Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Barbecue again?
Larry Bly
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If Pit Boss Barbecue claims any pedigree, I'm not finding it on their menu: Memphis style, St. Louis style, Carolina or Texas barbecue? What they do claim, and the proof is the wood stacked outside, is smoked barbecue of all kinds. And that's what you'll get. If barbecue is about sauces, they've got you covered there too, but we'll get back to those in a minute.
Pit Boss is a smallish operation in a no-nonsense building just across from Kroger at Cave Spring Corners in Southwest Roanoke County. The parking lot can be hellish to get in and out of due to the heavy traffic on Brambleton Avenue and the considerable hill leading up to the building, but this food is worth the aggravation.
You may choose pulled pork, chopped pork (some places only offer chopped chicken), beef brisket (pulled, not sliced), wings, chicken breast, chicken, and baby back ribs (15-16 pieces). I recently tried the chicken wings -- crispy on the outside and smoky tender on the inside. It's not my favorite thing, but these wings could win me over.
I've also had the beef brisket, which again is not my preference. If I liked those, then I'd probably be happy with about anything else. Beef brisket, to me, is better pulled or chopped than sliced. It seems to retain more juice and tends to be less leathery.
Pit Boss passed the test on flavor and tenderness in this category.
From the aforementioned meats, the menu allows you order combos, platters and sandwiches; nothing is expensive.
Other menu items include "dawgs," burgers, salads and sides. One of the house specialties is a turkey wrap: smoked turkey with havarti and bacon, then rolled and toasted in a panini press.
Mine was a tad dry, but that's what the sauces are there for, so you can correct it yourself. And about those sauces: there must be a half dozen or so on every table in plastic squeeze bottles. They're not labeled very clearly, just marked on top with a few letters. I wasn't the only one having problems figuring out what was what. I heard the wait-person explaining each to an adjoining table. I found that the best way to determine what sauces you might prefer on which meat is to simply put a dollop of each on the plate and give it quick taste with your finger. Or try a small forkful of each and go with the one you like best. The "hot" ones are clearly marked, thank goodness.
Most barbecue places have pretty much the standard sides: beans, potato salad, cole slaw, etc. Pit Boss has those and others that are distinct: the collard greens feature tiny bits of pork and an ample splash of vinegar. If you don't wish either, don't order it. I liked it for both reasons. Likewise, the baked beans feature some pork as well.
Other sides available: cole slaw, hush puppies, corn on the cob, French fries, and mac and cheese. Some sides may be purchased in bulk or by the pound, but probably should be ordered in advance.
Entrees are served after 5 p.m. and include half chicken (crusty on the outside, juicy tender inside, and smoky) with two sides; full rack of baby ribs with two sides; and combinations of meats and sides. Entrees run from $9.95-$22.95 for the baby back ribs.
The dining room is small, but there's a counter; and the owner tells me that an outside deck is planned for spring. An ABC license is also pending. Currently it's soft drinks and tea and coffee.
Pit Boss is already doing a lot takeout, bulk sales and catering. Most Saturdays you'll find them packing up a huge feed for the Tech tailgaters.
This is a family operation, with mother and son working the kitchen and dining room when I've been there. The owner had previously operated a half-dozen or so barbecue places in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. But apparently the rigors of that operation cost him his marriage, and he tells me, "I'm just going to work at this one and enjoy it more."
His mother, who is a delightful soul, sometimes makes the cake taht sometimes sits on the counter and makes soups when those are featured daily specials.
Pit Boss Barbecue
3904 A Brambleton Ave.
Roanoke, VA 240l8
540-400-6645
