Spent the week in Memphis


 
S

Shaun H

TVWBB Fan
Wife's Grandfather passed so we drove from Los Angeles to Memphis. Much respect to all the truck drivers out there.

Anyways, had my mind set on going to Rendevous. Was hyped and excited, and after all that, I was majorly disappointed. The ribs were terrible. Tough, and blah flavor. The slaw was awesome though, the best I've ever had (I got to find a recipe for that!). Brisket was good, shoulder was average, beans were outstanding. Huge ticket price, and Im glad I went just because it gave me an ego boost for my own bbq. But WOOZERS at that slaw. Good stuff.

My family all warned be before going to Rendevous that it was nothing, but I had to do it simply because of the experience. Glad I did, but I can't comprehend why they are so popular. They all over every TV show, and those hosts have to know these ribs aint all that.

Family all recommended a few other places, with the most votes cast for Cozy Corner. So we went there and it was much better. Again the brisket was incredible, slaw was average, beans were good...and the ribs were cool. Nothing too stand out about them, but a big improvement over Rendevous. I wish I had asked for sauce on the side so I could have gotten a better taste of the ribs themselves, but all well. Their banana pudding was out of this world, and my family shamed me saying mine comes in second to theirs, lol. But again, my ego was stroked in the rib category, thinking mine was superior at least to our taste pallet.

On top of that, we bbq'd just about every day in the back yard. My uncle surprised me one night, at 9:30pm telling me he had just got some ribs he wanted me to cook up. That was a first.

With not a lot to work with, I just did a light salt/pepper/garlic powder rub, and cooked it indirect on a barrel grill (no offset). That was my first time not having a smoker, so I was worried, and was wincing for the final product, but everyone was killing them ribs, and so when I took a taste I was pleasantly surprised how good they came out. No wood, no smoker, ribs were tasty. Going to try to do a similar flavor with the smoker at home.

Got to see some sights while there, but I had a great week in the bbq capital.
 
I agree with you on Rendezvous. I like the location and the ambiance but the food could be better.
 
I have yet to be impressed by the food at any of the "legendary" barbeque restaurants I've visited.

Most restaurant barbeque is just that: restaurant barbeque
 
Shaun,

I'll give you an "amen" on Rendevous. My wife and I were in Memphis a few years ago for a conference and it was first on the list. Huge disappointment is understating it. I can cook better ribs on my Performer, much less the WSM, and I'm not usually a tough critic. But they were terrible.

The best Q I had in town was Neely's Interstate BBQ. Good stuff was had by everyone in my group. So far, I've been unimpressed by Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC, most Kinston, NC q, most Lexington, NC q, and plenty of Memphis q. I'm game to try anything, but it better be great to beat the q that comes off the WSM.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vincent Carrocci:
I have yet to be impressed by the food at any of the "legendary" barbeque restaurants I've visited.

Most restaurant barbeque is just that: restaurant barbeque </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Agreed. Though I find the famous places in central Texas the most wildly overrated places extsnt, several other well known places around the country fall equally short. Restaurant Q pretty much anywhere does, IMO, but one wishes the famous places would rise to their reputations. I gave up that wish years ago.
 
I always warn friends about Rendezvous and very few listen to me. Then I take them to Cozy Corner, the Bar-B-Q Shop (which I think has the best ribs in town) or Central and I wind up changing minds.

I also agree about restaurant que, but I will add, if you get there when they first open, you will have a better chance of getting better que than if you go at a more traditional time.

For example, most folks around here who know a thing or two about que, don't think highly of Corky's, but the first time the wife and I went was when they just opened their doors. We got a sampler platter and I found their ribs and brisket to be excellent. Best brisket I've had here in a restaurant. But I've gone in the evening and was far less impressed.

If you find yourself back out this way, I highly recommend you try the Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison.
 
You need to visit some in KC. Smokin Guns, Oklahoma Joes, Woodyard, etc. Not the typical restaurant stuff. I never seen so many trophys and ribbons as at Smokin Guns!
 
I stopped going to them some time ago...just like Kevin says...it is restaurant Q....I honestly like my BBQ better. I noticed in some of the chain restaurants they don't even take the membrane off...Now if I want to eat a good rack of ribs...I do it myself. the only thing I like in some of the Texas restaurants is the sausage.
 
I thought this place had outlived its reputation over 20 years ago. The small joints in Mps had the best Q in those days.
 
Memphis Barbecue is alive and well, but restaurant BBQ is still just that.

I'll add my recommendation to The Bar-B-Q Shop. They're cooking in the same Southern Pride cooker that everyone uses, but their consistency is better than anyone in town. In addition, they have good flavor profiles in their sauce and slaw.

Right now, Memphis Barbecue Company in North Mississippi has ribs that would rival any restaurant rib that I've ever had--- John David Wheeler and Melissa Cookston are keeping quality very high at their new business venture. Hopefully that continues.

Tom's BBQ at Raines and Getwell offers up a nice alternative. They sell them as rib-tips, but they are really the chine bones from the pork loin(same thing as Applebee's Riblets). They are seasoned and cooked---a little bit tender, a little bit chewy. I buy them by the pound and think they're a worthy effort.

The Rendezvous has always been a hit or miss place. It's famous because they "invented" the dry rib. No small feat, in historical terms. It's NOT barbecue. Always will be a fun place to go, as the atmosphere is the attraction.

Restaurant Barbecue has a place. There's a reason that Myron Mixons place couldn't make it. You can't duplicate top tier barbecue and make money. You can't keep quality high unless you're there ALL the time. Plus, you're serving reheated food half the time.

The best BBQ will always be in someone's backyard----sometimes mine when everything goes just right.
 
I've eaten at Rendevous four or five times and have eaten shoulder every time but the one time I ate ribs. The shoulder was better than I could get around here at the time. I was disappointed in the ribs. Everything was great about the restaurant but the price.

I think its ambiance, history, and location all play an important role in its popularity.

I've never tried Memphis BBQ Company, but I've eaten at a couple of the other Memphis places. If you want the best pulled pork, you need to go east from Memphis. Lexington, Henderson, and Jacks Creek are where you can get the good stuff, but you need to ask the locals.

Martin's BBQ Joint in Nolensville, just outside of Nashville, is one of the best I've eaten at.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top