Saucy Service at Brazen BBQ

Brazen BBQ
441 Washington St
San Diego
619.816.1990


Have you ever been to a restaurant and the energy was drained from the place? Well that's not Brazen BBQ! From the moment you step through the door, the friendly staff and the open dining area welcome you in for a meal. A long bucket of ice cold beer sits off to the side; trophies from various barbecue competitions lining the wall; the distinct smell of cooked meat in the air. It's enough to make you say, "Yes, I want to eat here!"

I pulled up a stool on the patio and was greeted by my server. I asked for their Signature Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich and Stone Pale Ale. The ingredients alone roped me in: tangy coleslaw, tobacco onions, and their barbecue sauce, all on a sweet brioche bun. The server agreed, I was in for a fun time!

The wooden patio is great for people watching. With a window directly connected to the bar, you never feel like you're isolated from the rest of the restaurant. I can envision this becoming a very popular patio in the summertime.

The pulled pork made its way to my table and it was amazing. Far too big to be easily palmed, this sandwich required me to use both hands to keep the coleslaw and onions from escaping. With a splash of their sauce, this pulled pork was complete! However, I noticed on the menu a specialty drink that I just had to order.

"Maria's Michelada, please." I asked.
Long pause from the waiter.
"It has a lot of barbecue sauce in it. Is that okay?"
"The more the merrier!"

Maria's Michelada consists of Longboard Lager, their B.R.A.G. barbecue sauce, Trappeys, bloody mary mix, and a fresh lime. I was either going to love it or love it. Wild horses couldn't drag me from this concoction.

When it finally came out, I mixed the drink up and took a long swig. Just as I expected, the tangy barbecue sauce married perfectly with the smooth lager. Despite my love for Stone's beer, I had to admit that this was going to be my drink whenever I visited.

With a belly full of pork and an empty glass, I walked off the patio a satisfied man. There's nothing like coming to a barbecue hungry and leaving with a smile.


RATING: 8 out of 10

Dining Out: A Quick BurGR Bite

BurGR
(inside Planet Hollywood)
3667 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas
702.785.5555


Being a huge fan of cooking shows and being fortunate enough to have actually met a few of my culinary heroes, I was definitely intrigued when I saw Gordon Ramsay's BurGR restaurant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

With a wait time of forty-five minutes, however, I decided to try my luck at the bar area instead. Luckily for me, there was a seat opening up right as I walked over. Sorry, family-of-five waiting in the wings ~ papa needs to drink!

Honey-Pig Bao Bun

Since I didn't experience a full BurGR sit-down, I won't give a full review. However, let me tell you that the Honey-Pig Bao Buns was amazing! A slow roasted pork belly garnished with cucumber and radish strings, teased with cilantro, and drizzled with honey hoisin sauce sat beautifully on my plate as I watched a baseball game and drank my Stone IPA. 

This was a great afternoon distraction from walking up and down the strip all day. I was definitely glad that I stopped in and decided to stay a while.

Considering the incredible service I received from the bartenders and the high-quality bao bun they brought me, I would venture to say that BurGR is worth a dining trip. However, it's not so bad for a quick bite either.


RATING: 7 out of 10 (bar area)

The Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013 (First Round)

Living in one of the best cities for local breweries, I decided to setup a taste test for a few friends. Inviting over two close bar room beer buddies, Million and Natalie, the stage was set for the First Round of the Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013.

The four contenders

Purchased at the local overpriced liquor store up the street, I picked up four 22 ounce bottles of San Diego favorites: Orange Avenue Wit from the Coronado Brewing Company, Trippel Ale from the Green Flash Brewing Company, a Double IPA from Ballast Point, and a tried-and-true standard IPA from the good folks at Stone.

Million showed up about twenty minutes before Natalie, so I decided to reward his punctuality by cracking open the Orange Avenue Wit. From the beginning, we both noticed a strong citrus aroma that was overwhelming to the palate. The spices that accompanied every sip were greatly appreciated; however, the taste of orange was too much to ignore. Rather than subtle hint of the fruit, like in a bottle of Shock Top, the raw citrus blast insisted upon itself. We polished off the bottle and gladly moved onto the next contender.
Million: 6 out of 10
Chris: 4 out of 10

Natalie finally showed up and we poured out the Trippel Ale. Within the first few sips, it was clear we were no longer on Orange Avenue. The hops were strong from start to finish, leaving a slightly bittersweet aftertaste at the end. Both Million and I loved it, though it took Natalie everything she had to finish off her glass. For a casual drinker like her, the Trippel proved not to be her cup of tea.
Million: 7 out of 10
Natalie: 5 out of 10
Chris: 7 out of 10

Moving onto our third San Diegan beer of the night, I topped off everyone's glass with the Double IPA. Natalie immediately felt a return to normality as she guzzled down her glass, citing that this beer was more of her speed. I must admit that the Double IPA felt familiar; like a stronger Bud Light, but with more flavor. Million did the opposite of what I was expecting and claimed it had a 'weird aftertaste.'
Million: 6 out of 10
Natalie: 7 out of 10
Chris: 7 out of 10

The final drink of the night was a standard Stone IPA. Renowned for its simplistic yet satisfying taste and wide variety of flavors, Stone is the premier San Diego Brewery (in my humble opinion). By the first tasting, however, my cohorts agreed that we had arrived at the king of the competition. The beer was flavorful without being pungent; strong without being overwhelming. We all arrived at the same conclusion by the last drop... Stone had satisfied our thirst!
Million: 8 out of 10
Natalie: 9 out of 10
Chris: 8 out of 10

The final verdict is in...!

By the end of the Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013, we were ready to reward ourselves with a case of Stella Artois. The night was a success as we all agreed that the winner was the Stone IPA. We ended the night responsibly as everyone fell asleep on the couch. The group vowed for another round in the near future, with the Stone IPA making another appearance and three brand new contenders.