BBQ Openings: Southern Hospitality South

This just in. According to The New York Post....

Justin Timberlake and restaurant partners Trace Ayala and Eytan Sugarman will open the second outpost of their Memphis-style barbecue joint, Southern Hospitality, at Ninth Avenue and 45th Street in Hell's Kitchen. The two-level eatery and lounge will be twice the size of the original on Second Avenue at 76th. Investors in the new location include MTV founding father Bob Pittman and OneRepublic lead singer Ryan Tedder. Online oenophile Gary Vaynerchuk will preside over the wine list.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/southern_hospitality_to_open_second_RN0pZqtWjh3uECQYWsYTtM#ixzz14jLpcDgc

Recession Savings

Things must be tough if a barbecue restaurant is reducing prices just as the barbecue eating season is heating up. This special is happening at Southern Hospitality, the Jason Timberlake, not Justin Timberlake and Dr. BBQ joint up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Check it out.

BBQ Rumors

This just in...

Justin Timberlake does not own NY's Southern Hospitality...

Check out his denials in People Magazine

BBQ Rumors

I just came across this interesting little tidbit....

"Timberlake To Expand Restaurant Empire"

Seems like Justin Timberlake and his business partners Trace Ayala and Eytan Sugarman are in talks to take up a second location of Southern Hospitality in Chelsea.

According to New York Magazine, the trio are have singled out a space on 6th Avenue for a rent of around $35,000 per month.

This is great news in this economy. I wish them luck. They're gonna need it.

BBQ Joints: Southern Hospitality

Southern Hospitality
1460 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 249-1001



Southern Hospitality, Pit Master: Dr. BBQ, part owner: Justin Timeberlake, (Strange, I can't find any pictures of them together? Are they one in the same?) location: frat bar row, Upper Eastside of Manhattan. Sounds like a recipe for disaster doesn't it? Umm, could be.

But it ain't. A recent lunch visit found the good Dr in the kitchen and let's just say the results are pretty damn good. If this is what they're serving at every meal, the place deserves some major respect. A full review will come when I dine there on my own dime, but in the mean time take a look at this food. Hungry yet?

Brisket - Lean and Fatty

Right out of the smoker

Beale Street BBQ Chicken

Memphis-Style Dry Rubbed Spareribs

BBQ Joints: Virgil's

Virgil's Barbecue
152 W 44th St
New York, NY 10036
(212) 921-9494

Last week I mentioned that I joined Gary from PigTrip for a mini crawl through two of Manhattan's BBQ joints. We had a mission when we set out on this trip, but unfortunately we didn't meet any of our goals. But, we did get to eat some fine food.

I know I'm doing this out of order as our second stop of the day was Virgil's BBQ in Time's Square. I should really start with post about Southern Hospitality, but not today.

Virgil's may qualify as the grand daddy of real barbeque in New York City. Some people give Blue Smoke the credit for sparking the barbecue renascence in NY, but Virgil's set the fire, Blue Smoke, Daisy May's and RUB stoked it. Before Virgil's arrived decent real wood smoked barbecue was not found in Manhattan.

Back in the day, I used to frequent Virgil's frequently as I worked at MTV just up the street. Back then Virgil's was good, but very inconsistent in its quality. Some days the food would be so burnt and dry it was almost inedible, others the food was close to perfect. It was a real crap shoot. So when the new kids arrived, I stopped going to Virgil's. The new places were so much better.

In my quest for the best barbecue in New York, I would be remiss to dismiss Virgil's based on its past performance. How's it doing now was the question that Gary and I tried to answer.

But we were thwarted by our own gluttony. As I mentioned, earlier in the day we stopped into Southern Hospitality for a sampling of their food and we were feted by the ever hospitable Dr. BBQ. I'll talk about that visit in another post, but let's just say that we rolled out of Southern Hospitality with our bellies and heads full.

