OMC Smokehouse – Duluth, MN

I’ve heard some friends talk about OMC Smokehouse before, but no one really recommended it to me. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s not in the TC metro or some other reason, but everyone I’ve talked to about OMC has been like, “YEAH, it’s fantastic. I can’t believe you haven’t eaten there yet!”. Apparently, I’ve been missing some sort of memo, because this place is stellar. 

It surprised me how nice this place is. I’ve been to some upscale BBQ places, but maybe it just wasn’t what I expected in Duluth. But it’s nice. Yes, you can still wear shorts and a metal t-shirt (like I was), but it’s good a dark and classy vibe, and I love it. 

The menu is really advanced and the cocktails are next-level. We ended up ordering the Smoked OMC Plate (sort of a sampler with ribs, brisket, and chicken), and then some mac and cheese, hush puppies, and OMC Beans.

While you wait for your food to be prepared, they bring out a plateful of Chicharrónes and their four BBQ sauces so you can spend quality time getting to know each sauce. This is a baller move, and one I wish more places would copy. The sauces are:

• Chipotle Cilantro BBQ
• Classic Honey BBQ
• Bent Paddle 14-degree ESB BBQ
• Alabama White BBQ (with some horseradish zing)

All of these are great, so you’ll have to really experiment with which sauce you like on which food item. The best part is, there’s no wrong answer!

The food part of this review is really easy. No duds here.

OMC Beans – killer and I’m a baked bean snob. Lots of meat in these and so much flavor.

Hushpuppies – awesome and super crispy on the outside and soft and corny on the inside, served with Nashville hot honey.

Mac and Cheese – awesome and the silky cheese definitely was homemade.

Chicken – great bark on the skin and the smoke flavor got into the meat, so it was really fantastic. 

Brisket – these folks know their way around a brisket – really good texture and ratio of fat to meat. 

St. Louis-style ribs – these were spot on. Great amount of smoke flavor and the bark on these was perfect. And honestly, great with any of the sauces they provide. 

This was a great meal and I tried to keep it short, so I’m not just raving about every single item on the plate. I’m not sure why it took me so long to eat here, but I guarantee it isn’t going to be a long time before I got back and eat again…

https://omcsmokehouse.com

Big Bore BBQ Company – Hannover, MN

I had a dinner date with my fellow BBQ snob, AlDente. He asked if I knew where Hanover was and I did not. So, he told me to look it up on a map before I agreed to dinner. He knew this great spot for BBQ out in the country, and I was very willing to check it out. 

Big Bore is like 35-45 minutes northwest of the Twin Cities, so you really have to mean to go there. It’s a MASSIVE complex with multiple dining rooms, multiple outdoor spaces, its own parking lot for motorcycles, and multiple car parking lots. I was surprised the place was completely packed on the weeknight we decided to go, but I take that as a good sign.

I knew I was going to spend some dollars here because I wanted to try so many things. The me menu isn’t a standard BBQ menu, in that they have a lot of “other things” that are often made with BBQ meats. Tons of appetizers, salads, burritos/tacos, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and some other meal-type items – and that’s besides what they already have for BBQ meats, which are sold by weight. It was very difficult to narrow it down, so I decided to get multiple things. 

Baked beans, mac and cheese, brisket, and a full slab of ribs. I figured I could bring some home for my wife, as long as I didn’t gorge myself. I also got one of their Big Bore Brew beers they have made for them, since I do enjoy a nice adult beverage while eating copious amounts of meat. 

The food came out a little faster than I would have expected with how busy they were. The place had good energy and everyone inside seemed to be seriously happy with their food and beverages. The Big Bore Brew is shipped in from Spoetzl Brewery in Texas, so there must be some connection there. The Big Bore Brew is perfectly drinkable – no complaints. They also carry other beers from Spoetzl, if you need something else. That being said, the tap list is really solid for a BBQ place in the middle of Minnesota.

Baked Beans were solid – lots of different meats included in these beans, which is always a plus in my book. Not spicy, but honestly had a good rich flavor. 

Mac and Cheese – definitely my favorite side here (and probably in general at a BBQ place). Rich and cheesy and didn’t feel like the noodles fell apart when they are made hours ago and sat in a pan. These tasted like Big Bore made them just for me. No, they’re not baked, if that’s your thing – it isn’t my thing, so I don’t care.

Brisket – I’ve eaten a lot of brisket in my day, and a lot of different preparations. This one was one I hadn’t had before. Great flavor on the rub and nice and real smoke-y. Good line of fat running down each slice, which gives it good flavor. But, somehow, the meat itself cut and chewed like it was a steak. Very unusual to me and not sure if I got a weird piece. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t at all like brisket I’ve had in other places. I brought most of this home to my wife, who doesn’t like when brisket is too fatty, and she was good with this style.

