Outstanding meal, excellent value.
Heard that RRBBQ was acquired by a new team, so we decided to give it another go. It's original incarnation was, let's be honest, underwhelming at best.
The new chef is absolutely crushing it. Massively intense flavors, properly calibrated, well presented, and intelligently distributed.
We started with two small plates, the corn fritters and crunchy shrimp on grits. The former comes out piping hot with whipped honey butter and maple syrup dipping sauce. The last time I recall such crazy good, mouthwateringly sweet fritters was at Latham's in Brewster, probably in 1965. Yes, a Proustian flashback on this one for me! The shrimp was snappy, full of fresh flavor, and napped in a drizzling of tangy BBQ sauce with nectarine garnish.
Honestly, I haven't had such amazingly tasty food here since things got stale at L'Alouette in the early 1990s! What a great opening salvo to a savory BBQ meal.
My wife and I shared a "large plate" of a half pound of succulent prime brisket (four glorious slices!) , served with a zesty cole slaw, a delicious tranch of jalapeño corn bread with honey butter, and a side of mac and cheese.
The brisket is tender, lightly smoky, and deeply satisfying. That bark, that ring! I'm so glad we shared because it's a lot of food.
My only modest reservation concerns the sides: the cornbread was slightly dry, and the mac and cheese was too wet. There needs to be a happy middle here, because the brisket is decidedly not juicy. That's *not* a critique, because I think it's perfect. But for this style of BBQ, I think a firm, stiff Macaroni Pie with cheddar would be more aligned with the overall theme. One other thought: it might be nice to offer an array of sauces. The house sauce is sweet but tangy, but it might be nice to have an astringent, vinegary option...
All in all, we are going to be regulars. Our hat's off for a great meal, the first of many we trust! read more