We arrived at Virgil's without much if any, of an appetite. But in the name of research we trudged on. We ordered the Texas Red Chili and the BBQ Chicken wings. Both were good, but neither were the best of NY. The chili had some nice flavor which was dominated by Ancho chili, a little heat, but was not smokey at all. It also contained a smattering of beans which are not included in a bowl of traditional Texas Red.

The wings were good, but as with most smoked wings, the skin was a bit rubbery. They were sauced just enough for my liking, but unfortunately I wasn't a big fan of the sauce. There is a citrus base to the sauce that becomes overwhelming if you eat more than one.

That said, the wings were intriguing. The crust was nice, the smoke level good. They were good enough to raise other questions; how's the ribs? The brisket? The grilled hot dogs? Look's like another visit is in order. Gary? You ready?

BBQ Events: Super Bowl Tailgating Class

Looking for something to do in the dead of winter? Well, here's something that came into my in box the other day that looks like it will be a lot of fun.

Super Bowl Tailgating Class

Wednesday January 21, 2009 @7pm

Come join Southern Hospitality NYC on Wednesday January 21st 2009 at 7pm as our very own Dr. BBQ hosts our first annual Super Bowl Tailgating Class.

Y'all come and learn the true Southern Form of tailgating from the legendary pit master Dr. BBQ who will demonstrate the right way to make the tropical pork chop sandwich, mac and cheese soup, famous Memphis style dry rib, yummy coleslaw, vegetarian beans and the Bloody Doctor which make every party a success. All these great recipes are from DR. BBQ's NFL GAMEDAY COOKBOOK.

So join us as you learn to make your Super Bowl Sunday a new Southern Tradition.

$45 per person (to purchase tickets log on to www.southernhospitalitybbq.com/store)

Southern Hospitality
1460 Second Avenue (between 76th & 77th)
New York, NY 10075
212-249-1001

Photo courtesy of Josh Ozersky of The Feed Bag.

End of Summer?

End of summer? So? We in WhiteTrash BBQ world know, it's always summer somewhere. "Q"ing and grilling are more fun in the cool autumn nights. The fine folks over at Dr. BBQ's joint, Southern Hospitality are hosing an End of Summer Cookout. It looks like a great deal and it gives me a good excuse to finally pay them a visit. Check it out.

Southern Hospitality
presents
Annual End of Summer Cookout 2008

Wednesday September 17th
7pm-9pm

$32.95 per person includes buffet style dinner featuring our famous Memphis Dry & Wet ribs, Fried Chicken, Corn bread, Mac & Cheese and Corn on the Cob along with our famous Sweet Tea.

Add an ALL YOU CAN DRINK DRAFT BEER BAR (excludes Chimay) for only $20 per person from 7pm-9pm.

Don't forget to check out our Hump Day "You Call It" Specials $6 for a drink of your choice (excludes Super Premium)

You must register for this event here.

Southern Hospitality
1460 2nd Avenue (between 76th & 77th streets)
New York, NY 10075
212.249.1001

Undiscerning New Yorkers?

Here's an interesting take on New York's BBQ scene by my friend Paul Lukas a the New York Sun. I haven't been to any of the barbeque restaurants he mentions except for Blue Smoke, so I can't comment on the article. Damn, I've got to get out there!

An Undiscerning Palate

By PAUL LUKAS
August 29, 2007

It's been a little more than five years now since Blue Smoke opened, giving New Yorkers their first taste in decades of authentic pit-smoked barbecue. Since then, a seemingly endless stream of barbecue outlets has followed, including at least a dozen in the past year, and four in the past six weeks. The city's appetite for smoked meat, it would appear, is endless.

But five years of unstinting demand have not yet produced a discerning palate among the city's barbecue enthusiasts Many venues in this new wave of "'cueries" have managed to do a booming business, even if the food is mediocre at best. This category includes the popular Blue Smoke itself, where the food is wildly inconsistent. And recent visits to the city's four newest smokehouses found all of them packed , -- granted, one of them has only two tables, but still -- despite widely varying levels of quality. It's as if putting the letters "B-B-Q" in your window is enough to draw throngs, even if you're serving pizza and sushi.