Ribs – absolute show stopper. Amazing rub on these. Perfect amount of bark and bite, as well. The photo doesn't do them justice and they're very moist. I ate more of these than I was supposed to since I was bringing some home. I’m a rib snob and these definitely exceeded expectations.

They’ve got three different sauces and they’re all pretty good – Crow River Sweet, County Road 19 (traditional), and Hanover Heat. Try all three or mix and match. I liked the heat with the sweet, personally.

AlDente had the quote of the night to sum it all up, “This place is about two sauces and three craft beers away from being at the top of the list.”

I would go back here any time. I don’t care about the 45-minute drive. I know I’m going to eat amazing food until I’m too tired to drive, and I’ll do that every time.

http://www.bigborebarbeque.com

Slap’s BBQ – Kansas City, MO

I’ve been a huge fan of BBQ since way back. In fact, my family used to drive to Kansas City and purchases CASES of BBQ sauce from a place that unfortunately went out of business. I know everyone has their favorite BBQ place in each town, and KC has a pretty significant set of choices to select between, but I’ve been on the Slap’s bandwagon for a few years now.

Slap’s (also known as Squeal Like a Pig, when they do competition BBQ) has a weird but totally functional set up. They’ve got a smoker building in front (with a rooftop seating area), a bunch of large smokers on the side of the building, there’s the main restaurant building and bar, then they have a covered/heated patio as a dining room with picnic tables. You’re going to wait in line here, just prep yourself and settle in. On previous trips, I have waited more than 90 minutes, but I convinced my wife we needed to get there before they opened on a Friday. We showed up early and were still number 30 or 40 in line. People will line up for this food, even in the rain. But like most passionate fans, I’ll tell you it’s all worth it.

Once you get in the front door (after your wait in line outside), they have this genius set up where you can order yourself a beer or soda at the side of the bar and they’ll give it to you to drink while you’re standing in the last part of the line inside. They’ve got beer in cans and plenty of taps – genius idea for helping pass the time in line.

Also, they love the Kelce family here, and as a fellow shirtless brother, I had to take a photo of the Garage Beer sign inside.

It helps to know what you’re going to order when you get up to the counter – you don’t want to hold people up by asking weird questions and slowing them down (cough cough…Ben…cough cough). Luckily, you’ve got time to look at your phone online and also, when you get inside the building, there’s a large menu that you walk past on your way to the counter. So you SHOULD be ok. I just wanted you to be ready.

You tell the first person what kind of meat you want. Then you tell the second person what sides you want. Then you tell the cashier what kind of drink you want. Easy and organized. I ordered a pretty common order for me – a couple of ribs, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese. And when they ask you about peppers and pickles, yes, you DO want those. It’s jalapenos and pickles to add to whatever you want. My wife got a pulled pork sandwich, called The Sandwich, and some deep-fried pickles. They DO have large sampler platters, which I ordered last time, and I just stuffed myself until I hurt, so I tried to scale it back this trip so I could walk later.

They give you the food right there at the counter, so once you order, you’re off and running. Pay for your food, stop at the fountain drink station (or bar again), and then head into the dining room. Once you’re in the dining room, you can pick up your plastic utensils and various sauces (hot or mild), and there are plenty of napkins at the table. Doesn’t this food look delicious?!?!

Ribs are always spot on here – dry rub and you can add sauce if you want. Meat has a non-tough bark on it and still has some good chew and doesn’t fall off the bones from steaming, and the flavor is amazing. The baked beans are too “wet” or “saucy” for many people, but I love the consistency and the meat they put in it. The mac and cheese isn’t flour-y and just actually tastes like there’s real cheese in it. It’s so good.

The Sandwich has sooo much meat on it, and the meat it really good. A little bit of sauce is included on it, but you can always add more. It’s got two onion rings on it and then some “creamy Provel cheese”, as well. The fried pickles are super tasty and not greasy, which is exactly what you need. Overall, it’s such a large portion of food, and crazy high quality. It’s just going to satisfy you for at least one meal.

If it isn’t raining, you can sit out front or up on the roof of the building, as well. I didn’t want you to think that everyone had to cram into the covered patio – though somehow it works out and you don’t seem to have to wait on a table ever.

