Beyond BBQ (46th and Dodge)

Let me be straight with you, I really don't consider myself an expert on any of this, as I hope you would understand from reading my musings. I just like food. I don't consider myself a "foodie" or "gastronome". There's just something about those labels that oozes "pretentious".

I do consider myself "hungry" from time to time.

So, it was a Tuesday. And I felt like getting some barbecue.

Omaha has quite a few good barbecue places... at least in my opinion. Jim's Rib Haven, the recently closed Amarillo, Bill's Barbecue and Hartland are a few that I like. A new place opened not too far from home called Beyond BBQ.

Some friends informed me of a peculiar quality of Beyond BBQ: besides the expected ribs, brisket and pulled pork options, BBBQ has ASIAN FOOD. (Here is where I would like to insert the sound of needle scraping across a record - like this - it's late and I decided I'm too lazy to download and embed the sound, so just click on the link) And not just any Asian food, possibly Filipino food. This piqued my interest. I love BBQ and I drive by this place everyday, but now I MUST try it.

My primary mission was to ascertain whether or not this Asian food was, indeed, Filipino food.
Here's an excerpt of a twitter conversation between a friend and I as she found out I was at BBBQ. Great minds think alike. (you can follow me @Midtown_Brown if you're feeling saucy):

Me: Checking out Beyond BBQ in midtown.

Friend: @Midtown_Brown You *have* to try the egg rolls there. Yum!

Me: I did! FYI they are Filipino lumpia! Score.

Friend: @Midtown_Brown Oh, and you *must* try the pork kabobs sometime. OMG. Delish.

Me: I did that too! Fantastic!

Again, I was "hungry". Not only did I try Asian Platter #3 for pork kabobs, as suggested by my friends, I ordered egg rolls (or what we call "lumpia" in the Philippines), some wings AND a half rack of ribs.

Remember - "hungry".

And no, I did not finish everything. Just had to try it all.

The rib order was the logical progression of me seeing the BBQ sauce offerings at this place. Lots of vinegar based sauces and even a mustard based sauce. Nice! Most places around here serve up a KC style, thick, gloppy sauce that, to tell you the truth, gets old after a while.

Logic:
- I see sauce.
- I want to try sauce.
- In order to try sauce I must have meat.
- Order meat.
- Therefore I can try sauce.

See Homer, I still remember stuff from our philosophy class! Now, if i could make a barbecue sauce diorama... (sorry, OLD inside joke).

Bottom line: the Asian food is Filipino... maybe it's better to say Filipino-ish. The lumpia and pork kabobs are really good, but only represent a tiny portion of the Filipino food spectrum. Check out the Philippines episode of No Reservations for a good run down. Now if only this place started serving lechon...

The ribs were pretty good. Not the best I've had, but there's potential. Better than average for sure. It's a new place, so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. The sauce selection was a nice surprise, and the sauce quality was really good. Very refreshing to have some vinegar and mustard based choices.

The place is run by a husband and wife team, and they are very nice. The husband is a jovial fellow, and I get the feeling he really wants to make good barbecue. The wife is from my parents' home town back in the Philippines and she treated me just like a family member, complete with the encouragement to eat more and constant prodding to become a doctor or engineer...

So, give the place a shot if you have the opportunity. Pricing is good and what you would expect for a BBQ joint. The Filipino-ish stuff can be had at around $6 bucks a platter. Not bad. Let us know what you think. Leave a comment or email us some suggestions of places too.

Check back for more. There might even be more tonight, stupid insomnia.

Later gators.

- J

The end of another hiatus?

Hey pals,

So it seems BOTT may be fast approaching the end of yet another hiatus. If you have forgotten, we started this adventure back in November 2007. We then took year long breaks between December 2007 and December 2008, and yet again between February 2009 and February 2010. We've been on this current break for almost a year.

I am happy to report that Homero and I are all grown up now. H is a lawyer and I'm, hmmm... I dunno how to describe my job... I am no longer in grad school. Whoo! To tell you the truth, I am still figuring out how to do this "free time" thing again. I'm working on a list of activities to occupy my time.

Right now I am in my hotel room in Des Moines, IA. I've got a meeting to attend here in the AM, and while I'd rather be driving to Illinois right now to hunt down some Blatz Beer, I am instead taking a minute to report on a minor food adventure. I'm in a different town for a few, so why not?

After sifting through some helpful suggestions from some friends, I decided on Vietnamese food. It's freaking cold and all I could think of was getting some delicious, steaming hot pho (pronounced 'fuh'). For those unfamiliar, pho is (in my opinion) the all-time greatest of the noodle soup species. You can read more about pho here. For me, the broth has no taste equal. I really don't even have a clue as to how to describe it. It's just so good. I asked a Des Moines resident, and fellow Filipino, about some Vietnamese places to hit up. I went to a place called 'A Dong'.

Yeah, yeah... If Homer we're here, right now you would be reading the obligatory Brown on the Towne dick joke.

Their pho was good, but I've had better. Still very satisfying. I give them props for providing some very fresh thai basil, cilantro and bean sprouts to get thrown into the soup. I was more impressed by their ca phe sua da, otherwise known as Vietnamese iced coffee. I love this stuff. It's like the most pleasant feeling kick to face, if there ever was one. Take STRONG espresso, condensed milk and chicory, then throw it over ice.

If you're back in Omaha, grab a bowl of pho and ca phe sua da at the Vietnamese Asian restaurant on 72nd and Jones. You will not be disappointed.

I've stopped by some other places back in Omaha as a food blog warm up. Check back here for some quick thoughts on Beyond BBQ and Maru Korean Grill. Both good. Even better with good company. I have a feeling more posts will be headed your way as well.

Stay warm out there.

-j