Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Field Trip! Barbecue in Brooklyn


Since I live in New Jersey and work in Manhattan, Brooklyn is off of my beaten path. I've been there a few times, but I haven't really explored it, much less eaten at many of the great places I've read about. Well, when my wife was meeting up with her girlfriends on a recent Friday night, I got out of work early and spent an afternoon exploring what is arguably the most hyped borough.

After recommendations from several of my coworkers who live in Brooklyn, I had my heart set on Habana Outpost, a cuban spot with outdoor picnic tables and some delicious looking cuban sandwiches. Little did I know, the wife and her girls would be heading there Saturday afternoon. So as not to ruin the novelty for her, we called an audible. Instead of Cuban, we opted for 'cue at The Smoke Joint.

The wife got the (above) pulled chicken sandwich that came with a side of fries. The chicken was dressed in a gold, vinegar-based sauce. The golden color reminded me of a bottle of barbecue sauce a friend of mine gave me from South Carolina a few years back that I was addicted to for more than a year. BBQ sauce on ice cream anyone? But the treat of this plate was the fries. The seasoning on the fries tasted exactly like the seasoning on Herr's BBQ potato chips. It brought me back to my childhood. Tasting them made me want a Minute Maid Mandarin Orange soda. YUM!



In the absence of orange soda, I was able to wash down the deliciousness with their not-to-sweet "limonade". As the name suggests, it's a mix of lemonade and limeade. It definitely was made with fresh lemons and limes and was more on the tart side which I prefer. A refreshing choice on a warm day.

For my meal, I went with the beef ribs at the recommendation of our server. I'm a big fan of beef ribs and these were pretty good. Meaty and smoky with a nice char on the outside. They weren't the most flavorful ribs I've ever tasted, but I enjoyed them.

So I was glad to have gone to Brooklyn and spent some time hanging out and finally getting to sample some of the great food I've read and heard so much about. Looking forward to another return trip this summer.

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