Just go here. I know people are going to argue other places and yes, they ARE good, but Slap’s has always delivered and it’s where I send people when they ask. And they're one of those places that cooks and serves until they run out - keep that in mind, friends.

https://slapsbbqkc.com

Jellybean and Julia’s BBQ – Coon Rapids, MN

This BBQ place has been popping up in conversation a lot recently, mainly because some friends of mine had them cater their wedding – that’s a pretty good sign in my book. We showed up at J&J one night with a large group and they found us a table that fit us. It’s a large dining room with multiple seating options and seating at the bar – there’s also a stage for musical acts, which is cool.

I’ll say – tactfully – that the vibe is weird. It seemed like we were putting them out with our large group (and is 8 really a large group?). Then the servers seem like you’re putting them out, as well. Sort of hard to tell if it’s a schtick or if they are actually bothered. Then the menus themselves are hilarious – just names of sandwiches and other dishes – no description at all. If you want an actual description, you have to click on a QR code that takes you to their website where it explains ingredients, but you can’t order from there. It’s all just weird. I’m not complaining, I’m just warning people what you’re going to get, because I’ve heard this from pretty much everyone of my friends who has been there. And now that I’ve said that, every time there’s been weird or even bad service at a BBQ place, I’ve had reeeeeeally good luck – so I was actually getting very excited about this food.

We ordered some cocktails, which I was pretty happy to see they were tiki drinks. A Mai Tai and a Painkiller. We also got a pulled pork sandwich, fries, and a cornbread fritter; and a 1/3 rack of ribs, with beans and mac and cheese.

The food was right on point – the pulled pork sandwich was juicy and generous with really good flavor. It was sauced, but not in a way that made it sloppy, plus you could add more sauces, if you ordered them. The fries were done well and also seasoned heavily, which rules. So good. The cornbread fritter I never got a bite of, so I’m guessing it was really good. Hahaha

The ribs were actually pretty great. Lots of meat and dry rub, which allows you to try out a couple of sauces (again, you have to order them ahead of time). The beans were really awesome, and honestly some of the best I’ve had in a while – lots of different beans and meat in them. You can even throw in some of the jalapenos they give you to jazz it up a bit. Finally, the mac and cheese was awesome – nothing from a box, without question. Creamy and firm noodles with actual cheese flavor and no grit or flour texture. Well played, Jellybean!

I’m already planning my next trip to Jellybean and Julia’s. Like I suspected, the food quality allows them to be a little gruff, whether or not it’s intended. Just heed the warning so you’re not taken off guard. Look at the website menu ahead of time so you’re prepared. Then, just order your damn food and ENJOY it!

Jellybean and Julia’s BBQ

Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub - Minneapolis, MN

I know this place has been open for years and I've just never found my way to it. I'm very glad I was in the neighborhood and D.Rough and TheArchangel and I figured we'd better check it out.

The restaurant has a really beautiful outside patio space for seating, including some cool foliage blocking it from the street/sidewalk noise. It was too hot to eat outside, but we found a table quickly and scanned the menu. Lots of delicious sounding “BBQ” items like ribs, brisket, pulled meats, wings, and the usual sides you’d expect at a place like this. They’ve also got bowls, salads, soups, sandwiches, and burgers – plenty of things for you to mull over. They also have their own craft brewery on-site with a great selection of things to try, as well. 

I started by ordering a flight of beers, so I could try lots of things. Here are my thoughts on those:

·       Castro’s Vintage – cigar-smoked Imperial Brown Ale aged in red wine barrels: 4 out of 5

·       Bridge Hanger – Dark Belgian Strong Ale: 3.75 out of 5

·       Meanwhile IPA – 3.25 out of 5

·       Doppelbock – Double gold medal award-winning: 4.25 out of 5

Really a good quality of the beers I had and much better than I even expected. I was glad I tried a few different ones. Makes me want to try all the other ones the next time I go in there. Looking forward to it, in fact. 

Making decisions about food is a bit harder since the menu is … robust. I ended up making a decision so I wouldn’t’ have to make decisions. Classic BBQ Platter – ribs, 18-hour porketta, Texas brisket, pulled BBQ chicken, and pickled veggies and white bread. D.Rough got the brisket philly sandwich with a side of fries. TheArchangel got the burnt ends. 

The BBQ Sampler was pretty awesome. I shouldn’t have eaten it all, but I could not stop myself. The pulled chicken was really moist and not overly sauced – plenty of flavor in the meat itself and good smoky flavor that didn’t taste like liquid smoke. The brisket was solid – not the best I’ve ever had, but it was really flavorful and tender. Would definitely order that separately in the future. The ribs were really good, with excellent bark, flavor, and tenderness (without being fall-off-the-bone sloppy). Really enjoyed these. The best part of the whole plate and the meal, in my opinion, was the 18-hour porketta. It absolutely slayed. Tons of fennel flavor and deliciously tender. It was surprising how good it was and I was thinking about it all day after that. Just order the porketta and you can thank me later. 

