Luckily, we didn't go to the restaurants this time around, because we would have waited for quite some time if we had. When I arrived to pickup four slabs of Smoque BBQ - two of Contender #2, St. Louis-style ribs, and two of Contender #4, Baby back ribs - the line wound out the door and to the street in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. As a call-in order, I got to go to the front of the line, where the ribs and sides of mac-n-cheese were piping hot. A dinner of one full-slab of St. Louis ribs, along with slaw and two sides, cost $19.95.
Expectations were set high for Smoque, especially since this was the only restaurant contender that has been featured on TV, such as Food Network's D3: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. These ribs were cut in a rectangle, just as St. Louis-style should be. While the meat seemed a bit more blackened than we would have liked - adding more than just a smoky flavor - there was plenty of juicy meat attached to each and every bone.
Doused in the barbecue sauce, the ribs tasted both a bit sweet and smoky, but not overwhelmingly so (at least for most people). There was a slight peppery taste to the meat and sauce, which added a depth that the other ribs didn't necessarily have.
Chicago, IL 60641-3197
No comments:
Post a Comment