If asked to nominate a genre of food to typify "American Ethnic," I'd quickly raise two greasy hands for barbecue. There's nothing more comforting and authentic than meat cooked low and slow over smoky hardwood.
My travels have taken me to barbecue hotbeds like North Carolina and Texas. And during the last three years, I've spent more time with my Weber smoker than I have with many members of my family. (Disclaimer: much of my family is 400 miles away in Ohio; the smoker is 40 feet away in my garage.) So I know what to look and taste for in barbecue: tender and moist meat, a pink smoke ring near the meat's exterior and "bark" that concentrates the flavor of the rub.
I've visited three BBQ establishments near my Allentown home. Here are my rankings in order of preference:
1. Grumpy's Barbecue Roadhouse. Top of the heap. I went with my wife last weekend. The pork ribs were phenomenal -- fall-off-the-bone delicious. The pulled pork was moist and imbued with smoky goodness. Shredded beef brisket was at once hearty and toothsome. And the meaty smoked chicken leg was fork-tender; I hardly needed a knife. Grumpy's coleslaw -- a traditional BBQ side -- had only a light creamy sauce covering the cabbage and veggies, as opposed to other joints that drown the chopped salad. Atmosphere was a B+: the dining room almost seemed a little too nice with striped wall paper. And I'm a fan of paper towel rolls at the table, which were missing. Grumpy's has a pile of napkins. Overall, top-quality BBQ -- even if this were 500 miles south.
2. CC's Wooden Grill in Kutztown. I noticed this place when heading toward La Cocina, an excellent Mexican restaurant on West Main Street. I stopped for lunch, so a full platter wasn't an option. I opted for a pulled pork sandwich ($5.25) with "nasty" sauce, a vinegary concoction. The meat was tender and gently smoked, yet only slightly above average. I selected a side of roasted sweet potatoes ($3.75) that, despite being a bit oily, were refreshingly different. A half rack of ribs is $14.75; there's no brisket. Homey decor and friendly service made this a worthwhile stop between Reading and Allentown. (Note: cash only and BYOB.)
3. Conway's BBQ. In a word: ugh. I had a pulled pork sandwich last year that tasted like it was cooked in a crockpot then kept in a steamer. Virtually devoid of smoky flavor, it was watery and plain. The strip-mall location on Tilghman Street (Kuhnsville) had almost no personality. I see Conway's plans to open locations in the Carolina's, Georgia and Florida. Given the discriminating BBQ lovers down south, I don't like Conway's prospects.
I have yet to sample Dickey's (new chain outlet on Schoenersville Road) or Crazy Jake's north of Easton. I've heard decent things about both.
Go get your pork on!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Subscribe
Posts
Comments
9 comments:
Sorry to go off topic, but have you ever found a really good fish taco in the area? I loooooove fish tacos but no one seems to make them as good as I've had on the West coast. Not TGI Fridays, not Tulum and not even the Apollo Grill.
The only one I've found was at La Tortilla (see August 2008 post), and it was OK. Not as good as the ones I had in San Diego in June or one I had in August at the Walnut Brewery in Boulder, Colorado.
Anyone else know of a good fish taco in the Lehigh Valley?
Your best bet might be making them at home!
Grumpy's is great, no doubt.
There's another place you need to try:
Fat Daddy's
1602 Sullivan Trl
Easton, PA 18040
(610) 253-8047
Don't expect "ambiance" - - there's none, but the BBQ is the best in the Valley, and they're the ONLY PLACE to offer a smoked beef rib. You haven't lived 'till you've had one of those!
Man, I love smoked beef ribs. I make them often at home in my smoker. I'll have to head out to Easton. You don't go to BBQ for ambiance. As long as it's not cold and sterile.
I used to live in Gainesville FL. The best BBQ spot at the time was "Pres & Ed's". It was in the single most dangerous part of town, a dump and a half and the BBQ, cooked by a Jamaican woman who tended the pit, which was made from unmortared bricks, was ethereal. Manna from heaven. They had a sauce called "Super Sabre" that had so much Habanero in it that it could eat through the fender on a '53 Nash in about a minute. Delightful.
But their ribs, pork, and cabrito still stands as the best I have had anywhere. And I have been pretty much everywhere. Dreamland Tuscaloosa's ribs are a close second.
Nice to see some serious BBQ in these parts. Finally.
I think I need to make a trip to Gainesville. I always worry about BBQ places that look too polished and neat. (Clean and hygienic is a different matter!) BBQ should be about the food and a wholesome, earthy experience. Give me a whitewashed cinder block building and folding tables/chairs any day -- as long as I can eat succulent, slow-cooked meats.
Check out Crazy Jakes at Freemanburg and 25th Street in Easton for some of the best ribs ever.
Some of us only care about Conway's because they sell the "Nacho Porker" at Lehigh Valley IronPigs games.
Crazy Jack's is great. Their BBQ sauce is outstanding, best baked beans I've had outside of the ones from a BBQ joint in a gas station in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Post a Comment