A pair of updates

Two updates to previous reviews:

1) Handy Market doesn't make beef ribs every week. They're not very big sellers, apparently, so you just have to cross your fingers. I retried the pork ribs and this time they gave me a much better rack (last time I asked for a small one, which condemned me to a not-so-meaty dry rack) that was juicy and tasty. Hopefully someday I'll be able to try their beef ribs. They looked great when I saw them there.

2) I got a chance to try the burnt-end sandwich from Kansas City BBQ - 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.

That is all!

Barn Burner BBQ - Pasadena

I drove by the rather lovely and posh looking Barn Burner BBQ barn-like structure one day while running errands. It advertised "Texas Barbecue," which is my favorite regional style. My girlfriend Hannah is a native Texan, no stranger to such legendary locales as The Salt Lick and Ironworks. Even though she's vegan, she knows good Texan barbecue when it's in front of her.

So Hannah and I drove over late one Sunday to Barn Burner's. They looked fairly new, like they had recently expanded. As soon as we walked in Hannah smiled - the place was authentically Texan. A lot of places that try to be authentic really aren't - they're just full of crap on the walls. But this place was great. It was clearly professionally decorated and done, a little corporate, but they had done their homework. A spacious interior with long wooden tables arranged in neat rows, the building also boasted a gigantic Texas flag on the wall. There was also a really nice outdoor area, including a few squawk boxes attached to poles by the parking spaces for placing orders from your car.

We knew this place was for real when Hannah spotted all the discarded peanut shells on the floor. "This is awesome," she said. When we sat down we immediately got our own little bowl of salted peanuts to shell and eat, which is de rigeur for a real Texas barbecue. Interesting - none of the other Texas places I had been, even the truly authentic ones, had bothered with the peanuts, but it truly is a great little detail.

Being Vegan, Hannah was content to munch on fried zucchini and my fries that would come with my combo order. I have to admit I was a little taken aback by the prices here - they weren't that good. My two item combo was well over 15 dollars (this review is late, so I don't remember the exact price), but it wasn't cheap. You can get three items for less in any other place.

Okay so expensive, but maybe the portions were decently sized. Nope. There were three slices of brisket and a few beef rib bones, placed next to a withered little roll.

Now the food itself was actually pretty good. The ribs were fantastic, and the brisket was passable, but the price/quantity ratio was so bad I spent the whole time feeling cheated. Hannah and I both enjoyed the fried zucchini, which brought back good memories for her of her hometown. She also noticed that they served Shiner Bock beer on tap, which is apparently only available in Texas. Hannah's San Luis Obispo-living uncle complains that he can't get it. But this place has it.

The brisket was moist and flavorful, although I wondered if it had been truly "applewood smoked" like the website claims. I didn't see much of a smoke ring on the meat. The beef ribs were much better, but that might just be because of the fact that beef ribs are inherently awesome. The sauce was more Kansas City than Texas, but I imagine that's a necessary compromise, as true Texas sauces are more like glorified ketchup than anything else. I also appreciated that the meat wasn't disguised by some sort of marinade or overly powerful rub - you could really get the flavor of the beef on its own.

Even though the food wasn't worth the price it was still pretty tasty, and Hannah really enjoyed the throwback to her Texas heritage. But if you want Texas barbecue that's a much better value, try one of the many Texas places in LA like Hogly Wogly's, Swinging Door, or Barbecue King. They may not have the peanuts and decor down, but they're a much better deal on the food.

PROS - Great Texas atmosphere, clean, peanuts served to munch on, decent food and good service.

CONS - Ridiculously overpriced, small portions, no clear smoke flavor

CONCLUSION - There are better places to go if your interest is pure food quality, but if you want Texas atmosphere, this is the place to be - Otherwise, save your money.

Barn Burner is located at 1000 S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena. They have a great website at http://www.barnburnerbbq.com with all pertinent information, including catering options.

Handy Market - Burbank

The Handy Market is right by my house. I was walking down Magnolia just minding my own business when I saw a huge cloud of smoke emanating from the market parking lot. At first I thought "Fire! Sweet!" but then I realized it was even better - barbecue!

Handy Market is an independently owned and operated grocery store on the corner of Magnolia and Buena Vista right in the heart of the Burbank flats. But every Saturday from noon to six PM, they bust out their massive smoker and grill setup and start cooking all sorts of great barbecue for anyone who passes by.

I had stumbled upon a local gem - at least a dozen normal people in line, waiting to pick out what they wanted, all talking about how great this place was. It was apparently a well-kept local secret.

