To steal a line from Virgil’s BBQ in Times Square, New York City, who has the best butt on Broadway?
For that matter, who does the best dry rub in Dubai?
Allow us to explain. We’re two friends and barbecue fans who live in New York City by way of Maryland (me) and South Carolina (Jessica), who decided to write about our quest for quality barbecue in the city that never sleeps. That seemed to be a straightforward mission until I accepted a job in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which has led us to greatly expand our geographical net for pulled pork, racks of ribs and heaps of hush puppies. Yes, they do apparently have barbecue in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the two biggest states in the United Arab Emirates, at least according to Google. More on that later.
We hope to write about barbecue joints anywhere between Park Slope and the Persian Gulf. Along the way, we may write about our evolving lives in New York and the Middle East, respectively, but hopefully won’t stray too far from our central focus of smoked meat. This is early in our search, and we welcome suggestions and comments. We’re not professional foodies, so take everything we say with a grain of salt – and lots of molasses, for those so inclined.
I leave for Abu Dhabi next month, but in the meantime we’ll start with a few places we’ve been to in Manhattan.
BROTHER JIMMY’S, 33rd Street and 8th Avenue, Manhattan (though there are other locations in the city).
Mark:
When I first met Jessica last year, I lived in the Garment District of Manhattan’s West Side, and she worked a block from my apartment. So we decided to meet for lunch one rainy afternoon at nearby Brother Jimmy’s, located within spitting distance to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden.
I had a passable pulled pork sandwich at Brother Jimmy’s, and was impressed with the array of barbecue sauces brought to our table. This is North Carolina-style barbecue, and they did an okay job. Frankly, I’ve had better pulled pork (the Brother Jimmy’s version was a tad dry and cold), but am willing to come back for dinner to try the ribs before I leave for the Persian Gulf. I do like the atmosphere of the place, with its country décor and friendly waiters. Maybe it was the dreary weather that contributed to my middling impression of the food, but, like I said, I’m willing to give this place a second chance. One note – this place gets packed whenever there’s a game, concert or event happening at The Garden – it’s actually a very fun place to drink and eat some wings before a game.
Jessica:
The pulled pork wrap at Brother Jimmy’s was nothing to write home about, but there are other dishes on the menu that looked appealing and perhaps would have left a better impression. I’d love to go back to try the BBQ meatloaf (beef and pork wrapped in bacon and smoked) or the Brunswick Stew (tomato-based stew with corn, smoked chicken and pork). The place had a bit of the cookie-cutter feel of a chain
restaurant, which I don’t necessarily mind but, paired with the unremarkable food, makes me less likely to recommend it to anyone seeking stellar BBQ. It’s quick, standard fare at a reasonable price.
Situated just a five minute walk from my work, I will probably be back one day for happy hour or lunch when a craving for Southern cuisine strikes.
restaurant, which I don’t necessarily mind but, paired with the unremarkable food, makes me less likely to recommend it to anyone seeking stellar BBQ. It’s quick, standard fare at a reasonable price.
Situated just a five minute walk from my work, I will probably be back one day for happy hour or lunch when a craving for Southern cuisine strikes.
VIRGIL’S REAL BBQ, 44th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue, near Times Square.
Mark:
We ended up at Virgil’s after having a few drinks with friends at Jimmy’s Corner next door, a great dive bar with a boxing theme, replete with photos of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard (a Maryland native, by the way) and Thomas Hearns. Virgil’s is a bustling, multi-level restaurant with checkered tablecloths and cool T-shirts, from which we stole the “Best Butt on Broadway” line. I really liked this place, especially for the pork ribs, with the tomato-based, North Carolina-style barbecue sauce that I prefer. The ribs had that beautiful layer of glistening sauce on the meat that comes from long, slow cooking.
I liked this place so much that we went back a second time a couple weeks later. I again had the ribs, and wasn’t disappointed. An enthusiastic, sauce-stained thumbs-up for Virgil’s. I might go back and buy a T-shirt.
Jessica:
I don’t know about the “Best Butt on Broadway” claim (after all, let’s not forget about the Naked Cowboy) but after two visits to Virgil’s, I can say with certainty that its ribs and pork are top-notch. The meat combo is delicious, great for sharing and comes with two sides. I’d recommend the slightly sweet Georgia pecan rice. The hush puppies, served with butter, are just as they should be—crisp on the outside with melt-in-your-mouth cornbread beyond the outer shell. This place always seems busy. Being so close to Times Square, it probably attracts a good number of tourists and theater-goers, but we’ve never had to wait for a table.
