THEY'RE GONE!

They’re Gone!

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, as the case may be) not all of the barbeque places we have visited have survived.  It’s sometimes a shock to be visiting an area where we have enjoyed good “que” and find that the place we had enjoyed is gone.  Other times we were not surprised at all.

THE BARBECUE COMPANY

3807 Santa Claus Lane

Carpentaria, CA 93013

This is an unfortunate loss.  Our conclusions on the experience here was:

“Is this the world’s best barbecue?  Well, no, but it is a contender, and not at all what you would expect to find in what is essentially a beachside strip mall.  It stands with much more expensive and much more famous barbecue restaurants and definitely comes under the heading of a destination barbecue restaurant.  We give it between an eight and a half and a nine.”

We think we know what happened here…location, Location, LOCATION!  It was visible from the 101 freeway, in the daytime, just after you passed it!  You had to really be determined to go there to come back around and find the Padaro Lane off ramp in the daylight let alone at night.  Too bad, the que was great.

CENTRAL TEXAN BBQ

10500 Merritt Street

Castroville, CA 95012

Our feelings on this one were mixed.  They had good “que” but the whole experience was not that great.  We concluded:

“The experience is authentic and kind of fun, so it’s a bit hard to be critical, but considering that there are lots of barbeque places that are fun and have authentic que, that don’t look like they are standing because the termites are holding hands, we are.  Taken as a whole, the experience doesn’t rate over seven and a half.”

Upon further reflection that conclusion was a bit over generous.  The meat was very good but the rest of the experience was acceptable only because of the company we had.  Guess the termites stopped holding hands.

BABY BLUES BBQ – WEST HOLLYWOOD

7953 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

This was a complete shock!  We did not see this one coming at all.  Our original conclusion was:

“Baby Blues is a small chain.  They have another location in Santa Monica.  It will be interesting to see if the owners can keep up the exceptional quality of food and atmosphere if the expand it further.  Make no mistake, it is exceptional.  They seem to take pride in using what they feel is the best method of preparation for each style of meat regardless of the barbecue style.  You can’t pigeonhole it.  This is a barbecue destination.  Taking it all in, I gave it a nine, Sharon a nine point five".

The other location is still open and we will visit it for a post.  One of the local restaurant reviewers wrote that it could not compete with more trendy restaurants in the area.  Really!!!  What do they want?

SMOKE CITY MARKET

5242 Van Nuys Boulevard

Sherman Oaks, CA 91401

No surprise here, we did not enjoy this one.  Our original conclusion was:

“I suppose the problems we had with the Smoke City Market were that we had expectations.  With great reviews, recommendations from acquaintances, and experience with Texas barbecue, we were probably set up for a fall.  Regardless of our expectations, we would have been disappointed anyway.  We would really have to find a good reason to give it another try.  This one gets a five."

The marketplace (barbeque lovers) has spoken.

MY BROTHER’S BAR-B-Q

21150 Woodland Hills, CA 91364-2103

818-348-2020

This is another one we don’t really miss.  This was strictly coffee shop barbeque which was unfortunate since they were really nice people.  Our conclusion was:

“There is a definite nostalgia value to My Brother’s Bar-B-Q.  When I was a kid, this was barbecue.  It does not come from the barbecue tradition but from the restaurant management tradition. There are barbecue places in this area that are nearly as venerable as My Brother’s that come from the regional barbecue tradition, and they have continued to refine their product in the contemporary barbecue mode.  This is what we have come to look for in barbecue.  A couple of steak houses in the San Fernando Valley live on their 1950’s nostalgia.  It works with a steakhouse, but not for a barbecue restaurant.  I really hate to have to say this because all the people there are so nice, but we give it a five.”

I don’t really know what happened.  Perhaps the older patrons that had the habit of coming here moved or died off, or maybe they just moved on to other places and there was nothing to attract new customers.  Or, as will often happen in the restaurant business a principal retired or died and no one wanted to or was able to continue the business.  Whatever it was it’s gone.

WILLY’S BBQ & GRILL SMOKEHOUSE

(Soon to change its name to TAVERN 101 BAR AND GRILL)

24834 Roadside Drive

Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Well it did, and as Tavern 101 seems to have somewhat of a different vibe.  This requires a visit for a new review.  We will sneak in the next time we drive out of the west end of the Valley.