Bad to the Bone (Slidell, La)

I hope this place goes out of business soon. However, this is Louisiana where mediocrity prevails.














This picture doesn't make the BBQ look half bad...Caution: Do Not Be Deceived.




Macaroni and cheese was dry like burnt toast (and not cheesy)

Brisket was dry and burnt...I thought they were serving me the hickory wood!

Ribs were alright...thanks to the sauce.

Beans were beans.

This place is called Bad to the Bone. "Bad" as in Vanilla Ice Bad (Beachwood Ave. style), not Michael Jackson "Bad".


Bad to the Bone will be receiving a score of 1 out of 5 stars.

12 Mile Limit - Shortall's BBQ (New Orleans, La)

This place is a bit confusing. No, it's not a haunted house. It's not a BBQ establishment. What it is is a really awesome bar located in Mid-City. They have really great cocktails, beer, cupcakes, and some BBQ...!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Once upon a night I decided to fight through my daily dose of crackheads to get over to Mid-MID-City and try some BBQ over there. I was told that the Pitmaster hails from Texas and smokes on a webber grill...I've never seen or heard of that, so I reserved the right to make a judgment on that information. It was nice to see fellow Texans pop into the joint such as Rex Gregory and Mike Girardo. But native Texan's within proximity of BBQ will not help out a score on this blog. Shortall's is the last name of the Pitmaster. That is how BBQ (or any product) should be. Putting your name on your product. A lot of people put out shitty products knowingly and hide behind the product under another name cowardly. Who want's to put their name on something shitty? Taking pride in one's work is a lost art in America. So I respect that. When I open my BBQ business it will bore the Westfall Logo. Shortall is a man without an ounce of Bullshit in his body...a True Texan.


Sides
Mac and Cheese - Honestly, I've made kraft in a microwave that tasted better.
Cole Slaw - Perfection (and I'm not a fan of coleslaw)
Potato Salad - Pretty Good (but not house, so you can't hold that against him)


and now the Brisket...
The brisket was a little dry with a microwaved texture and fell apart in little tiny pieces. But, the bartender told me he microwaved it.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches.
Look, Cattle is King. Pork is for the children in Carolina. But I've made exceptions to that rule. Some "people" (The "Yankee" Southerners in The Carolinas) put coleslaw on their pulled pork sandwiches. I've had that a few times and was unimpressed. Call me a Muggle but I've always thought that was pretty stupid. But, I decided to push my pride to the side and eat the pork sandwich with the coleslaw on it anyway. Low and behold, it was one of the better pulled pork sandwiches I've had in my day.

Look yall, I've had god awful BBQ in New Orleans and this doesn't deserve to be ranked among them. However, I don't think this ranks among the top tier in Central Texas. New Orleans is lucky to have a place like this.

12 Mile Limit/Shortall's BBQ will be receiving a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

RUB BBQ (New York, NY)

I know what you're saying "Why the hell would you eat BBQ in NY?" I asked my self that same question. While I was waiting for my food at RUB BBQ, I thought I was committing THE cardinal sin...Eating BBQ in NY. Everything about the place was typical NY fashion. No State flags, no arouma of hickory wood, and no southern style cokes like Big Red, RC Cola, etc... That's fine...I guess...not really...but whatever.

As I look at their menu I found a "FAQ" printed on the back: It was a little BBQ 101 education moment for New Yorkers. It was casually hilarious...


Why is my food pink?

Why isn't my food hot?

Why don't you make more if you see you're running out?

How come ______ is sold out?

Ok ok, that was cute and all. It's a way to help all the Woody Allens that might rome in there who might be scared to eat any BBQ that wasn't cooked on a gas grill.

On another note, I can't get a good idea of who is running the show and manning the Pit. Their website says that Rub BBQ was started by a guy named Andrew Fischel who is an ex student of Chef Paul Kirk (award winning Pitmaster) and now partner. Check it out I'll pull a quote from their website:

The original RUB BBQ opened in New York in 2005 by Andrew Fischel, an ex-student and now partner of Executive Chef Paul Kirk.

I don't understand, partners in RUB, or do they mean "rubbing" partners?

Anyway, after their long-winded bio of Chef Paul Kirk, it then reads "Pitmaster - Scott Smith". So now I'm all kinds of confused. Who the hell is Scott Smith and what do these other 2 guys have to do with anything?

All that being said, whomever was working in the back mildly knew a thing or two.

Of coarse they ran out of Brisket when I arrived so I was forced to settle for the Ribs...which were more than half-way decent. How bout' that? I'm amazed that I've eaten better BBQ prepared by a bunch Yankees in NY than I have had prepared for me by New Orleanians.

While I would never go back, I also wouldn't turn my nose in disgust next time I walked by the joint. I'd probably say..."Look, how cute. BBQ in NY that's super average". I would also never go back there because there are a few new places in New York that came highly recommended...like Hill Country...already sounds good!


RUB BBQ will be receiving a 3 out of 5 stars.