"The pork ribs are the highlight here, and the restaurant promotes a "no sauce in the pit" approach, relying instead on a dry rub during smoking. You can select how much sauce you want to use, and sauces are served warmed in a dispenser reminiscent of old-fashioned hot fudge pumps—an innovative touch. The sauce options include mustard-based, vinegar, mild, and hot. Just a heads-up: they only provide plastic utensils.
My dining partner chose the Chicken BBQ Chef Salad, which is essentially their house salad topped with smoked chicken. It comes in a sun-dried tomato-basil tortilla bowl, similar to those found in Mexican restaurants. However, the variety of salad ingredients was limited to lettuce, cabbage, carrot, and a small amount of tomato, along with some pepperoncini peppers. Be cautious, as the dressing can be quite potent. The salad was generously topped with moist slices of smoked chicken.
I ordered the half slab of ribs plate with two small sides and a roll. I attempted to add a sausage link, but was informed they don't offer that option, which was disappointing. The sides included a couple of intriguing options, such as house-cooked chips and pork rinds, alongside the usual fare of slaw, beans, potato salad, mac and cheese, and green beans. I went with potato salad and green beans.
Upon receiving my plate, I immediately noticed the small size of the side portions—around 2 ounces each, which is smaller than what I've experienced at other BBQ joints for a $25 meal. The ribs themselves were inconsistent; the end rib on the rack was overcooked, making the meat overly brittle—a major turn-off. Unfortunately, the sides didn’t impress me either. I found the slaw unsatisfactory, while my partner thought it was just okay, possibly due to an excess of celery seed. The beans lacked flavor but were still edible.
Using a plastic knife to separate the ribs was cumbersome. While I know they can be pulled apart by hand, I prefer a knife, and the plastic utensils were genuinely frustrating. They made cutting anything into bite-sized pieces a hassle and contribute unnecessarily to plastic waste.
The ribs had an appealing smoky flavor and a visible smoke ring, offering wonderful tenderness with a good pull from the bone, but I encountered a heavy black pepper seasoning that teetered on overwhelming. Fortunately, the warm roll provided helped balance the peppery taste. However, the rolls were standard store-bought white bread, small in size, and only one was given. After sharing mine with my partner, it was gone quickly. When I inquired about ordering more, I was told they cost $0.25 each. I asked for four, and while I received six instead, they were not warmed upon return to my table, which was disappointing.
Despite these shortcomings, we did enjoy many aspects of our visit. However, the overall value on the plate fell short, and several details being slightly off made the experience somewhat frustrating."
