Kevin's BBQ Joints

There’s something to be said about tradition. It’s what holds us true to our past and keeps us grounded in the present. There’s also something special about having a business that runs in the family. Bobby Cavo, grandson of the famous BBQ patriarch of Taylor, TX, Rudy Mikeska and son to Robert and Mopsie, owners of the top notch catering company in Taylor ‘Catering by Mopsie’, is doing just that with his newly opened (fairly new) BBQ joint in Austin, TX called Blue Ribbon Barbecue.

Reading the steady stream of great reviews online, I can say that this is a welcome addition to the Austin BBQ scene. The menu is heavy on Texas (like it should be) with Brisket, Sausage, Turkey, Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, Chopped Beef, and chicken which is available as a plate, as a sandwich, or by the pound (save for the chicken). Also, they are serving breakfast from 7 AM to 10:30 AM where they offer ‘breakfast tacos’. You get a choice of Brisket, Sausage, Turkey, Chicken, Pulled Pork, or Chopped Beef (Additional items you can add are: Egg, Bean, Potato ,Bacon, Cheese, Sour Cream, Jalapenos, Ranch). If I worked in Austin I can imagine I’d be having breakfast here 3-4 times a week.

If you live in Austin or are traveling there in the near future, let us know if you get a chance to stop in. Send us your reviews and photos and we’ll post them. I’ll be heading out soon so I’ll be sure to do an updated review after visiting.

You can find Blue Ribbon here:

To learn more about the Mikeska family follow this link

Follow them on twitter here

According to the Star Advertiser Famous Dave’s Barbecue is heading across the Pacific Ocean to add (3) BBQ Joints in Hawaii (Maui, Oahu, the Big Island). The first location will open at the end of this year in Lahaina, Maui.

They are looking to add a little Hawaiian flavor to the menu to appeal to locals as well as tourists. From the article “We’re looking at how do we influence our catering, our side dishes to the menu,” according to Aric Nissen, vice president of marketing and research and development for Famous Dave’s said, “and certainly we have to incorporate Spam … we are experts at the pig,” he chuckled.

You can see the entire article here

Once I have an address for the first (and 2 other) location I will post it and add it to Kevin’s BBQ Joints.

Figured I’d do a little more research into the BBQ joints and BBQ teams participating in the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off that draws over 500,000 people.

Here they are:
Armadillo Willy’s – Los Altos, CA
Aussom Aussie – Pittsburgh, PA
BJ’s Barbeque – Sparks, NV
Back Forty Texas Barbecue – Pleasant Hill, CA
Bone Daddy’s BBQ – Midland, MI
Bourbon Q – Westport, KY
Butch’s Smack Your Lips BBQ – Mt. Laurel, NJ
Carson City BBQ – Carson City, NV
Checkered Pig BBQ – Martinsville, VA
Chicago BBQ Company – Burr Ridge, IL
Desperado’s BBQ & Rib Co. – Hinckley, OH
Famous Dave’s BBQ – Minnetonka, MN
Joey’s Texas Thunder – Phillips, TX
Johnson’s Bar-B-Que – Chesapeake, VA
Kinder’s Custom Meats Inc. – Concord, CA
Memphis Championship BBQ – Las Vegas, NV
Porky ‘N Beans BBQ – Port Saint Lucie, FL
Rasta Joe’s BBQ Inc. – Rochester, IN
Razorback Cookers – Blytheville, AR
Smokehouse Specialties – Dos Palos, CA
Sweet Meat Cooking Team – Euless, TX
Texas Outlaw Barbecue – Elizabethtown, KY
The Barbecue Company Inc. – Phoenix, AZ
Willingham’s World Champion BBQ – Memphis, TN

See information in the previous post on location and hours. After putting together this list I know I have to make it a point to get up there next year.

John Berwald, founder and CBO (cheif barbecue officer) of Armadillo Willy’s sent over this pic from The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off.

More pics are on the way, but in the mean time, you still have time to head over to experience some of the best ribs in the country. Here’s a link to all the rib cookers

Here’s more event info:
Wednesday, September 1–Monday, September 6, 2010
Wednesday–Sunday: 11:00am–9:00pm
Monday: 11:00am–5:00pm

The Star Telegram is reporting that Wilson’s BBQ has moved to the east side of Fort Worth, Texas.

Photo by samepenny

The owner, Leroy Wilson, is described as “the I.T. Guy -turned- restauranteur, who says his colgne now is “smoked mesquite,” has been dishing up ribs and sweet potato pie at his small eatery for almost 6 years now. Fort Worth Weekly’s staff choice for best barbecue was Wilson’s BBQ in 2003. Wilson’s has served his BBQ at the last six “Jazz by the Boulevard” festivals, several TCU tailgate events, and other sporting events. Wilson’s BBQ has been highighted in several publications including; Fort Worth Weekliy, Fort Worth Business Press, Fort Worth Star Telegram, and Texas Monthly”

Here’s a look at their menu

Check their new location out here:

Phone: 817-907-7690

The internet is a funny place and the BBQ community on the internet is tight knit, but rather massive. About eight months ago I met Julia Reinhardt on Twitter. Strange to say met, but after you see a few months of someone’s posts (and they yours with interaction back and forth), you sort of feel like you know them. At the time I really only knew her as @shesmokebbq and knew that she had a great blog aptly titled She-Smoke and had written a book She-Smoke: A Backyard Barbecue Book

It wasn’t until recently that I found that she and her husband Eric owned a BBQ Joint in Seattle, Washington called Smokin Pete’s BBQ.

Here’s some information on Julie. “Though Julie was born and raised in the Northwest, her daddy’s family is from Alabama, with branches off to Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. She remembers her first taste of ribs at a joint just off the highway in Trussville, AL. She also remembers the copious choices of sides where things like syrup drenched baked peaches were considered a salad. Her favorite traditional family gathering is a once a year potluck feast in the cemetery — so that all the family can come, living or passed on.”

As for Eric, “Though a veteran of the Seattle’s restaurant scene, and with family in Augusta, Eric’s love of barbecue started at home, experimenting with different woods on the Weber. Called a meathead by Seattle Magazine, if you don’t see him slicing your brisket, his head is usually deep in the smoker. Before opening Smokin’ Pete’s he was sous chef for Madison Park’s popular yet brief, Gypsy Restaurant. He was sous chef for Nancy Flume at Adriatica, chef at Portage Bay Cafe and he spun the line at Marco’s Supperclub, Serafina, The Lush Life and others.”
(more…)

I didn’t realize I was such a lover of lists until I became more fixated on BBQ and BBQ Joints. If you’re going to get a list of restaurants, there’s a great chance it’ll be of BBQ Joints. The North County Times in San Diego, California has put together an eclectic list of joints across the region.

BEST BARBECUE

San Diego County

Big Tiny’s Smoke’n BBQ, Vista
Brett’s BBQ, Encinitas
Enzo’s BBQ, Oceanside
Felix’s BBQ With Soul, Oceanside
Fat Ivor’s, Valley Center
Kansas City BBQ, San Diego
Lone Star BBQ, Oceanside
Phil’s BBQ, San Diego

Southwest Riverside County
Lucille’s BBQ, Temecula
Sweet Lumpy’s BBQ, Temecula

Chains
Famous Dave’s, Vista
Joey’s Smokin’ BBQ, Carlsbad

Let us know what is your favorite (I’m pretty partial to Phil’s BBQ).