Boo Koo BBQ (New Orleans, La)

Since the "Carpet Bagger" movement in post Katrina New Orleans there have been both negetive and positive changes to the city. The negetive is the obvious "baggage" that hipster gentrafication brings to any neighborhood. I'm not going to rant about that because I think there is enough pissing and moaning on the subject from other people. However, there is positive to such gentrification such as the growth and entrpenuership in the restaurant industry. In the last year there have been at least 3 new BBQ joints that have opened in the New Orleans area that I have been eager to try. A few nights ago I was accompanied by a few friends to Boo Koo BBQ to indulge this eagerness.

Hipsters

Side Note:
BBQ, for the most part, stays stylistically authentic to their respective regions (Texas, KC, Carolinas, Memphis, etc...). I believe as an art, BBQ can and should continue to grow and have each culinary style/regional influence in its progression. For Example, the southwest and west coast continues to cultivate their style of BBQ specializing in tri-tip and chile infused sauces. Hopefully one day New Orleans will have their own style of BBQ. Their culinary history is too rich to not have one.

BKBBQ isn't your traditional joint. BKBBQ is basically the kitchen of a quaint neighborhood bar (Finn McCools) in MidCity. After I reached the couter to place an order, I had the akward experience where the cashier does everything possible to not look at you in the eye because telling the customer that they will be with you in a few minutes takes SOOOOO much effort. I am glad to see that new restaurants continue adopt the New Orleans customer service stylings because we definitly need more bad service in this city. 

Of course I want to sample the goods so I ordered the "3 meat platter"...

Cashier: We are out of pulled pork

James: Ok, that's fine, can you just throw a few extra ribs on it the plate.

Cashier: No, I can't do that

James: Can you double up on the brisket...

Cashier: *Akward moment of silence*

James: Well, what can you do?

Cashier: I tell you what, I'll knock 2$ off your 16$ platter.

James: ok

Cashier: It will be 45mins to an hour.

One hour later the food came out:

Macaroni and Cheese - needed flavor

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw - needed blue cheese

Ribs - nice rub, overcooked for my tastes (a lot of bark), and it was drowning in a pool of sauce.

Brisket - No Brisket!!!

3rd meat - I think it was sliced pork loin...I couldn't tell because it was swimming in sauce so it could have been sliced chicken breast?

Service - No smile

Later, Rex ordered some Boudin Eggrolls that came with a roumalade sauce that were pretty amazing followed by deep fried Macaroni and Cheese Fried Balls that were lacking flavor. An hour later, Ryan came in with some BBQ nachos...Nachos with pork, jalepenos, sour creme, cheese, and BBQ sauce.

After 4 beers anything taste good right?

I know this photo is awful!

Overall, for a kitchen at a late night bar it was great. As a BBQ joint to stand alone...no siree Bob. If I'm going to wait an hour I'd rather stand in line at Franklin BBQ. 

If I go back to that bar for a drink on a empty stomach, I'd just get a bunch of apetizers or try a burger before I'd get the BBQ again.


The place was so dark that pictures wouldn't have done this blog any justice. So excuse the awful pic...

Update:

I did stop by there for lunch a few days later to give them a second chance and I met the owners who were super cool people. I think the guy who worked that particular night shift was some jackass who had no investment in the place. Despite the friendliness of the owners, the BBQ was still not up to par. I actually got to try the pulled pork and brisket and both lacked much needed flavor and were dry (I got the sauce on the side this time). I didn't see or smell a smoker so I imagine they smoke the food off site.

I hate giving nice people bad scores...

Boo Koo BBQ will be receiving a generous score 2 out of 5 stars.

Conger's Smoke Shack (San Antonio, Tx)

My experiences with San Antonio's BBQ Trail has been short but all so sweet. The Pitmaster at The Smoke Shack said he smokes with Pecan and Oak, and throws an onion in the smoker. I couldn't tell if he was figuratively feeding me a rack of bullshit...(aka: NY style BBQ). It got me thinking that maybe onions in the smoker might work...or maybe he is just playing a cruel joke on me.





Lets Talk Ribs...

These Ribs tasted 95% damn near identical to my ribs. I can even taste the same little secrets that I use in my ribs. These aren't your fall off the bone but instead your perfect PEEL off the bone rib. These ribs are a little more moist than mine but that's because he doesn't peel off the membrane on the bottom before he smokes them. Personally, I don't like eating the silver skin but I don't expect him to peel the membrane off when you are turning over 100 racks a day. Below is a visual...Overall 5 out of 5

Smoke Shack Ribs

Let's talk Brisket. 

This gets a solid B+. Nothing fancy...at the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Smoke Shack Brisket

Lets discuss Pulled Pork. I give the Pulled Pork a solid B- . There was nothing spectacular about this as well. I'm not one to dip my BBQ in sauce like a Baptist eating french fries with ketchup at McDonalds, but their Dijon/Vinagar sauce was out of this world. That right there made the Pulled Pork worth every bite and if I was judging the taste of meat on the sauce it would get a solid A+. If they bottled it I'd drink a cup of that for breakfast.

I'm a big fan of food trucks and that is what you'll get with Smoke Shack. Between this place and The Big Bib, San Antonio is in good hands.



The Smoke Shack will be receiving a generous score of 4 out of 5 stars.

Capital Q BBQ (Washington D.C.)

In keeping with the Washington DC tradition of putting out failed products, lets talk about D.C. BBQ.

Capital Q =  One word: YUCK!




This was by far THE most expensive BBQ I’ve ever had. $20!

Nothing was seasoned, they gave me the fattiest point of the brisket where there was little to no meat in it. The ribs were pure rubber and the texture was pretty bad too. The meat just stuck on the bone. The Potato Salad (or should I say mustard/mayo salad with potato garnishing) was awful. If you hate celery you’d really hate this ”Potato Salad”. I left the place without cleaning my plate.

They pride themselves on Texas BBQ. You know what I say to that? Texas BBQ my Ass! OK, they got a little write up in the Houston Chronicle, they serve Texas beverages like Shiner Bock and Dr. Pepper, and I saw a few Texas stickers here and there. To quote the former Texas Governor Ann Richards "You can put lipstick on a hog and call it Monique, but it is still a pig."

Just how D.C. does NOT know what’s best for our country, they also don’t know what's best for BBQ. They can keep their laws and their BBQ. I’ll be taking the first flight outta here. I spared you the pictures I took so I wouldn't spoil your appetite.


Capital Q will be receiving a 1 out of 5 stars

 

The Smoke House (San Antonio, Tx)

Wait wait! Don't worry! It's not the same Smoke House from Greenville, Al. That place was God Awful and would never last a day in San Antonio. It might last a few weeks in Houston or a few months in Dallas though. That Pitmaster should have been shot.

This particular blog entry is one of the rare blogging occasions where I actually have pictures from my outing.

This is me and Kathleen at The Smoke House.

 

This is me waiting in line. Lets keep the lusting to a minimum.

This is me coming back with the food.

This is me eating a rib with Kathleen.

When I do these "BBQ outings." I always order a few slices of brisket, a rib or two, and a sausage link. I will only get sides if they come with it. Sides are for the girls, the meat is for the men.

Brisket = no smoke ring? I know they smoke it, I watched them pull it out of the brick smoker! It was very "bla"...but not bad.

Ribs = Muy Bueno!

Sausage = Also, muy bueno! It had that snap/pop when you bite down breaking the casing.

All in all I would never go back. It's not because it was bad. The reason I would never go back is because there are too many better places to get BBQ. For instance I'd rather make it better in my backyard.


The Smokehouse will be receiving a  3.5 out of 5 stars.

Slidell BBQ Challange (Slidell, La)

 

Boys and girls, I just came back from my first BBQ competition in Slidell, La. Even though I did my research and took notes, I still made a handful of rookie mistakes. Overall I didn't do too bad for my first competition. While I spaced out and had my chicken in the smoker for too long, my ribs turned out great. I was a little disappointed with getting 5th place in Ribs but i can't complain too much being a rookie. Here is a small list I made that might help out other future rookies.

1.  Unless you live in the same town as the competition, set up a cot and sleeping bag and stay the night on the site. Setting up tents, chairs, smokers, etc at 5am sucked and I will not be doing that again.
2. Make a check list in an Excel Sheet. Even after I made the check list and edited it twice, I still forgot some things. Note: keep it saved and add to it every time.
3. Be prepared to spend some money. After an application fee, buying meat, other groceries, beer, and A LOT of shit at Academy (canopees, chairs, tables, etc...), before you know it you are broke.
4. Don't be dick competitor or a bad sport. It's nice to sample the goods of the other compeitors, swap secrets, etc... You also might learn something from somebody old.
5. Don't forget to garnish your styrofoam box.
6. You can never have too many tables. I brought 2 and could have used a few more.
7. After the day was done I was so red I looked like a white trash hillbilly from West Virginia. Bring some sunscreen.
8. Bring a vegetable or a piece of fruit with you. Even I was tired of BBQ.
9. Don't let the big rigs intimidate you. WSMs and Green Eggs can do just as good of job if not better than a pit with a hitch...I saw the scores...
10. Tell people you are from Texas. You will get the respect and street cred you deserve.

That's it for now. Overall I had a great time and was not expecting the day to be so exhausting. I don't know how the pros do this every weekend.

Yes they did misspell Colt 45s

My 5th place ribs...

Burns BBQ (Houston, Tx)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Burns is the best BBQ in Houston. Period. Having said all that, I was NOT (N-O-T) floored. The Brisket and Sausage was incredible while the ribs were par.

If you are taking a road trip from Houston to Dallas to go boo the Cowboys and decide you are not eating at Sam's Restaurant (in Fairfield, Tx) but instead want BBQ, then I recommend that Burns is your stop. It's located in North Houston - Home of Matress Mack and Rex Gregory.

I have nothing to witty to add. This is not a fancy place. There is no college football memorabilia, no pictures with Texas celebrities like Nolan Ryan, and no Texas flag. Just a 500 square foot house with a handful of tables. All they got is great Brisket and Sausage. I had taken some pictures but alas they were lost...ak-ward...


:/


Burn's BBQ will be receiving a 4 out of 5 stars.

Leatha's (Hattiesburg, Ms)

o·ver·hype
tr.v. o·ver·hyped, o·ver·hyp·ing, o·ver·hypes Slang
To promote or publicize to excess: People grossly overhyped Leatha's BBQ.

I gave this place a second chance due to it's hype. Both times I have been let down. I don't get it, I just don't get it.

The food is fall off the bone greasy and flavorless with a sauce so sweet that the only thing you'll be getting early for Christmas is diabetes. Don't let the pictures of celebrities on the wall fool you.


If you're in Hattiesburg and want BBQ...make it to Tango's at The Shell Station...

I don't care who likes Leatha's BBQ, that place is no good. I'll stand by that till the day I die.

Leatha's BBQ will be receiving a 1.5 out of 5 stars.