It should come as no surprise that my travels are built around food; heck, my whole life is built around food!
And since I haven’t gone abroad for some fine eating in foreign climes in a long time, my culinary travels have been here in the good ol’ United States of America — where going off the beaten path brought me time and again into the land of Barbecue in Excelsis. I’m talking about ‘que joints on the backroads of Texas and the Deep South, where the best ribs and brisket aren’t served in proper restaurants with tables and servers, but in roadside destinations of every imaginable funkiness.
And I do not overstate the funk of where I ate. Barbecue cooked in shacks so ramshackle a strong sneeze would knock them down. Well-smoked chow served on gravel, where you could eat in the midday sun — if you brought along your own folding chair. Ribs and chicken cooked on a homemade pit behind a barn, where the chow you ate in your car was accompanied by clucks and lowing — a slightly creepy feeling of guilt served as a side.
Utensils were non-existent. So was dishware. And napkins. And even bags. I’ve eaten a lot of great food wrapped in brown paper, and in at least one case in a local newspaper, leaving newsprint on the chicken skin at no additional charge.
Here in the Valley, we’re not quite that funky. But…we do come close. And in one notable case, we combine fruit smoothies with takeout containers of pretty good ‘que. Which is what you’ll find at the wholly unique Coco D’s (7161 Lindley Ave., Reseda; 818-826-1531, www.restaurantji.com/ca/reseda/coco-d-s-/), which probably would leave Texas and Southern barbecue eaters utterly confused.
The sign over Coco D’s says, “BBQ & Grill/Breakfast.” There’s a poster on an outside wall that says, “Acai Bowl.” There’s a hanging sign that reads, “BOBA.” Within, Coco D’s is a combination takeout joint, healthy eating and barbecue shop, along with a grocery store. You need Nutella or Sriracha, they got it. There’s a table too. But most folks get their chow to go. Which could be a breakfast croissant with bacon, sausage, eggs and cheese; grits with cheese, eggs Benedict, or an egg and veggie bagel. There’s a chicken and egg wrap. And gluten-free sausages too.
To wash it down, there’s a Cappuccino Blast, fruit slush and fruit smoothies; you can add an organic protein boost if you want. There are wraps for lunch, and sandwiches. But I went here for ‘que, which is simple and to the point: teriyaki chicken, beef short ribs and pork belly are the options. They’re served with white rice and a green salad; neither of which I encountered out in the boondocks. The ‘que came out fast, was tasty, and darned inexpensive. I ate it with some celery and beet juice. In my car. But still…
Scout’s Honor BBQ (736 S. Glenwood Pl., Burbank; 818-742-6873, www.scoutshonorbbq.com) would probably be a great barbecue restaurant — if it actually existed as a restaurant. But it doesn’t. It’s part of the current move toward “ghost kitchens” — which are essentially takeout commissaries, offering food to go. Often, they’re found in anonymous warehouses, with no sense of the food presence at all. But in the case of the wonderfully named Scout’s Honor, there is at least a presence — including a printed menu, a desk in the lobby, a camp chair in front with the shop’s logo on it and actual people to speak to. People to speak to about the wonders of the food, with slogans like “Prepared for Hunger” and “Follow the Smoke.”
The ‘que served here is really good, exceptionally so. “Pickled” wings! Trailblazer Fries topped with a choice of meats — including chopped brisket, smoked tri-tip and pulled pork. A Log Cabin Sandwich packed with hot links, pulled pork, mac ‘n queso and a cornbread waffle. There’s a Camper Chopped Salad with smoked chicken breast or smoked tri-tip. A Brisket Caesar. And an Explorer Plate with a choice of two meats two aide and “all the fixin’s.” Show up early, and there’s a brisket breakfast burrito. There’s banana pudding for dessert. Cinnamon roll waffles too.
For a restaurant that isn’t a restaurant, I love this place. Maybe someday…
And “someday” is Saturday at the Handy Market (2514 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank; 818-848-2500, www.handymarketburbank.com). Which is the day of the week that, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., this Burbank market cooks “Handy’s Famous BBQ” in an adjacent parking lot, where roasting meats perfume the air, and what seems like much of Burbank shows up for everything from smoked turkey legs, to tri-tip, oversized meaty beef ribs, more manageable pork ribs, half chicken, sundry sausage, with baked beans, cornbread, mac and cheese and corn on the cob.
There are sandwiches. But many opt for trays of the meats, to feed friends, neighbors and whoever else is attracted by the aroma of well-smoked meats. The parking lot location brings Handy’s closer to the roadside joints I’ve found in Texas and the South. Convenient to nearby freeways to boot.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
The Link LonkSeptember 24, 2021 at 07:25AM
https://www.dailynews.com/2021/09/23/this-san-fernando-valley-bbq-trio-is-hard-to-beat
This San Fernando Valley BBQ trio is hard to beat - LA Daily News
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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