D.Rough really enjoyed her brisket philly. I had a bite or two and was really happy with it. The brisket stood up to the cheese and didn’t fall apart and the cheese and peppers didn’t take away from the brisket flavor. I didn’t get a picture of this one, but I can totally vouch that this sandwich is worth eating. Really happy with this one. 

I asked TheArchangel about his burnt ends and he seemed really pleased with them. He reported good flavor and not fatty nor gristly, which is pretty much a rave review. They didn’t come pre-sauced, but they came with a dipper of sauce that he said was delicious. I didn’t get a pic of the burnt ends – I’ll do better next time. 

Overall, I’m really pleasantly surprised at how amazing this place was. I wish I had been coming here all along, since I feel like I’ve been missing out on years of delicious BBQ so close to home. I would highly recommend going here for porketta, ribs, brisket, and especially the beer. These folks know what they’re doing. 

http://www.northboundbrewpub.com

The Rib Co. - Twentynine Palms, CA

I had read about this BBQ place when I was planning our trip out to Joshua Tree, and it got really good reviews. It was, of course, a hundred degrees when we stopped by this place and there was a guy working the grills with a smile standing outside in the heat. That’s a good sign. Plus the folks working the dining room inside were also very happy to see us.

 

The menu is more expansive than most BBQ places I’ve seen. Tons to look at, so when I saw there was a rib sampler on the menu, I decided to go with that, even though I knew it was going to be way too much food for me. It comes with a half rack of each of the five types of ribs, some sides, and corn muffins (with honey butter) – I got baked beans and mac and cheese. D ordered a combo meal with a half rack of triple threat ribs and pulled pork. She also got fries and mac and cheese for the sides. Well played.

The orders came out and they were massive. The rib sampler was piled high with meat. I’ll show you two photos, so you can get a good perspective. The overhead shot doesn’t do it justice until you see how high the stack is. I know what I read on the menu, but I still assumed it was going to be two or three of each kind of rib, not a half slab. It was, in fact, a half slab of each kind. In order of my favorite style: Triple Threat, Baby Back, Beef, St. Louis, House Rub. And please understand that fifth place on this list is still way better than most ribs I’ve had. These folks know what they’re doing. No wonder that guy working the smokers and grill was so happy. The baked beans were better than average and the mac and cheese also above average. Nothing here was meh, truly.

 D was happy with her Triple Threat half slab and the pulled pork was really flavorful with no gristle or fatty parts at all. And her fries were pretty solid, as well. Nothing out of a bag here. 

 

Tremendous showing all around here. And the best part was we literally had enough food left over for two additional meals. So three meals-worth of food for one visit – the other option might be to bring 6 of your closest friends to help you out. 

 

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes BBQ and I look forward to heading here again the next time I’m in town. It was way better than expected!

 

The Rib Co

72183 Twentynine Palms Hwy.

Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

Croft Kitchen - Crosby, MN

 D and I were in the neighborhood and looking for a quick snack (not a full dinner), so we decided to pop into this local bar and grill we’d been in a few years back. This place has gotten a recent remodel and looks fantastic inside. New floors, tables, and booths go a long way into brightening this place up and refreshing it. There’s also a really surprisingly improved menu available. Super impressed with the offerings here – including the tap list.

 

Additionally, they do some special menus. I’m very interested in the Cajun menu special nights and an upcoming Italian menu special nights. Looks like this refresh didn’t stop at the front of the house – well done, whoever helped upscale this place!

 

We ordered the Armadillo Eggs and Spicy Cauliflower. And a couple of beers, obviously. The Vikings game was on, which meant they had half price appetizers, so we accidentally timed it really well, showing up when we did. And to kill time, D got to check out some claw machines, which is a hilarious draw, but apparently, it works.

 

The Armadillo Eggs were surprisingly delicious. I thought they were going to be a simple jalapeno popper, but they weren’t. Hear me out: the jalapeno is stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, then wrapped in Italian sausage and bacon, and then smoked and glazed with BBQ sauce. Honestly, this was leaps and bounds better than a jalapeno popper. They’re an appetizer, so everything is small, but don’t let that fool you – it’s about balance. Sure, if it was softball-sized and deep fried like a state fair monstrosity, it would be some sort of food challenge, but this has great ratios where you can taste everything. Loved how well put together these things were. 

The spicy cauliflower is like deep fried buffalo cauliflower, so don’t mistake this for healthy. The fry on this was impressive and there’s plenty of buffalo sauce all around the cauliflower inside. It’s served with a side of avocado ranch, which I could have drunk by the gallon. It’s the perfect dip for these little gems. 

