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| - Shakey Jake's is a new BBQ Soul food style joint just over the river on the South side of 35th Avenue. It's only three weeks old and they are busting a bit at the seams with customers. This cramped feeling might change in the future if the owner can expand into the suite next door. Any place that needs more space after the first three weeks must be doing something right. Time to taste what the "BBQ that will Shake you Up" was all fussin' about.
You will smell the smokey BBQ flavors when you enter. The red shirts of employees crisp and working in the back. One register for now so the entry is a bit cramped and there was a line to wait in. When we got to our turn we ordered up a feast. Full rack of family Ribs, three sides (we chose the yams, the greens and the mac and cheese--there was no corn option though...) a whole chicken, two catfish singles and drinks. Then we got a number and headed back to our seats. While we waited (about 20 minutes) we were unfortunately stuck watching an infomercial television and hearing music far too loud for conversation. The bathroom was locked and we had to get someone to open it, in there the music was 3 times as high and my daughter had to go to the bathroom while covering her ears. I hope they tone that down.
Our food came, no chicken or cornbread so I had to go wait up in the line again. When I got to the front the chicken mistake was mine, I didn't check the receipt and apparently we hadn't got it on the bill either, so I ordered it up. When I went back to the table my partner showed me the ribs. They told me I'd have to go back up and return them, they were burnt. I told them to do it, I was starving and wanted to dig in to the sides they had already eaten while I was in line! The yams were mushy and cinnamon tinged, buttery, almost like pie filling not mashed completely though. I actually like that flavor, so enjoyed them. The greens were hot! I mean there is spice and pork in them. These are fresher greens than I've gotten in most soul food places and the hottness was new as well. I thought they were a good shake-up for sure. The mac and cheese suffered from a very common new business mistake. It was obviously made ahead and reheated. To ensure that Mac and cheese stays creamy, they should seperate the pasta and cheese and once an hour mix up enough to serve fresh. Because it wasn't done that way, the family recipe seemed to be without creaminess or seemed to lacked cheese. You can't make cheddar ahead or it will seperate. Hopefully they will pick up that tip of the trade soon, or I wouldn't order the mac and cheese in the future.
The chicken and cornbread arrived and the smokey saucy flavor poured out. Our mouths were salivating. Some parts of the chicken were pretty dark, but we pulled the flesh apart like carnivores and dredged it into the spilled sauce all around. Really great flavor, but the chicken was a bit too dry for me. We packaged up the chicken and awaited our replaced ribs.
Unfortunately they forgot about us. While we waited we finished the sides, ate up the catfish which had an excellent breading and the fish was juicy tender, then we ate the cornbread. The bread was in a medium sized muffin shape, very sweet and sticky.
This place needs some wipes! The wet kind, paper towels were just sticking to us.
After 40 minutes had passed, and after watching scores of customers get served we knew we had been lost in the shuffle. Up I went to wait in line a third time, this time to remind them that we were waiting on a full rack of ribs to come out. Everyone in the kitchen thought someone else had taken care of it, but they were very sorry for the wait and the confusion. They took the ribs off our bill. Knowing we still obviously wanted dinner, they said a fresh rack would be incoming shortly.
Then the owner came in and greeted me, we expressed the whole evening so far to him and he was very appreciative of the comments and said, "That's what we need to hear, we are a brand new first time restaurant all family owned, so we appreciate what you can share to help us do right by you." While we waited for the ribs he comped a peach cobbler so we wouldn't be hungry.
Then the ribs came out and OMG were they stellar! Hot, juicy, saucy, savory... above all THEY were what we had wanted to see when we dropped in. If I had gotten these ribs, with the sides and chicken and time went smooth from the get-go I would add stars. The smokiness is really a big part of what makes the BBQ work here and what makes it different than all the other places. I am hoping that this place can work out the kinks in their system, things were too shaky at Shaky Jakes on my first visit; however, this is a very sincere owner who put themselves in a location that needs them. Despite the two star visit, I gave them three for trying to fix everything. I would return and hope for four stars then.
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