BBQ Boys - Eagan, MN

 

A new BBQ place opened up fairly near my house, so of course I had to check it out. It’s not your normal ribs and brisket kind of place, though. It’s much more unique and I went in not only with an open mind, but genuine curiosity and anticipation that this was going to rule. Hard. It’s referred to as “globally-inspired BBQ” – meaning they take all their knowledge of smoking and grilling meats and then combine it with other cuisines from around the world. I overheard a conversation at the counter and someone said they plan to change their menu periodically, which is both good and bad. Good for trying new things, but bad for going back and getting something you really liked over and over again. Hahaha. It’s a small price to pay.

This current menu is curry-centric. Lots of very interesting combinations that include spices and seasonings from India and Southeast Asia. What’s awesome is that if you can’t decide or you don’t know what a certain word/ingredient is, you can ask and the counter folks will explain it to you in simple terms. They were really great. 

 

D and I ordered a paneer pizza, some smoked wings (half with coconut-tamarind glaze and half Tandoori dry rub), and a crispy seared pork belly bowl. There were a couple of sides that we had our eyes on, but we knew this order was already going to be way too much food, so we hit the pause button. 

The paneer pizza is extremely unique. Paneer is a soft fresh cheese (meaning not aged), that melts pretty well, and it’s really mild. The pizza has a shahi sauce on it, which I believe is a tomato-based sauce, additional melty cheese, and also finished with a kachumbar sauce (diced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers – think of it like an Indian pico de gallo). It’s also got some hints of cardamom throughout, which is a unique flavor for most of the pizzas I’ve eaten in my life. The pizza is personal-sized and has a good crust on it. It doesn’t quite get crisp all the way to the middle, since it’s got so many watery vegetables on it, but it’s still got really awesome flavor. No regrets on this one – it was great.

 

The smoked wings were really great, too. The coconut tamarind glaze was very mild, but the flavor was great – I just wanted more of it. Great pieces of meat and cooked perfectly. The tandoori rubbed wings were also fantastic, even better than the coconut tamarind ones. We ended up dipping these tandoori wings into the togarashi-soy sauce that came with my pork belly bowl. And, it was awesome! Speaking of pork belly…

 

The cirispy seared smoked pork belly bowl was probably my favorite thing. But I’m biased and love me some smoked pork belly. To be fair, the pork belly wasn’t as crispy and seared as I would have liked, but the flavor, both the smoke and the meat, was perfect. Just the right amount of fat and not gristle. So great. It was a really generous portion, as well. It was on a bed of basmati rice and some red cabbage, and served with a chili-infused pear chutney that tasted like a delicious Indian version of apple pie filling. It came with a togarashi soy sauce (sort of a better teriyaki sauce if you had to refer to something more common), and we ended up using that sauce for just about everything. Just an awesome overall dish.

 

While we were eating one of our fellow diners came up to the counter and said he had to order two orders of the smoked curry creamed corn and also a slice of cheesecake, which comes with either mango chutney or something else – all I heard was mango. He said he had never had anything like that creamed corn and just had to have more of it. When D and I finished our dinner, I went up and ordered that smoked curry creamed corn and that cheesecake. I also go the crispy three-chili potatoes. They were just calling to me. We got those to go, and then went home and ate them. Hahaha.

 

The guy was right – that smoked curry creamed corn was delicious. I could eat it with a fork, or a spoon, or as a dip for some chips. Just awesome and I’m glad I caved. Sadly, I ate them b before I took a pic.

The potatoes were like a smashed potato fried crispy and with some awesome sauce on top that had a little zing to it – still not spicy, but just great. 

And the cheesecake was also great – really, the cheesecake was good, but the chutney was great. Seriously, these guys know their way around a chutney. Also, no pic of that, either.

                                                

Also, so people know, the curries used in these dishes were top-notch. They aren’t spicy (I know Minnesotans get a little nervous around unusual flavors), so just get in there and try it out. I know they’re going to change their menu focus soon, so try to get there to check these dishes out and I’ll anxiously be awaiting the newest menu announcement. So worth the trip!

Top 5 things about BBQ Boys

1.     Crispy seared smoked pork belly bowl
2.     Paneer pizza
3.     Smoked curry creamed corn
4.     Smoked wings – tandoori rub
5.     Smoked wings – coconut-tamarind glaze

http://www.bbqboysmn.com

Swimply App - Twin Cities (but also, nation-wide)

 

Sometimes, you need to get away, even if you can’t plan a full-fledged vacation. And when my spouse and I get away, we generally need a pool Sometimes, it’s the inflatable kiddie pool in the backyard, and sometimes, it’s a little more… advanced.

 

If you’re not familiar with the Swimply app, then you need to GET familiar with it. The short explanation is that you can rent people’s swimming pools by the hour. Think of it like the Lyft app, but for pools. People have a pool they aren’t using, and they post it on Swimply and you can see if the dates and times line up with your calendar. It’s BRILLIANT. And they’re all over the place. 

 

I’ll show you a couple of places that we’ve rented, just so you know you aren’t being taken for a ride. We generally rent a pool for two or three hours and that’s plenty. The cost varies wildly (from like $30-100 per hour), but it depends on how fancy the pool is and what sort of amenities they have. If they have a hot tub and pool toys and a grill, it’s going to cost more than if it’s a more bare-bones operation. 

You can invite friends, but make sure you look to see how many people are included in your original cost. Sometimes, places charge a little extra if you’re over 5 people. But some places you can have up to 60 guests. Just do a quick check before you book it. We invited our friends last time and have now gotten them hooked on Swimply. 

 

One thing to keep in mind is most places don’t have an outdoor cabana or restroom, so you should probably expect to use a stranger’s restroom in their house. Sometimes, it’s sectioned off and it’s near the pool area, and sometimes, you’re walking through the living room and down the hall and petting their dog while they’re having dinner (I’m not kidding). We’ve had situations where we never saw the home/pool owners and other times the owners have come out and given us instructions or rules or told us where the restroom is or just checked on us to see if we were having fun.

The nice thing is there are usually plenty of directions so you know what to expect when you get there. They often tell you where to park and walk around which side of the house to the pool area. 

 

A couple of tips for those ready to dive in… see what I did there????

• If you’re going to bring drinks, don’t bring anything glass, just for safety. (Check that alcohol isn’t restricted, also)
• Please be discrete when you get there. The neighbors may not know the pool owner is renting their space and you don’t want to get them into trouble. Don’t sit out in front and honk or invite all your loud friends to park in their front yard. Pretend you’re visiting a friend and using their pool.
• If you’re going to be there for an afternoon or evening, bring some food to cook on the grill. Seems like every pool we’ve rented has had a grill. If you’re just going to be there for two or three hours, skip it, so you aren’t wasting time cooking when you should be recreating.
• Follow the rules and be courteous to the folks letting you borrow their pool.
• Don't pee in anyone's pool.
• Clean up after yourselves and put things back where you found them. This isn't a hotel.

We love this Swimply app and plan to use it when we go out of town or visit my relatives. We’ve been able to book pools the same day, if they’re available, so if you have a swimming emergency, try renting a pool. It’s waaaaay cheaper than buying one, my friends. 

 

I hope this helps you enjoy your summer!!!