 

I’m really impressed with the apps we got here. It’s clear the menu has been elevated and there’s some care that goes into the food prep (including plating, which D cares about more than I do). I’m glad to recommend this place now to friends that are up in the Cuyuna Lakes area for mountain biking or disc golf or camping. It’s got so much more going for it now, and we’re looking forward to going back and trying out some larger menu items. Great job on the update, Croft Kitchen!

 

Croft Kitchen

7 1^st Avenue NW

Crosby, MN 56441

Bump's Burgers - Iron River, MI

 

D and I hopped in the car and made an impromptu trip to Michigan. Pretty much spontaneous and last-minute. We needed some cabin/non-people time and also we wanted to surprise our friend Chef Greg who opened up a sort of second-shift family restaurant in Iron River, Michigan. Chef Greg is a wizard in the kitchen and we knew his place was going to be top-notch. People think that the Upper Peninsula (UP) or Michigan is super far away, but it's really only about 5 hours to Bump's!

 

Boy, was he surprised when we walked back to the window that looks into the kitchen!!

 

Chef Greg took an interesting approach to opening up his place. There were already good pizza places in town, and already good breakfast places in town, and a handful of other good spots for food and drink during normal hours. He saw that Iron River needed a burger place with a little “extra” and also thought the town needed something open different hours than the rest of the establishments. Bump’s Burgers is right downtown and open Thursday through Saturday from 4pm until midnight. Absolutely NAILED IT with the time slot!

 

I won’t go into ALL the details of the menu at Bump’s Burgers, but it’s really more than just burgers. In fact, there’s only one burger on the menu, but it has a ton of topping options, so you can customize it however you want. But there’s a bunch of other sandwiches that you need to try. We went a little overboard and ordered a cheeseburger, a chopped & cheese beef sandwich, and the BBQ pulled pork sammie. The sides are also super creative and elevated way beyond any food you deserve to eat, but we ordered the firecracker corn, grandma’s casserole, and the corn bread with honey butter. And because we’re insane, we also ordered the oreo pudding dessert supreme and the golden caramel pudding surprise. 

[Note: Bump's doesn't have fries. But the number of people that ask about it is really impressive. The staff at Bump's are masters of recommending the right side for you, though, so don't be alarmed. You're going to get a side that's even better than fries. Promise.]

Cheeseburger - I mean you pretty much HAVE to get this when you're here. It's so juicy and delicious. I knew it would be good, but I didn't know it would be this good. And the bacon always helps, too. 

 

BBQ Pulled Pork Sammie – killer flavor and plenty of meat. The bun is nice and moist and stands up to the sauce. We got it with some pickles and extra sauce, as well. Perfection.

 

The Chopped & Cheese Beef Sandwich – one of the best sandwiches I can remember. I got a little gluttonous on this one and ordered it with a fried egg and some roasted peppers. And some garlic aioli, as well. This thing is loaded with meat and covered in a nice layer of cheese. I was bummed when this one ended. 

 

Grandma’s casserole was like a delicious potato-ey cream of something concoction that sticks to your ribs and not too salty or peppery. Just right. It's like a nod to tater tot hot dish, but sort of a soup/stew.

The firecracker corn is sort of like elotes (Mexican street corn), but has some seasoning in it that makes it taste good, but won’t blow you away with heat.

The cornbread is a super solid showing – and my family is from the south, so we’re crazy picky about it. 

 

The desserts were in the surprisingly-simple-but-perfectly-executed category. Both are pudding based and both are just what the doctor ordered. Sort of a cookie surprise built into a pudding structure with whipped cream. Not crazy sweet, but just what you need to fill in any cracks left in your stomach when you’re done with the mains and sides. 

 
We got leftovers and might have accidentally gotten some Jambalaya to take back to our place if we got hungry in the night. hahaha. No pictures of that, though. But it was equally incredible, if that helps.

I know that we’re a little bit biased, but we love this guy and think he deserves all kinds of gold medals. He helps his community, he helps his friends, he helps his family, and is truly one amazing human. He can cook the pants and shirt off of anyone that’s hungry and makes you feel like family. There aren’t a ton of places I’d drive out of my way to go to for food, but Bump’s Burgers is definitely one of those places. It’s a small town with a ton of heart. And now they’ve got some delicious homemade sandwiches to warm that heart. 

 

Cheers, brother! You continue to make magic wherever you go. We’ll be back!

 

www.bumpsburgers.com

Bump’s Burgers

119 Genesee St.

Iron River, Michigan. 49935

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