Kansas City BBQ - Universal City

When I had to pick up some stuff from my friend Zach and he told me I could find his work by going "across the street from Kansas City BBQ," I knew I had to try it out. So after finishing my business with Zach, I hopped across the street and into the restaurant.

There wasn't much going on in the restaurant, which was sparsely decorated and clean. There was no TV in the corner blaring ESPN, and that made the experience kind of pleasant. Also in the corner was a HeatDish, which I have in my own home to keep me warm.

The menu is tiny and sparse, featuring the basics - ribs, brisket, pork, chicken, and a variety of sandwiches. Zach assured me the "burnt end" sandwich was top notch, but I was gunning for some Kansas City authenticity, and that meant ribs.

The guy at the register was really knowledgeable and friendly. Bottles of Gates BBQ Sauce (which isn't a bad sauce at all) stood next to the counter for sale. I asked if they used Gates, and he replied that they use their own sauce comparable to Gates. I'm not sure if I believed him. I ordered a combo platter of ribs, brisket, and sliced pork with fries and baked beans. I wasn't going to order the beans but he assured me that they were top notch. My order came to like 15 dollars for the 3 items and 2 sides, which is reasonable for that amount, but that's was a lot of food. I wish they would offer a 1-item or 2-item combo at lower prices.

My food came almost instantaneously, and immediately I noticed that I had been shortchanged on the ribs - 3 teeny tiny bones! Meanwhile I had generous portions of brisket and pork, so I figured I had just gotten unlucky with the pick of the bones. Everything was covered (but not drowned) in a thick red barbecue sauce which tastedly suspiciously like Gates (or at least based on Gates). Gates is a fine sauce, so I don't mind that at all.

Onto the food. The best thing on the plate was the pork. It wasn't pulled pork, but it was well-cooked and sliced thinly. The pork was smoked to a beautiful white hue with a thick pink smoke ring around the edge, the hallmark of a good smoke. It was sweet and tender and went really well with the sauce. The only thing it didn't have much of was a crust, due to the super-thin slicing. It would have been nice to have a bit of that crusty bite, but even so the pork was exquisite. I would definitely recommend a pork sandwich here.

The brisket also had a great smoke ring around the edge and was completely tender and juicy. I thought overall it could have used more salt, but other than that it was tasty, albeit a little forgettable. In general I don't really go nuts over brisket so this might have been me.

The ribs were the most curious part of the meal. They were crusted with a dry spicy crust, almost like a Memphis dry rub. Fortunately the rub was super tasty. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and tasted smoky and succulent. Normally when something is that tender I'm skeptical of whether it's truly been smoked through or boiled first, and that's certainly a possibility here. Don't get me wrong, it's a damn tasty rib, but there's still quite a few questions I have before I give it my full endorsement. I shall have to return.

The sides were great - crispy golden steak fries with Gates on the side, and baked beans which were smoked with meat drippings and pieces inside. The much-vaunted beans were great and homemade, but could have used more salt.

I make it sound like this place isn't that good, and that's unfair. It's excellent and worth your time and money. I found it odd that there was no real Kansas City in the food besides the name of the place, but that's to be expected. There are better places in LA (like Swinging Door), but if you're in the neighborhood or you want to try a new place I'd definitely check out Kansas City BBQ.

PROS - great pork, supposedly great burnt-end sandwich

CONS - a little expensive, limited menu options, not really "Kansas City"

CONCLUSION - Kansas City BBQ is a great little lunchtime establishment, especially if you live or work near the area. I definitely will come back for more pork and to give the ribs another shot. A good solid barbecue joint worth multiple visits.

Kansas City BBQ is located at 4141 Lankershim Blvd. Studio City, 91602. It's right where Cahuenga splits off from Lankershim, just north of the split on the west side.

NOTE: This is the first post and review in this blog. I plan to come back with pictures of the restaurant and the food, which I will make sure to include from now on. Welcome and I hope you enjoy the reviews and info on the site!

UPDATE: I went back during a lunch hour to try the burnt-end sandwich. This is a sandwich made up of all the charred burnt "brownies" from their smoked pork and beef, covered in a sauce and served on a bun. I liked it a lot. It was really flavorful, like a good sloppy joe. Maybe there was a bit too much sauce, but I bet you can just ask for it without. I heartily recommend it for someone who wants just a sandwich/lunch item and doesn't want to engage in a heavier barbecue with bones and stuff.