So when a truly great barbecue outlet comes along, such as Hill Country (30 W. 26th St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, 212-255-4544), it can get lost in the shuffle. Let's be as clear as possible: This is what barbecue is supposed to be. Pitmaster Robbie Richter has produced by far the best marriage of smoke and meat to hit the city in the Blue Smoke era. In fact, his Texas-style barbecue is so good that it rivals the fare at the Lone Star State's most renowned smokehouses. If you've ever eaten down that way, you know how good the barbecue is; if you haven't, here's your chance to discover what you've been missing.

Texas barbecue isn't sauce-driven. The idea is that if you've got really good meat, plenty of smoke, and a good spice rub (in Mr. Richter's case, a fairly simple mix of salt, pepper, and cayenne), sauce just gets in the way. Most of Hill Country's offerings provide ample validation to this approach, from the spectacularly juicy brisket (available either lean or moist -- go for the latter) and the massive beef ribs to the succulent pork spareribs, the excellent boneless ribeye, and the crispy little Cornish game hens. All are infused with a smoky aura that lingers but never overpowers, along with a lip-smacking spice kick that supplies a slow, smoldering burn. It's the quintessence of classic barbecue.

The second-best entry in the latest crop of 'cueries is, surprisingly enough, Southern Hospitality (1460 Second Ave., between 76th and 77th streets, 212-249-1001), which is co-owned by that, um, renowned barbecue expert Justin Timberlake. Despite a horrible vibe (imagine a celebrity-spotting scene at TGI Friday's) and some sadly predictable moments of ineptitude ("No, you have to order both side dishes, because the computer won't let me exit the ordering screen unless I punch in two sides"), a decent percentage of the food actually acquits itself quite respectably. Memphis-style spare ribs are tender and fairly tasty, if not quite smoky enough, baby back ribs are sweet and juicy, and the macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and green beans are all perfectly adequate.

There are also some major missteps: Pulled pork is so dry as to be inedible, and the brisket is utterly bland, but with careful ordering it's possible to have a decent meal here. Still, why put up with an assaultive atmosphere just to have a merely decent meal?

The situation is reversed up at Oklahoma Smoke (231 W. 145th St., between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. boulevards, 212-862-5335), a tiny two-table storefront that recently opened in Harlem. The vibe is warm, the staff treats you like family, and co-owner Paul Packard will happily tell you how he, his dry rub recipe, and his smoker all hail from the Sooner State. Unfortunately, all this love doesn't yet come through in the food. Pork ribs and beef ribs are both far too bland. Smoked shrimp are a tasty surprise (who cooks shrimp in landlocked Oklahoma?), but the dish is overcooked, and the smoky flavor can't rescue the rubbery texture.

Oklahoma Smoke does have one magnificent saving grace, however: world-class collard greens. Unlike so many other collards around town, which have been stewed into mush, Oklahoma Smoke's version has some heft, along with a pork-infused smokiness. It's like a warm, savory salad, and it ranks among the city's top side dishes.

Unfortunately, there's not even a standout side order to recommend at Georgia's Eastside BBQ (192 Orchard St., between E. Houston and Stanton streets, 212-253-6280). The small-ish room is pleasant enough, but the food barely qualifies as barbecue. Instead of smoking the meat, owner Alan Natkiel oven-steams it over a beer bath, finishes it on the grill, and drowns it in sauce. The resulting pulled pork is so stringy and dry, and the sauce is so ketchup-driven, that the dish comes off like day-old spaghetti. Pork ribs are moister but tasteless. The best thing on the menu is fried chicken, but there's no shortage of that in this town.

Despite the food's seemingly obvious shortcomings, Georgia's Eastside had a line out the door on a recent Saturday evening, underscoring the point that, for now, New Yorkers still like the idea of barbecue more than they appreciate the nuances of the form. One hopes that will change as more people find their way to Hill Country, the first smokehouse we can truly be proud to call our own.