ever includes two moves, three expansions, one new website, one web site change, five closings, nine new joints and one that came back from the dead.

 

 

(01/16/10)

A Few More All-You-Can-Eat Options

Some recent web surfing has unearthed a few new all-you-can-eat deals at barbecue restaurants in three different states.

 

Jeff's Cuisine (South Norwalk CT) has a Sunday brunch buffet for $24.99 that includes two kinds of ribs, brisket, pork, chicken, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, five sides and four desserts. www.jeffscuisine.com

 

Marfa (NYC) had all-you-can-eat deals which I mentioned at the outset, but I hadn't added it to the All You Can Eat page until now. On Mondays Marfa offers all you can eat wings for $9, all you can eat ribs for $12 and all you can eat barbecue shrimp for $15; on Wednesdays, it's all you can eat fried chicken for $9. What I didn't know until I viewed the site after a recent chef change is that the barbecue meats at this West Texas style eatery are in fact smoked (or at least claimed to have been smoked). www.marfanyc.com

 

Little Dan's BBQ (Lewiston ME) has a deal on pulled pork sandwiches, with or without slaw: for $5.99, you can eat as many as you want between 11AM and 2PM. www.littledansbbq.com

 

 

 

(01/14/10)

New Hampshire BBQ: Much Improvement at Smoke Shack's Food Court Location

 

Last Friday's date night had me at the Mall of New Hampshire (Manchester NH), so I could not resist the opportunity to check out the food court outpost of Smoke Shack Southern Barbecue (Boscawen NH). But the greater opportunity lied with Smoke Shack: it was a chance to redeem itself, since my visit to the flagship nearly a year ago saw what was probably my single worst meal of 2009. The bar was set low, but I'm happy to say Smoke Shack cleared it. I ordered a three-meat combo with two sides to get a good survey. Here's the run-down:

 

Brisket: This was the single worst item from the 2009 visit to Boscawen (see evidence), but brisket was easily the highlight of this visit. Cut to order, the brisket had good though uncrispy bark, excellent moisture, an appetizing mahogany color and good overall flavor (beefy but elevated with a just a little spice), somewhat similar to Goody Cole's brisket a little further southeast. This wasn't just an improvement from the last one; this was downright good. And from a mall food court no less.

 

 

Ribs: These were thick babybacks with a sturdy crust drizzled with a standard sweet sauce before cutting. They also had an appealing pink color, good flavor but only slight moisture. Flavor-wise, I had no complaint, but the texture was disappointing. Clearly overcooked, my first rib literally fell off the bone when I picked it up. Since that's what happened a year ago (but with a lesser rib), I'm guessing that's what they strive for.

 

 

Pork: Stringy and dry, so I only had a little and can't really remember the flavor. But it was a huge portion that would be more than enough for a large sandwich.

 

Cole slaw: Creamy and very bland.

 

Beans: Sludgy and ordinary.

 

Sauces: The Carolina sauce was much thicker than what I think of as a typical Carolina sauce. For both taste and texture, it seemed like it might have been Frank's hot sauce mixed 50-50 with ketchup. The outstanding Smoke Shack hot sauces are available for purchase here (and I bought two), but unlike at the Boscawen restaurant they didn't appear to be offered as condiments for their over the counter barbecue.

 

Miscellaneous: The meat and sides portions were all extremely generous. For less than $20, there was enough food to feed two people. You could easily spend that much at a place like Sbarro and not be as satisfied.

 

Service: This was odd. After I placed my order, the counter person didn't take my money but instead took the next person's order, then took his money. At this point I headed back to the counter and asked if I could pay, and I did. She then took the next person's order, and then another's. I figured someone in the kitchen would be processing my order based on their order entry system, but the counter person at this point started preparing my order. I'm guessing this is a strategy to strike while the iron is hot, taking as many orders as possible before would-be customer #2 explores a different food court option while customer #1's order is being assembled.

 

Overall, a mixed bag for sure, but there were some clear bright spots and much improvement. I'll be visiting Smoke Shack again, this time with a lot less fear.

 

 

 

January 2010 archive

December 2009 archive

November 2009 archive

October 2009 archive

September 2009 archive

August 2009 archive

July 2009 archive

June 2009 archive

May 2009 archive

April 2009 archive

March 2009 archive

February 2009 archive

January 2009 archive

December 2008 archive

November 2008 archive

October 2008 archive

September 2008 archive

August 2008 archive

July 2008 archive

June 2008 archive

May 2008 archive