I promptly got in line with my partner in crime for this adventure, Drew, who remarked that the look and smell of the pit was amazing. I agreed. The way it worked was simple - you lined up by the smoker, you picked out what you wanted, they would wrap it in tin foil for you and you'd take it inside and pay for it at the register by the pound. For a specific Tri-Tip Sandwich, you'd go directly inside and get it there without stopping by the smoker. But where's the fun in that?

The smoker behind the three or so pit workers was massive - one of these competition-style hitched-to-a-truck smokers. In front of the pit workers was the real magic - about 20 feet of mesquite grilling. Chickens, tri tips, and baby back ribs. They also have beef ribs, but they run out early. I'm definitely going to come back for those, as beef ribs are probably my favorite barbecue cut.

So Drew and I went all out - we ordered an entire tri-tip, half a chicken, and a rack of baby backs - total cost, 25 dollars. 25 dollars??? That's ridiculously cheap for this amount of food. If you're interested in feeding a large party on a Saturday afternoon, you couldn't do much worse than this.

We took our haul and went home and had a look. There were plusses and minuses. The biggest minus was the chicken. It was just kind of tasteless, almost like no one decided to put any salt or anything on it. After a few bites I was done with it. The thing with chicken is you need to serve it immediately after grilling it, otherwise it dries out, and that's exactly what had happened here.

The ribs were better - also dry from sitting out for a while, but tasty and tender. If we had asked for a bigger rack we probably would have gotten more out of them. We also ordered without sauce, and that might have been a mistake. Putting sauce on these ribs would be smart.

After two ho-hum experiences, we were banking all our hopes on the tri tip. And we weren't disappointed. This was some of the single best tri tip I've ever had. The marinade was really flavorful and authentic to the Santa Maria style of cooking tri tip, and and meat was cooked through without being overdone or too pink. It was pretty damn near perfect. If the beef ribs are this good, we'll be set. They also serve turkey legs, which are probably super tasty.

Even though the ribs and chicken weren't up to par, the tri tip was so good, and the atmosphere was so fun that I will definitely be coming back for more. I love that this little secret is right in my neighborhood, and there's nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon than attend a neighborhood cookout.

PROS: Amazing tri tip, local street cred, super value

CONS: Forgettable ribs, bad chicken, and it's only on Saturdays

CONCLUSION: Skip the chicken and ribs (unless you really want them) and go straight for the beef. You can't beat the price, you can't beat the taste.

Handy Market is located at 2514 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505. It's on the corner of Magnolia and Buena Vista. You can't miss the billowing smoke. Just pull into the parking lot (or the nearby street parking), walk up, and enjoy!

UPDATE: I went back to eat some tri tip and hope to score some beef ribs, but apparently the Market doesn't make beef ribs every week. They're not very big sellers, apparently, so you just have to cross your fingers. I retried the pork ribs and this time they gave me a much better rack (last time I asked for a small one, which condemned me to a not-so-meaty dry rack) that was juicy and tasty. Hopefully someday I'll be able to try their beef ribs. They looked great when I saw them there.

Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas Barbecue - Van Nuys

If you live in LA and like barbecue, sooner or later you'll go to Dr. Hogly Wogly's. This old time barbecue stop has been around since the 60's, serving authentic Texas barbecue to the Valley. It may be a bit of a drive for some Angelenos, but it's worth the wait - Dr. Hogly Wogly has some nice treats in store.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the restaurant was the dark wooden "old timey restaurant" feel. My waitress Carole was awesome. She knew exactly what to recommend for someone who wanted a good sampler. I ordered a 3-item sampler - Beef ribs (!!!), Spareribs, and Brisket. I was this close to trying the chicken, and when I return I'll definitely give it a try. The platter was 20-odd dollars, which is a lot, but this sampler easily feeds 2 or 3 hungry people.

Seriously. This thing was unbelieveable. The plate was MASSIVE. Thick slices of brisket, 3 absolutely gargantuan beef rib bones, and several great-looking spareribs. On the side I had a small cup of baked beans and another cup of macaroni salad. I didn't care for the mac because it was cold, which is my personal preference, but combined with the hot and spicy barbecue sauce (served on the side) it packed a lot of flavor. The fresh bread was also super good.

This photo doesn't do it justice. This plate was huge and juicy and awesome. It was dripping in the sweet and tangy marinade they use when they slow smoke the meat. Personally I prefer dry rubs to marinades, but as marinades go this is one of the best I've had. All the meat was moist and tasty, but the real star of the show was the beef ribs. It's rare for BBQ joints to showcase full on beef back ribs. They're big and unweildy and people don't know how to make them. But beef ribs are fantastic - I love it anytime I get to order them, and these beef ribs in particular were great and tasty.

