Kevin's BBQ Joints

From the ‘wish I thought of that files’, check out what these guys in Petersburg, Virginia are doing with a used shipping container? They made a BBQ Joint out of it. Meet Saucy’s Barbecue in Petersburg, Virginia.

Fred Wiggins /Staff Photo Saucy’s BBQ

Fred Wiggins from the The Progress-Index does a great BBQ Joint write up entitled ‘Restaurant In-A-Box’
From the article container/joint owner Tom McCormack says, “We bought the shipping container, because that was the idea, to get something that would fit into the neighborhood here.” Makes perfect sense and I’m sure that others are going to jump on the bandwagon as space is definitely a premium across the US.

Additionally Fred writes, “McCormack said his barbecue pitmaster Erich Wolfgang is the developer of several different sauces. On opening day, Wolfgang had created a mustard-jalapeno sauce, traditional tomato and vinegar-based sauce, and a special coffee-based sauce.” They are already attracting a crowd in their first days of operation and at the moment you’ll be finding the menu to be focused on brisket and pulled pork.

You can check them out at the corner of 5th and Bollingbrook here:

View Larger Map
804-504-3075

See the entire article here
Check them out on Facebook here

Let me know if you get a chance to stop by as I’m dying to hear more and see more photos.

Even if you don’t live in New York, you have to check out Grub Street as often as possible if you’re a food lover.

Found this video Josh Ozersky from Grub Street created featuring Fette Sau. It’s nice because not only does he cover the great BBQ they’re serving, but he gives you a chance to see the overall ambience.

Makes me want to get to Brooklyn.

The Philadelphia City Paper is reporting that the Fischer brothers are at it again opening the fourth installment of their popular Baby Blues BBQ in the city of brotherly love.

Photo courtesy of Gourmet Pigs

Seems the Fischer’s are originally from Philadelphia and felt this was a perfect step towards the East Coast. An interesting tidbit from the article is that the “Fischer’s father founded the Gino’s Burgers, Rustler Steak House and Sportsters chains, the latter of which being where the siblings first learned how to make ribs)”.

I’ve been to the Venice location as well as the West Hollywood (I prefer the WH one as it’s larger and not as cramped feeling as Venice and it’s nice that it has a full bar as there’s nothing better than a great beer and BBQ). Haven’t been to the San Francisco spot, but here that it’s not as strong (BBQ-wise) as the other two Southern California spots.

Here are links to their three current locations:
Venice
West Hollywood
San Francisco

Check the new BBQ Joint here when it opens:

See the entire article here

Saw this write up on the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival in the Taylor Daily Press. Focuses on Louie Mueller Barbecue and The Taylor Cafe.

Photo of Vencil Mares (owner of Taylor Café) and Scott Morales (Pit Boss) courtesy of Taylor Daily Press

The article is entitled ‘BBQ Legends Recognized’. You can check it out here

If you went to the festival, would love to get your thoughts on how it turned out.

In researching joints for Kevin’s BBQ Joints I didn’t come across a huge selection in Minnesota. It seemed that your choices were 19 Famous Dave’s along with only a smattering of non-chain joints. Well thanks to the Post Bulletin, I’m happy to say that Minnesota’s BBQ Joint choices are growing in a positive direction.

Here is the list compiled by Jay Furst of top BBQ joints in the region (in and around Rochester, MN):

Roscoe’s Barbeque Root Beer & Ribs

John Hardy’s Bar-B-Q

Piggy Blue’s BBQ

Bob’s Smoke Stack

Arlo Kroening and Steve Ross from Roscoe’s Barbeque courtesy of Post Bulletin

Read the full story here

If you’re in Rochester, MN or live close by, let us know if you’ve tried any of these joints. Also, if I’m missing any joints let me know too as it seems new ones are cropping up almost weekly around the country.

I’m a big fan of the Eat My Words column at Texas Monty. It’s one of those daily text appetizers I treat myself to before getting ready for lunch (generally not as good as what she’s described).

Of course, the one posted by Megan Giller on Old School BBQ is the one that really caught my eye.

Photo courtesy of Megan Giller

Here’s their menu

Photo courtesy of Megan Giller

Here are the two locations you can find them at:

E.A.T and Starving Art Studios

Check them out on facebook here
Follow them on twitter here

Bed and Breakfast Inns Online came out with their list of 5 must-try Memphis BBQ Joints.

They weren’t necessarily swinging for the fences when they came up with this list. I think they went tried and true, but didn’t go outside the box. Also I feel (I know) they’ve missed some pretty important ones.

Rendezvous Ribs photo courtesy of make. see. eat. do.

Their 5 Must-Try BBQ Joints:
Central BBQ

(901) 272-9377

Jim Neely’s Interstate Barbecue

(901) 775-2304

Neely’s Barbecue

(901) 795 4177

Payne’s Bar-B-Que

(901) 272-1523

Corky’s Ribs and Barbecue

(901) 685-9744

Let me know what you think and what would your top 5 Memphis BBQ Joints be?

Successful BBQ chain Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, with over 122 locations in 30 states, has a pretty amazing contest going on.

It’s called the Smokin’ Showdown Recipe Contest where fans of Dickey’s can submit their favorite recipes using Dickey’s original meats for a chance to win free barbecue for a year. I know, an entire year. Three winners will be chosen.

When I lived in the SF Valley there was going to be a Dickey’s opening up in Northridge that I wanted to check out, but it hadn’t opened prior to me living. So I can’t give my opinion of them yet, but once I get a chance to hit one up, I’ll review for sure.

Contest ends on September 30, 2010 so you better hurry up to get your recipe to them.

Enter the contest here
Contest rules here

The Detroit Free Press has done it again (they always seem to peak my interest in something BBQ related). This time they came out with their top eight new BBQ Joints in Detroit, Michigan.

Photo of Slow’s BBQ courtesy of Sylvia Rector/DFP

Sylvia Rector, the Free Press restaurant critic, does a great job running down all the new BBQ joints that have cropped up over the last year and a half. I know, when you think of BBQ you think of Texas, North Carolina, Kansas City, and Memphis, TN, but from what I’ve been reading about lately (and from all the emails I’ve received), the Detroit, Michigan area is becoming a hot bed of BBQ from exciting chefs.

Bad Brad’s BBQ courtesy of Sylvia Rector/DFP

Here’s their list:
Slows Bar BQ
Union Woodshop
Bad Brads BBQ
Lazybones Smokehouse
Redsmoke Barbecue
Roundhouse Restaurant
Rub BBQ Pub
Lockhart’s BBQ

Lockhart’s Courtesy of Regina H. Boone / DFP

So if you live in Michigan and you’ve tried (or are planning on trying) any of these joints, shoot me an email. Would love to hear what you think. I for one plan to travel to Michigan this fall to do my own investigating.

The Times Union is reporting that on October 15th Rubbin Butts Bar-B-Q will be opening a second location in Schenectady (love that city name) at the former Ricciardi’s Deli location. If it’s anything like it’s original location, you expect BBQ heavy on the Carolina style pulled pork and Texas style beef.

Check them out here: