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| - After my last review, I received a response from the owner, Justin. I had my hopes up that he would take the bull by the horns and things would be much improved. In that spirit, I returned to POAF on 9/28. Mondays, as a rule, aren't too busy. Therefore, it makes sense that the staff would have the time to be diligent.
I was hoping for a brisket sandwich, beans, mac n cheese and a Dr Pepper. This is typical barbecue. At 12:15 pm on a Monday, I was told that they had run out of brisket! I settled for half a rack of babybacks and the aforementioned sides. BTW, POAF's soda dispenser was out of Dr Pepper. I settled for sweet tea.
The babybacks were smoky, a bit chewy and hung on to the bone -- and they were almost room temperature. The beans were good and spicey. There were a couple of scraps of meat in the beans. However, not as much meat as there once was. The mac n cheese was, as usual, very good.
I'm trying to be supportive and understanding. I really am. However, I just don't understand how a barbecue joint runs out of brisket, on a Monday, before any real lunchtime rush. It's these missteps that have become emblematic of my trips to this establishment. I worked my way through college in a hotel kitchen. I watched the prep chef get fired over not having a steamship round ready on time. I'm wondering who was in charge of smoking briskets and if they still have a job....
Management has to solve these problems. One day, there's no meat in the beans. The next time, there is meat in the beans, but not as much as there used to be. Lastly, a failure to adequately prepare enough of one of your signature menu items to get through a Monday lunch is inexcusable. The problems here are a failure of leadership. I don't blame the laborers. I blame management and ownership for this carelessness.
I hate to say it, but it almost seems like POAF is coasting on it's reputation.
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