Barbecoa 8th November 2010

[British BBQ Society]

Yours is the fourth review Ive read that the pork ribs were bitter. I wonder if its the wood they are working with or the unit itself. The Seafood looks identical to the seafood tower at Balthazar. It looks like a really interesting place to go for dinner outside of traditional BBQ yet close enough for comfort..Your review was wonderfully written. It really answered a lot of the questions I had about the restaurant itself and the menu selections.

Thanks Diva, I have a few thoughts on the ribs, they were not very meaty which gives the smoke the oppertunity to penetrate all the way through, maybe changing them to meaty babybacks would help. Another is the wood, English oak is very different to American oak, and if used exccesivly rather than an enhancer would create this after taste. Lastly, if they are holding the ribs in the smoker rather than wrapping them, the smoke will just be hitting the outside not really acheiving anything. I am sure that as other reviews have picked up on this they will be looking into it.

[joker smoker]

Is the bitterness definitely from the smoke? The way they are curled up at the end and the colour suggests to me that they were finished over [quite hot] direct heat [possibly for too long] causing the sugars in the sauce/glaze to burn and thus become bitter. Never the less , beautifully written review and I can't wait to go check it out. Presentation on the desserts could be better too.

[bencops]

Odd observation, the British BBQ Society is here to promote all things BBQ

That was my perception of the style you were promoting. Nothing more, don't take offence.

[British BBQ Society]

No offence taken, we are here to promote all things BBQ

[bencops]

We came, we saw, we paid 60 quid a head!

It was, to be fair, fantastic. Probably the best chicken wings I've had. I won't do another review but differences from Toby's experience were:
- Baby backs weren't bitter, they were delicious. Overcooked though, I thought (couldn't cut them into ribs as they fell off the bone)
- Pulled pork wasn't available
- We had belly pork - deeply flavoured with aniseed and (in the chinese way) deeply fatty without being greasy
- Pre-starter of pork scratchings were ok but with an excellent mole
- Beer can chicken was excellent
- 2x beef short ribs were excellent, what a deeply, woodsy, natural flavour. You could taste the logs of oak they'd been sitting over for a while
- Cheese selection and chocolate nemesis were decent but the latter a bit of a sledgehammer.
- They knocked off 25% - so it would have been 75 quid a head! You're entering Michelin star territory there which I don't think the food quite lives up to.

The place itself is stunning - love the smokey Argentinian grill, smoke pit, tandoor and LOVE the butchers - a massive wall of hanging meat and they've stolen the butcher from ginger pig in borough market. They had an entire, skinned, beheaded cow hanging off a hook behind him. That's pretty cool. Fantastic selection of spirits - pushing all the right buttons on bourbon and tequila, for lots of money. Great view of st. pauls of course too.

So - BBQ flavours meet fine dining. Probably the most gripping round of starters I've ever had but overall, perhaps better value done by the french e.g. http://www.clubgascon.com/cc_awards.php


Definitely worth a visit.

[British BBQ Society]

Thanks for the additional info Ben.

I purposely didn’t put a price per head on the review because we had the additional Seafood course at £96 so I didn’t think it would be particularly fair, but after seeing the £60 per head double checked our bill, came to £287 for 4 people (although we did receive a discount which I have added back on), this included starters, mains, Desserts and the fish course for the 4 of us. So at £71.75 per head it was high, that in mind, take off the £98 seafood course and it would be £47.25 which included a few beers per head. This is a “treat” location, and I am looking forward to going back.

Just for comparison, Bodeans is about £33 / head and Chicago Rib Shack is about £38 / head

[joker smoker]

Hmmm...I thought it would have been more expensive... I think I'll try and pay a visit soon...

[lakemirror]

Thanks for a great review. It's on my list for the next trip to London.

[British BBQ Society]

Wow what a beautiful place.

So who were the other three BBQ experts you took along for the critique?

I dont think I mentioned experts, but all have been around the circuit in one guise or another over the last 2 years. The more people at a table the greater the selection that can be ordered.

[Beserka]

Thanks for the review, I am keen to take my wife there sometime soon when we can get a booking.
I walk past the butchers most days and it is an absolutely brilliant concept.

Cheers

Col