Restaurant Reviews from around the country!

Like many companies, my day job has cut much of our travel budget - I guess it makes sense to keep us off the road unless we are generating revenue but it sure has put a crimp in my restaurant reviews. So ... If you have a favorite BBQ joint in your neighborhood, can take a few pictures (the place, it's sign, and a plate of food is what I always try for), and you feel like you can write a decent review - send me your stuff! I'll credit you on the page, and you'll have earned my respect and gratitude (sorry no prizes yet :)

Send your review and pictures to Bob@bobthegrillguy.com

Thanks!

I found a great BBQ joint at my latest exotic location - Houston, TX!

Luling City Market

From time prehistoric, women have gathered and men have hunted. Even today - women gather together to "find" things like make-up, plastic bowls (that make an airtight seal!), purses, jewelry, and even those intimate items that we guys know nothing about. And like the days of our ancestors we men go yonder to find meat: deer hunting, fishing trips, even poker games (okay, that last one is stretching the definition of “hunting” but you do hope to bring home more than you left with). Nothing has changed in thousands of years!

Back in the day, the hunter would bring home a haunch of mammoth and immediately build a fire to roast a feast fit for a king! The fire, and all the mystery that surrounded it was the domain of the hunter ... and we liked it that way!

Even today in most homes, I'd bet that the grill is still the domain of the man of the house. He comes home, ignores the clean house and kids his spouse has provided, steps out on the deck, and fires up the grill. His goal - to cook up some tasty meat (none of those effeminate vegetables here - just prime USDA meat!)

If you're that guy (or if you're a woman who wants to invade those hallowed coals) then this web site is for you! Here we celebrate what has traditionally been known as MANLY!
This weekend I tried my hand at competition BBQ - albeit on a very small scale. I competed in the Farmington Dew Days Rib Cookoff. "Dew Days" is our annual festival - I'm not really sure what it's supposed to celebrate, and, to be honest, we have never really paid it much mind. I have, however, noticed the Rib CookOff every year - and this year I decided to give it a try. This competition has been growing every year (with the popularity of BBQ contests in general) and this year was no exception - we had a whopping 12 teams competing!
Competing is an all-together different experience from BBQ'ing in your backyard. First - all your equipment has to be (or be made) portable - and you need to think of everything before the day starts (no going back for those special tongs - although I broke this rule a couple times…) You also have to have some sort of protection from the elements - so my first (of many) purchase was a 10'x10' canopy (luckily with 4 side walls - which came in very handy at the competition.) So here we are - the Bobber's Competition Q Team, just after having setup in the downpour that started our day …
The competition started off bad - bad weather, I tripped over some equipment and skinned my knee (bad enough that I bled into my sock,) and me and the "team" had a disagreement on bad weather cancelation policy … but everything except the weather got better as the day wore on … here you can see the afternoon storm - which had all of us holding onto our shelters hoping the wind wouldn't rip them right out from on top of us!
We cooked all day - and I have to tell you I am pretty proud of the team (although they ran off early to be in the parade …) I was ready to turn in my 4 best ribs on a bed of spinach greens right on time. The judges took about 1/2 hour to taste them all and … out came the results. Out of a field of 12 competitors, The Bobber Competition Q Team took home 4th place. No trophy, no cash, and not much in the way of bragging rights, but we're proud and we'll get them next year!