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| - The Mr and I went to Barque for a celebratory dinner last weekend. We are both big BBQ fans, and he had been raving about Barque for a while. We ordered the sampler, which included the following on that day: (1) arugula salad w/ a lemon-shallot vinaigrette (2) smoked wings (3) 1/2 rack of ribs, 1/2 chicken, brisket (~3 oz), and BBQ pork (~3 oz) (4) sautéed garlic green beans w/ sliced almonds and fingerling potatoes topped w/ jalapeno, cheddar (5) brownie w/ pistachio cream. A bit pricey at just over $80 but it was a lot of food and the quality of the meat was evident.
Overall, I have to say I was satisfied with my meal but not really blown away. Highlights:
- The SMOKED WINGS were stellar. I would come back to this restaurant simply for another plate of these crispy little things. The rub reminded me of a honey-chipotle rub that I use at home and absolutely adore - a smokey, slightly sweet, very rich flavour that is profoundly satisfying for a BBQ lover.
- The CHICKEN and the PORK were juicier than I've ever had. I suspect both cuts of meat are treated to a decent brining before being cooked. Regardless, in both cases I didn't feel the need to dress the meat up with extra sauce - it was flavourful and succulent without all the extra fuss.
Disappointments:
- The RIBS were small, the dry rub was odd (but not bad), and the meat itself was not fall-off-the-bone as I would've liked. They weren't bad I was just expecting a lot more.
- The BRISKET. What happened here? Dry, bland..blergh. 24 hour brisket should be buttery and tender, not whatever that was.
TLDR; Wings are bomb, ribs are all about expectations, atmosphere is good if snug, prices are high but you get what you pay for.
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