Jessica:
The platter was a good-sized portion of tender meat heaped on top of homemade white bread, accompanied by beans and slaw. Mark and I split a side of mac and cheese, which was hot, hearty and chock full of cheese. This dish, for me, is one of the best barometers of a restaurant’s quality and in this case it undoubtedly passed the test.
The waitress was attentive and friendly without being overbearing, and even spoke with a twang despite being from Massachusetts. She deftly avoided the question when asked whether Maryland is considered a Southern state, giving a coy non-response that only fueled Mark's and my ongoing debate. My only regret about the experience is that I didn’t save room for dessert.
A few other noteworthy details about Blue Smoke: Though they weren’t offered to us at the table, the restaurant’s website lists nut-free, gluten-free and vegetarian menus for those with certain dietary preferences. There's also a jazz club (Jazz Standard) downstairs that hosts two or more sets of live jazz music every night, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Kudos to Mark for introducing me to this place!
The waitress was attentive and friendly without being overbearing, and even spoke with a twang despite being from Massachusetts. She deftly avoided the question when asked whether Maryland is considered a Southern state, giving a coy non-response that only fueled Mark's and my ongoing debate. My only regret about the experience is that I didn’t save room for dessert.
A few other noteworthy details about Blue Smoke: Though they weren’t offered to us at the table, the restaurant’s website lists nut-free, gluten-free and vegetarian menus for those with certain dietary preferences. There's also a jazz club (Jazz Standard) downstairs that hosts two or more sets of live jazz music every night, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Kudos to Mark for introducing me to this place!
Mark:
This, my meat-obsessed mates, is the real thing. Slow-cooked, sauce-slathered barbecue that may be the best I’ve ever had in New York City. I had the rib sampler, consisting of a Texas salt-and-pepper beef rib, Memphis baby backs and Kansas City spareribs. The Texas salt-and-pepper rib (my plate consisted of only one) was my least favorite, but it was still nicely executed. The pepper was freshly cracked, and the meat nicely marbled with flecks of fat. My preference for ribs slow-cooked with barbecue sauce was fully satisfied with the two other tasty types. The KC ribs were big, tender and juicy, with that wonderful tang of tomato sauce. The baby backs were also delicious, with denser, smokier meat.
As with most things, the devil is in the details, and Blue Smoke didn’t disappoint. They have their own brand of draft beer that goes nicely with the ribs. As Jess pointed out, the mac & cheese is hearty, cheesy and satisfying. It’s also a big enough portion to share.
As far as aesthetics, Blue Smoke has an upscale, roadhouse, impeccably clean atmosphere, suitable for a casual night out with friends or a date. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. At the end of the meal, moist towelettes and a matchbox full of toothpicks were brought to the table.
A thoroughly enjoyable meal, from from tap beer to toothpicks. I loved this place, and will be back.
LUCY’S, 34th Street near 8th Avenue, Manhattan
Friday, July 8, 2011
That’s me and my old friend and former newspaper colleague Joe Ryan seated at an orange Formica bar, where the female bartenders wear close-fitting, Hawaiian-print mini dresses while dispensing frozen daiquiris from a couple of Slurpee-like machines behind the bar.
We admittedly had about four pints of beer before looking at the menu here at Lucy’s, a beach/shark/diner/Hawaiian/Hispanic-themed place near Penn Station, and got excited about the possibility of barbecue when I saw items such as Charred Sweet Corn on a Stick and Honey Corn Bread, but it wasn’t to be.
Upon further perusal of the menu, I discovered Lucy’s served Mexican food. Or faux-Mexican, as a friend of mine might say. There are items such as I Love Lucy’s Guacamole, South of the Border Wings, Baja Sliders and Macho Nacho Man. I’m sure no slight to the Village People was intended. With advance apologies to Mexico and the Garden State, this was about as South of the Border as New Jersey. Having said that, it’s good, basic bar food, served quickly and efficiently. It’s the kind of food that’s meant to be consumed with a beer or two. Or five. In my slightly sodden state, I had just hoped for some pulled pork on the menu to go with the Honey Corn Bread.
