California > Mountain View: Alice's Smokehouse


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
Alice's Smokehouse
570 N. Shoreline Blvd, Suite F
Mountain View, CA 94043
www.alicessmokehouse.com
#alicessmokehouse @alicessmokehouse

As you probably know, you'll meet some of the nicest people when you seek out good barbecue. This was proven to me yet again when I visited Alice's Smokehouse in Mountain View, CA on June 15. I noticed Alice's a few weeks earlier while in the area on other business. It's located in the Bailey Park Plaza shopping center on Shoreline Blvd. near Safeway. If you're familiar with the shopping center, you may remember this spot being a chain-franchise BBQ restaurant before taking on its current name. Let's just say that Alice Kao and her co-owner/husband Robert Edwards are MUCH happier now controlling their own destiny and serving barbecue that's true to their own vision and passion.

When I was back in the area last weekend, I decided to drop-in for a mid-afternoon lunch. Alice took my order, and she was super-friendly. I ordered a turkey sandwich with waffle fries, a 1/4 pound sample of brisket, cornbread with honey, and a soft drink. The turkey was moist and the portion size was generous, but something about the texture lead me to think the meat had been processed. The bun was toasted nicely, sauce was available on the side in regular and spicy versions. I liked the regular sauce, it was tomato-based and Robert said it was a Memphis-style sauce with a bit more vinegar kick than a KC-style sauce. My waffle fries were perfect! The brisket sample included some lean and fatty pieces and was tasty, but I got a big chunk, some partial slices, and some crumbly bits, so the presentation was a bit lacking. The cornbread was moist, not very sweet, with lots of corn flavor and some whole kernels of corn.

The restaurant is narrow, with a small dining area in front and another small dining area and restrooms in the back, connected by a short hallway. The decorations in the restaurant are eclectic, reflecting an Asian-American theme. There's a world map on the wall where you're invited to pin your hometown. There's also a bulletin board where you can "share a good thought" and chalkboards where you can doodle to your heart's content.

One of the first things you'll notice upon entering Alice's Smokehouse are the high-tech menu monitors above the order counter, listing all of the menu items and prices and including videos of different meats being sliced. Appropriate for a BBQ restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley! Brisket, pork, chicken breast, turkey, and hot link are available by the pound, pork ribs are available in 1/4, 1/2, and full racks. There's also a chicken leg quarter and smoked tofu for the no-meat crowd. Most of the BBQ meats come as sandwiches or plates, and on salads or in bowls with mac & cheese, rice, or mashed potatoes as the base. There are also some combo meals that combine popular items and there are six "Share Me" options ranging from $32 to $189 at time of writing.

Sides include waffle fries, fried okra, mac & cheese, coleslaw, green beans, cornbread, smoked corn, fried onions, white rice, mashed potatoes & gravy, and barbecued beans. Small plates include jalapeno poppers, wings, pulled pork served on pork rinds, waffle chicken fries, and a couple of vegetarian items. A couple of desserts, soft drinks, iced tea, and assorted beers round out the menu.

Next time I'm in the Shoreline area of Mountain View, I will definitely stop again at Alice's Smokehouse and give some other menu items a try!

Here are some photos...enjoy!

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Continued...
 
Is not the Apple or Google campus not far from there ?

I've grown fond of turkey for lunch, and that turkey may have been processed, but it looked good.

I notice brisket is $20 a pound, looks like CAB. I've been paying close attention to what barbecue joints charge for a pound of brisket, and $20 is right in the middle. High end is $22 , low end $17. But the high end is usually prime.

Rack of ribs here are between $20 and $25.
 
Chris, do I have to go down there and try the smoked tofu myself?!? :)

Thanks for the head's up about Alice's. I don't get down to Mtn View too often, but that's a stone's throw from my sister's place, so I'll put it on the list for next time. Appreciate the review!

Rich
 

 

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