May 2005
My Brother’s Bar-B-Q
The 7in7 had a major wrench thrown into the system today. Someone scheduled me for a lunch meeting and didn’t even bother to have it catered by a BBQ restaurant. This was beginning to smell a little bit like sabotage, but it would take more than a lunch meeting to keep the BBQ Junkie down. Much more.
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Outdoor Grill
Outdoor Grill and Handy J Hand Wash
Today was the 7in7 hump-day and it ended up being a bit of a challenge for me. My boss asked me to go with him to Costco during lunch and, being the supportive boss that he is, he suggested that we do the Outdoor Grill for today’s 7in7 BBQ restaurant. I was actually thinking about doing the Outdoor Grill until L.A. Dining beat me to it. I’m not trying to say that I can’t review it because they have already done it. I’m just saying.
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No-Fuss Carne Asada
A quick suggestion for Cinco de Mayo, or Mother’s Day, if you want to have yourself a little fiesta but not too much fuss. Grill some carne asada, it’s quick, painless, and delicious. Here’s what you do to save a lot of time and energy. Find your local Latin/Mexican grocery store ( I like Vallarta) or carniceria (Mexican butcher shop) and ask for their carne asada that already been prepared (also called “carne preparada”). It’s usually skirt steak that has been marinated in a special marinade unique to each carniceria. Sometimes it’s in the glass at meat counter and other times you have to ask for it. Once you get your meat, all you have to do is grill it and you’re a star.
While you are at the market, pick up some homemade salsa (again, unique to each store) and a package of tortillas and you have an instant Cinco de Mayo/Mother’s Day celebration. You might also want to try your hand at the BBQ Junkie “pico de gallo.”
Enjoy.
Santa Maria Barbecue Company
Santa Maria Barbecue Company in Culver City
What to do today for the 7in7? I have a late start on lunch, 12:30, and I have to be back for a 1:30 meeting. Who schedules a 1:30 meeting during the week of the 7in7? That’s another story. Going off of a tip from a co-worker, we decide to put Santa Maria Barbecue Company to the BBQ Junkie test.
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Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs
Through my powers of persuasion I was easily able to convince some co-workers to join me in the 7in7 and participate in an evaluation of Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs BBQ restaurant. We had two criteria to meet; it had to be near our job in Santa Monica and have good BBQ. Having previously visited Mr. Cecil’s, I knew that it would meet both criteria without a problem. I called ahead to see if they offered any vegetarian dishes. You can stop laughing anytime. It wasn’t for me, but for my carpool partner who is a recovering meat eater. I was told that they have a couple of vegetarian items, kabobs and such, but to avoid the fries because they were cooked in lard. I give them props for that alone. So on we went.
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Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
The smell of smoking mesquite has often called to me long before the restaurant sign is visible from the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills .
I decided to start out the 7in7 with what to me was an unknown, a stranger among friends. Not a complete stranger, but one that I have seen around So Cal many times. There are several locations scattered around Los Angeles, Ventura and Orange counties. Although I have often wanted to, I had never stopped in. Today, I am pleased to say that the silence has been broken. Today is the day that I was formally introduced to Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill. The humble exterior of this BBQ restaurant did not match the interior, which was refined and expansive.
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