Righteous Urban Barbeque

I have not yet used this space to review any product or establishment, so perhaps this will be the start of a reviewing trend. I have now eaten R.U.B.'s exquisite BBQ cuisine 3 times and am ready to tell you, my reader, about it.

R.U.B. is a new BBQ joint located on 23rd St in NYC just west of 7th Ave. From the outside, you can see a fairly meat-oriented kitchen at work along with large loaves of white bread. From the inside, the décor is not terribly impressive - just basic seating and dull walls in a casual environment (I like to wear only an undershirt when I'm there). The real spectacle here is the food.

One look at the menu makes you keenly aware that vegetarians are not welcome here. There are a number of variations on carnivorous themes all over the menu. Over the course of my 3 R.U.B meals I have tried several of the meats and sides. I will describe and critique them here:

Pork Butt (Shoulder): This is the Holy Grail of BBQ, as far as I am concerned. In fact, if someone asks me what my favorite food is, and my answer doesn't include some variation of pork shoulder, please punch me in the face. R.U.B. does it just right. I was told cooking/smoking for a 7:00 PM serving of the butt started at something like 3:00 AM that morning. The cooking is low, slow, and smoky. The end result is crispy outside, juicy inside, and so tasty I am drooling on my shirt as I write this. It's got a great smoky sweetness with a melt-in-your mouth texture. You could add a little of their sweet BBQ sauce to the meat, but I personally think the fat on the pork makes a better sauce. You'll need a decent size crowd to eat this (and pay for it - it's $90 or so). You should also order it the day before as it is available on a limited basis. It is served whole with tongs, so you also get to enjoy the primal act of ripping the pig flesh from it's bone.

Pulled Pork: As above, but pre-shredded and seasoned with a tangy BBQ dressing that was reminiscent of East Carolina BBQ without quite being East Carolina BBQ. Absolutely exceptional.

Baby Back Ribs: Stunning flavor. They are dry-rubbed, so don't expect something goopy and falling off the bone, but man are they tasty! They exhibit a deep, rich meaty flavor complemented with a strong natural smokiness.

Deep Fried Ribs: Imagine crispy fried chicken on the outside and tender, smoky ribs on the inside. This may be one of the most delicious things I've ever had. I did mention that eating here will take 2 weeks off your life expectancy, right? By law you are required to report this activity to your life insurance company so they can adjust your rates.

Smoked Sausage: The sausage comes out sliced up into rounds (at least on a combo plate). It is loaded with a peppery flavor that balances perfectly with its smokiness. Surprisingly it isn't very greasy at all.

Brisket: Cow-lovers rejoice! It's not all swine at R.U.B. The sliced K.C. style brisket is smoky, tender, and juicy.

Burnt Ends: These are "fatty burnt ends" of the brisket. These are thick chunks rather than slices. As advertised, they are fatty, although not quite as burnt as you might imagine. They are good if you get them hot. They do tend to get chewy as they sit. You should eat fast anyway so you can cram more food in before your brain knows that it's full.

Baked Beans: The single best bean dish I have ever eaten, hands down - perhaps the best side dish I have ever eaten. The beans are cooked just to that sweet spot of tender but not mushy. They are covered in a sauce that's a complex blend of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors loaded with chunks of what appear to be brisket. Sweet mother, why aren't you running to this restaurant to get these beans?!?!

Fried Onions: Crispy, airy and light, these taste great on top of everything else. As far as I can tell, these are the only menu items that a vegetarian can eat, unless they're cooked in lard. And I wouldn't be surprised if they were cooked in lard.

Greens: Very serviceable mixed greens floating in a savory liquor along with small bits of what I believe to be pork.

Vinegar Cole Slaw: Great vinegar tang along with a very strong celery flavor. It was crunchy and chopped up nice and fine.

Fried Oreos: Basically, these are zeppole with piping hot Oreo cookies in the middle. Decadent and delicious.

The price is very fair for what you get. The portions are enormous. The staff is friendly and responsive. Overall, I am madly in love with R.U.B. and strongly recommend this establishment to all carnivores. The deal was definitely better before they got their liquor license (it was BYOB), but this has hardly diminished my love for the place.

As a side note, if you are a friend of mine or just live in NYC, let me know if you'd like to make a trip out there on a weeknight. I won't miss any reasonable opportunity to hit it up.