The brisket was also tasty, although the marinade was a touch overpowering. But you could see the nice pink smoke ring around the edge and the texture was really juicy and tender. I like how thick the brisket was cut, which shows that they're not cheating on the tenderness, unlike some places that cut their brisket thin specifically because it makes it seem more tender. These thick slices were tender for real.

The spareribs were the only part I wasn't too crazy about. I think in general the marinade overpowered the natural flavor of the pork. It's a tasty tangy marinade, but it really made the ribs seem boiled instead of smoked. I know they weren't, but this is one of those reasons why I don't care too much for marinades. They weren't bad - on the contrary, they were delicious - but they could have been better.

The other star was the homemade baked beans. I don't know really what to say about them other then that they were unlike any baked beans I've ever had, and they're easily the best I've ever had.

Next time I have a chance to go here I'm going to forego the spareribs in favor of the chicken, which I saw on someone else's plate - it looks huge and juicy and well done. But the beef ribs are definitely a reason for me to return here. The brisket is great too. But overall it was too much food for me. A 2-item combo (or even just a 1-item situation) is more than enough for a single diner.

Despite its distance from the rest of LA, Dr. Hogly Wogly's has rightfully earned its place as the frontrunner of barbecue in the Valley. If you like massive portions with fantastic service, definitely take a visit to this staple barbecue joint.

PROS: Gargantuan portions, really friendly service, authentic Texas cuisine, the best baked beans ever

CONS: The marinade at times is overpowering, the spareribs are forgettable, sometimes it's -too- much food

CONCLUSION: Any barbecue lover in LA needs to visit Dr. Hogly Wogly's - authentic Texas barbecue, local LA history, and smiling waitresses await you.

Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ is located at 8136 Sepulveda Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91402. It's on Sepulveda just south of Roscoe (as Sepulveda is curving). You can visit their website at http://www.hoglywogly.com

Big Papi's Barbecue - North Hollywood

Once a german sausage haus, Big Papi's Barbecue's huge repainted sausage caught my eye while running errands in NoHo, so I stopped by for a look.

The first thing that struck my eye was the wide open horizontal barrel smoker sitting right outside the restaurant, filled to the brim with spatchcocked chickens smoking away.

I walked in and met Big Papi's enthusiastic owner, Larry Holmes, who welcomed me with a handshake and beamed with pride over his barbecue and his young son, who is the "Big Papi" of the place. The menu promised "Louisiana-style barbecue" and featured a variety of meats, from rib tips to chopped beef and homemade Louisiana gumbo. A sampler platter cost me 13 dollars and included two sides. I picked baked beans and corn on the cob.

The sampler was the most generous sampler I've ever tried at a barbecue place. Two good rib bones, two pieces of chicken, a serving of chopped beef, a hot link, and two sides. Immediately I noticed the lack of any sort of barbecue sauce. It came on the side in both mild and spicy versions. I dipped my finger in each and found them both to be pretty bleh. The mild one was just uninteresting, the spicy one was useful only for adding heat, and they were both too watery for my taste.

That was okay though, because even without the sauce, Big Papi's Barbecue is worth the visit. The ribs were perfectly cooked, juicy and moist while thoroughly prepared. The best part of all the meats was the mild cajun spices put on the rub - aromatic without overpowering the flavor of the meat. The one thing that was missing was smoke - no smoke rings, no tender fall-off-the-bone consistency. This was grilled food, and damned good grilled food at that.

The hot link, usually an also-ran at most barbecue shops, was really tasty and succulent. It packed heat without being too spicy. And the chicken, also a bridesmaid at most places, packed the most flavor of all - it was a great blend of aromatic cajun spices and grilled flavor.

The baked beans were tasty, although I suspect they came out of a can. And the most disappointing part of my meal was the corn on the cob, which was flavorless and inedible. With no bread served either, that left no sides for me to really enjoy.

Overall this was a good sampler. The meat was incredibly generous for the price (the other items on the menu also feature these low prices), and the flavor was a good indicator of what this particular place specializes in. I'd definitely come back for any of the meats on the sampler, but especially the chicken and the hot link.

It should be noted that Big Papi's currently has a B rating, which I imagine is due to the open air smoker outdoors filled with raw chicken. But that shouldn't stop you if you're looking for great flavorful meat at a bargain price.

PROS - Really friendly owner, low prices, generous portions, great aromatic rub, authentic atmosphere

CONS - No smoke, bad sauce, and forgettable sides

CONCLUSION - If barbecue means long slow smokes and a red sauce over your meat, then this place isn't for you. If you want straight-up grilled food with a flavorful rub at a low price, Big Papi's is definitely worth a stop.

Big Papi's is located at 10626 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, 91602. It's right on the southwest corner of Burbank and Cahuenga. Cash only.

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.