BBQ regret-rant about a lunch

[ron50]

I understand where you are coming from. A few months ago our friends wanted to take out us to dinner and they know I like to smoke so they suggested a BBQ place.

2 hours wait very crowded but great atmosphere. I knew I was in trouble when I didn't smell any smoke.

It's not that the food was horrible, it's just that it wasn't what i've been taught (mostly from SMF) is good Q.

I had a combo platter (pulled pork and ribs) and I can honesty say that my very first attempts at home were much better then this place.

The upside was the sides were good, the beer was cold and the company was good.

 

[lawdog]

I agree, best thing to come out of dickie's bbq are the big a** yellow cups, perfect for mixin a whiskey and coke at the end of a long day.

 

[jbchoice1]

rib crib sux

 

[teeotee]

Have to agree with smokin nutz, Hickory park in ames is a darn good place for eats and is worth a visit if passing by on I35 ... highly recommend the "saucy southener".
As chain bbq places go, i do like Famous Dave's. Always had a tasty meal from them and the bread pudding is awesome, altho it can all depend on the individual location. So far had good meals at Council Bluffs IA, Merle Hay Road DesMoines, Cedar Falls IA, Owatonna MN.

On the other end of the spectrum, i was working just outside of K.C. last year. Across the road from the hotel was a "BBQ" restaurant. It looked a little "chainy" but had to try it out. Walked in and it admittedly tehre was a good smokey smell to the place even tho it looked like a fancy italian place indside. I had a sampler plate with beef, pork and a smoked sausage. Plate came out with all the meats smothered in sauce ...... not a good start. I like to taste the meat, then maybe add MY choice of sauce. Beef and pork were sliced and dry, sausage was good enough. Just glad work was paying for the meal !!! This place was packed on a Tuesday night too .... like everyone else has said why???. I guess if people never eat real q they don't have anything to compare it too.

 

[smokedcaveman]

about 3 years ago, I was in Denton, Texas. There's a branch of the 'colter's' chain there..advertises as 'the best bbq in texas'. I decided to stop in, see what all the fuss was about.

I got a sampler plate of a bit of ribs, a bit of sliced brisket, a bit of pulled pork, and a bit of their ham, some beans and slaw.

Halfway through the meal, I called the manager over and asked him if he'd ever had real bbq in his life. He said 'Just from this establishment' 'I'd take that as a 'no', son. You need to get out more. Your beans are bland and taste more of the can than spice, your slaw's soupy and the greens for it were prefrozen, your brisket was bone dry, no smoke ring at all, and somehow still greasy, your ham was brined, but not smoked, your ribs are not only dry, but falling off the bone, and your pork wasn't pulled, it was chopped, probably because you guys pulled it at 175 to get it on the line asap. If this is Texas's best bbq, I know quite a few people that you didn't invite to the contest.'

He apologized and offered me a free meal, and I asked him 'why in the world would I want to insult my stomach twice? If you're going to carry a claim like that, you guys need to actually USE that fancy pit you've got outside, instead of burning wood for 'smell'.' I wasn't very kind, and to make it worse, a local restaurant reviewer was in there, overheard me, and posted my comments (anonymously) along with an 'I agree' in his review of the place.

Why do we bother with some of these places?

 

[travcoman45]

We got a whiskey creek here, it's alright, but sure ain't nothin ta write home bout, got a rib crib, better stuff in walmart, DIL got kicked outa there when she told em her father in law should teach em ta cook, got a private place, but they burry theres in sauce, wonder what there hidin.

So, I just do the Q at home. That way everbody's happy. Ifin were on the road, I will stop at some charity type function who is advertisin ribs er Q, usually a pretty decent meal cooked by someone with a clue anywho.

 

[bigwayne]

You guys are just experiencing the BBQ part of my life since I got fairly dangerous in the kitchen. Every time I figure out a new recipe or cuisine, I see the same thing at restaurants with a very few exceptions.

My conclusion based on these observations and having lived in various and different places over time, is that it is not the fault of the restaurants, but rather the consumers.

Notice that jtj states that his coworkers had no complaints. You can be sure that the cost for that restaurant to operate the way it is going is a lot less than if they took the time to do a better job on the cooking. With the average consumer plenty pleased with the product as is, it's a bad business idea to improve the product if it will you cost you to do it.

