What could be more appropriate on July 4th than to review a restaurant which does its best to bring the taste sensation of the rest of the country to New York City, Virgil's BBQ on East 44th? Fortuitously, since I'm spending a few days here in NYC, I can bring my Texas BBQ judging skills to bear on Virgil's and see if it lives up to its reputation.
The atmosphere in Virgil's isn't bad. They've got the basic look of a relatively unassuming barbeque joint down pretty well, with a lot of rough wood and idiotic pictures and bric-a-brac on the walls. But there are some refinements which are jarring right off to those of us from real barbeque country. One issue is that the barbeque is served on actual ceramic plates, a sissification which I guess I can live with, though I'll always prefer brown paper. What is a bit more troubling is that the pits are nowhere to be seen. Serious BBQ gets served right off the pit, and you ought to be able to see the smoker and feel the fire when they bring the meat out. Not having that element of direct exposure to the cooking process is a real let down, not to mention that it means that the dining area isn't full of savory smoke and the smell of roasting meat.
The menu and presentation are intriguing. The placemats have a rusticated map of the country showing BBQ joints they approve of, including a number in Texas. The good sign is that they include Kreuz Market, which is arguably the best BBQ in the world. The bad sign is that they think Southside Market in Elgin is even vaguely in the same league, which it certainly isn't. On the menu they offer a wide variety of meats, cooked in the styles of different regions, including Memphis Pork Ribs, Owensboro Lamb, Smoked Maryland Ham, Sliced Texas Briskit, Texas Link Sausage and Pulled Carolina Pork. In addition to straight meats they offer a selection of sides, salads, appetizers and sandwiches, which is nice - but barbeque is all about the meat, not the other stuff.
Article comments
1 - dietdoc
Dave: Who "makes the cut" (weakest of puns) in Alabama? I think I see a site labeled in Alabama on the all-too-small map.
Excellent review!
Cheers,
Ron
2 - Dave Nalle
In Alabama it's something called "Dreamland Bar BQ Drive In" - ever heard of it?
Dave
3 - KC
Wow, you know this subject well! Great post. Made me hungry, and it's perfect for July 4th.
4 - Dave Nalle
I live to eat BBQ. I plan to follow up with some of my reviews of Texas BBQ high points, going city by city starting with Lockhardt. Might do reviews of some cookoffs as well if I have time to attend more of them.
Dave
5 - dietdoc
Dave writes: "In Alabama it's something called "Dreamland Bar BQ Drive In" - ever heard of it?"
Reply: Oh, yeah! Reached its zenith, for me, as I was a student at the U. of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in the 70s. It is become quite famous - and more widespread - in this neck of the woods since. Good stuff.
Thanks and Cheers to you, Dave!
Ron
6 - Bennett
Good one Dave! Makes me long for the best I've ever tasted, from Flint's Barbeque on San Pablo Ave in Oakland.
Like you said, it's about the meat, the big sweaty folks pulling and turning slabs of ribs in a huge wood fired oven that filled the small order area with smoke and searing heat.
Paper plates piled high and then shoved into a brown bag, beans, potato salad, and two slices of wonder bread (to wipe your mouth I think).
I wonder if it's on that there map?
Thanks for filling my mouth with saliva!
7 - Dave Nalle
For reasons I don't entirely understand the map ends at the Rockies. Doesn't really seem fair, since good cooks from everywhere gravitate to the left coast.
dave
8 - Bennett
Naw, that's not right. The owners of Flints may have been born in Alabama or Texas, but they do thier fine thing in the concrete jungle of Oakland, CA.
I think you'd enjoy Flints.
On a side note, my wife and I were in North Carolina last summer, and I tasted the non-red vinagar style for the first time. Not bad at all, and the extras.... The hush puppines (my first) were awesome, and the deep fried okra was the first okra that pleased my palate.
Barbeque... Yum.
9 - Dave Nalle
Well, I'm more likely to go to Oakland than to Alabama, so I'lll keep Flint's in mind.
The kids were quite distressed by the complete non-existence of deep fried Okra up here in the NE.
Dave
10 - HW Saxton
Just north of the Red River up near Lake
Texahoma is a tiny little grease spot on
the road called Colbert,Oklahoma.
And there my friends is where the exact
end of the barbeque rainbow lies. It is
in a little wood & corrugated tin shack
with smoky ass brick ovens inside. It is
called Po' Sam's. The foods the finest,
you park outside the kids in the family
run out take your order and come back in
about 10 minutes with some greasy paper
plates laden with the best barbeque that
money can buy. This guy has been offered
Big BIG money to cater Texas socialites
parties and always sez "NO,If you wants
my food come and you get it 'cuz I ain't
going nowhere,I ain't got to". With that
kind of integrity you know this is the
stuff.
11 - Patricia Branch
Well I wish Po Sam's was still there. I used to eat there as a kid growing up, even into my older years. Then one day I got to go by and boom it is gone. I loved that gravy instead of the sauce. I wish I could find one like it or even the recipe. What happened to it?