You will find more passable BBQ places in Texas than California, but California will have the advantage on decent sushi bars. It's all about what the public is willing to pay for. If you ever want something better than the average guy wants, you will either have to work to find it, pay extra, or do it yourself.

 

[smokedcaveman]

agreed, that's why I'm sitting here with my own sliced brisket and homemade beans and cornbread.


you have a point about it being 'just business', but even then, how low are we willing to go? 20 years are we going to have bbq shacks like McDonalds, with a 'dollar menu'? Probably not, but eh..you know. for what I paid for, and what was advertised, it wasn't up to snuff.

 

[flyin'illini]

Roger that, Lou. (as well as Ron, Rich others up north)

 

[bbqgoddess]

Yes I am dittoing BW in this statement, we sure do have some great sushi places. We have "chain" bbq joints Tony blah blah...which everyone I know raves about..eweeee, I hate everything about the place including their selection of beer...I have tried several small hole in the wall bbq joints, that advertise "Texas bbq" or say Best "Carolina pulled pork"
nope, not even close, but no one here knows the difference between K.C. bbq and N.C. bbq...I have had "Carolina pulled pork" smothered in ketchup based bbq sauce...I usually never complain about food, because food, IMHO is one of the most amazing things, it should tantilize and satisfiy every sense, it is very rare that I have a bad foodie experiance. But Carolina PP with ketchup based bbq sauce? eweeeeeeeeeee..I complained my friends fell over..is she complalining? why this tastes great..CUZ it WRONG! they don't make PP sammies in NC with ketchup based sauce....
Peeps just don't know because they have not learned...like Red Lobster for good seafood? HELLO?? that is impossibe.....

 

[chris_harper]

I didn't read all the replies. I went to our local Dickey's here while back. I will not go back. We went thru the drive-thru, getting the family meal. It is 1/2-lb of sliced brisket, 1/2-lb sausage, large potato salad, large beans, and 4 rolls. It sucked. Brisket had a small smoke ring, but no smoke flavor. The sausage was pretty good. The beans tasted straight from the can. I don't eat potato salad, so I don't know how it was. The sauce was not very good either.
I guess I am like everyone else on here, no BBQ joint can satisfy me now that I smoke food. (Can't say "meat" as we smoke other things too.) Actually there is one BBQ joint here that I do go to when I want some 'Q and don't have the time to do it myself, like during the week, that makes good 'Q.

 

[twistertail]

There is a chain around here called Smokey Bones, used to love that place before I started smoking my own stuff. To be honest I seem to be disappointed more often than impressed when we go out to dinner anymore. I'm starting to get the hang of smoking a little and my wife is a great cook so usually the food is not as good as what we could do at home and we could make it for a fraction of the cost of going out.

 

[williamzanzinger]

Ill tell you what, I thought it was just the curse of being a chef. I cant go into a restaurant without breaking the menu down on a cost basis. Steaks are #1. Spend 30 bucks in a steak house or 10-15 bucks for twice the steak and cook it at home. 5.95 for an order of mozz sticks or 10 bucks for an @ss load of ABT's. I always said the only restaurant I can goto and be satisfied id Dennys, there givin me crap, i know im getting crap, most likely paying crap. The playing field is even, no suprises or disapointments. When I want real food, ill do it myself thank you.

 

[dennisdocb]

I'll have to admit we have some good bbq joints here in Jax. The good ones are locals (mom & pop). The best has been around here since 1949 and thier pit is right up front where you see it as soon as you walk in the door. They had the same Pitmaster for 50 yrs. He retired in 1999 and then for whatever reason they decided to start franchising, They are still good but I would no longer call them great. Guess it goes to show you that's it's not so much the equipment but the cook.

 

[jtj]

i came to the same conclusion as some of you, they dont need to do any better, because most people are ok with what they are doing. Thats fine, they will survive on most peoples money, because they wont get mine.. Ive eaten at Rudys in Austin and it was excellent, there is one in a north suburb of me but I have never been to it.. I also agree that the worse the place looks, the better the food usually is. I think they put thier effort on the product instead of the storefront..

The Dennys scenario is awesome.. I feel the same way about Waffle house.. When your 3 sheets to the wind and its 4am, your stomachs growling like a bear, its the best place to go. At the very least there will be good entertainment during your meal!