Head's Red BBQ wrote:its hard for me to tell sometimes ..maybe because I cook and eat BBQ regularly..i dont sense as much of a smoke presence as others that Im dining with sometimes....

That's definitely true especially if you've been smoking meat all day. Whenever I can, I try to grab a quick shower and a change of clothes once I've finished cooking while the meat is resting. I've found that helps get rid of the residual smoke so the taste of the meat isn't as muted.

Gypsy Boy wrote:

GiveMeFood wrote:I was there last night. The official opening is tomorrow.

As Ron asked of another poster above,

ronnie_suburban wrote:Do you have an affilation with the ownership of this place? I'm asking because you are tasting items before their actual opening. If so, could you please clarify your relationship so that all of us reading this thread understand can exactly where you're coming from with your posts?

Thanks.

Sorry for the late reply, but there was a soft opening last week before Friday, pretty much all week. I was there covering it for Highland Park's Patch site, but it seemed like any passerby could just walk right in and eat for free. Most of the people in attendance were friends and family, but I did see a few randoms wander in while we were there.

We had dinner there last night. I continue to enjoy their offerings. The burnt ends were the most faithful rendition I have had in Chicago (I know that is not saying a whole lot). Chicken was moist and delicious and the turkey continues to be great. We had a lot of sides but i didnt try anything other then the green beans in balsalmic. My wife loved the corn bake and sweet potatoes.

Given the other bbq offerings in HP, I am very pleased to have RUB so close to my house.

Lunch today was a step backwards from the taste I had last week. Today, in addition to the smokey notes still being faint to non-existent on all our meats (brisket, pulled pork and burnt ends), the brisket was really dry and no smoke ring was visible. Bark on both brisket and pulled pork was good, though. Burnt ends were just not good by any measure. They were desicated, chewy and really hard to get down, and again, no discernable smoke there at all. I thought the beans were way too sweet but I liked the big chunks of meat that were in them and the variety of beans. Cole slaw was not to my liking but very few ever are.

I think this place is going to do very well. I doubt that most HP'ers will care too much about the low level of smokiness (or even notice it) and will continue to patronize it. That said, at 12:30 today, it wasn't very crowded at all. I'll go back in a few more days just to see how things have progressed.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I doubt that most HP'ers will care too much about the low level of smokiness (or even notice it) and will continue to patronize it.

=R=

Hey, some of us HP'ers do care. I'll wait a few weeks for the kinks to work out before I swing by.

I think I'll wait a little bit for them to get their place up and running right, but the pulled pork was pretty darn good when I had it at the Taste of HP.

ronnie_suburban wrote: Burnt ends were just not good by any measure. They were desicated, chewy and really hard to get down, and again, no discernable smoke there at all.

Not my experience at all. Hopefully you got a bad batch and mine were not a lucky good one.

I wonder if the burnt ends issue is a lunch versus dinner thing. My lunch burnt ends, taken out of the oven/warmer were clearly some sort of leftover, probably from the night before. Sounds like Ronnie's were too. Maybe at dinner they have some from the same day that havent had to be reheated and dried out.

-Will

ronnie_suburban wrote: Today, in addition to the smokey notes still being faint to non-existent on all our meats (brisket, pulled pork and burnt ends), the brisket was really dry and no smoke ring was visible. Bark on both brisket and pulled pork was good, though. =R=

I concur with your observations regarding the general lack-of-smokiness. In addition to the brisket and pulled pork, we also sampled their St. Louis ribs. Not only did their meats lack any degree of smokiness, I would also say that they didn't have much in the way of any discernible flavor.

I was very disappointed with our maiden (and probably only) visit to Real Urban BBQ. The only redeeming items that we tasted were the sweet potato fries and the sugar biscuits. Other restaurants have minor issues when they are brand new ( most often related to service or capacity ) but "taste" of the finished product is not usually one of them.

I ended up having a "snack" late afternoon yesterday. I used my wooden nickel and got a full sized pulled pork sandwich for it (no slaw). I wanted to try more things but I had a dinner planned, so this was already pushing it. I got a side of the mashed potatoes. The potatoes were decent, if nothing special. The sandwich was on a nice bun that held up well, and the pork was very tender. I didn't get a lot of bark in mine. Didn't notice much smoke in the flavor. But I quickly jumped on the 4 sauces they have at every table. I knew I would rotate them which is annoying but I wasn't sure which I liked more. They were all pretty good to me. The Texas Roadhouse is similar to Famous Dave's Texas Pit (a favorite of mine). The Original sauce was sweet (I remembered this from the Taste of HP). The Carolina sauce was tangy and something I want to have more of. I'm newer to that kind of sauce. The mustard wasn't bad either, but I ended up not using it much. All in all, I am pleased with the pork. I admit I am no expert BBQ eater like many of you, but for this area, this place may suffice. I want to try a lot more.

I did ask the owner Jeff what happened to the smoked corn on the cob. He said it will be a summertime item. They will rotate certain items that are in season.

How did you get a full-size sandwich. My wooden nickel got me only a snack-sized sandwich.

lsher wrote:How did you get a full-size sandwich. My wooden nickel got me only a snack-sized sandwich.

Mine got me a full-sizer. Didn't have to ask -- that's just what they gave us.

=R=

I went there Thursday night to get an order to go. I ordered the brisket and the ribs; each as a dinner so we (my family), and I could try 4 sides: mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, baked beans and cole slaw. I agree with Ronnie on the cole slaw and as for the other sides, I would only order the baked beans again.
My experience with the brisket is the same as everyone else. No smoke. Pretty, but no smoke.
I found the ribs to be confusing to order: wet, dry or rubbed. I wanted rubbed, with sauce. So I ordered the the rubbed with sauce on the side. I would have preferred rubbed with the sauce finished and caramelized on the grill. They were delicious. And the meat didn't fall off the bone. I experienced just enough tug to make it an enjoyable meal. The rub is sweet yet with a little heat in it.
The woman managing the to go orders was extra conscientious making sure our order was complete.
In any case I will go back for the ribs.
Michael

So, Mrs. Roadhouse and I stopped in for dinner before heading up the street to the Landmark Theater to see "Today's Special" (I can't believe there isn't more discussion here of this lovely little foodie film. If you haven't seen it, you're really missing the boat). We each got three sliders, each with a different meat, so we could get a wee taste of everything. Between us we got the brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, and turkey. Smoke flavor as others have noted was light at best, but the flavor and texture of the meat, in general, was pretty darned good.

Jeff Shapiro was wandering the room, checking up on his customers, and sat with us for a few minutes to discuss Barbecue, his years in the restaurant business, and catering to his Highland Park clientele. This last item is perhaps the most important, at least in terms of the style of 'Que he is serving at his establishment. When Jeff asked how our meal was, I gave him an honest answer. This led to a (non-defensive) discussion of how he smokes his meat (Cookshack pellet smoker) and why he aims for a lighter smoke flavor.

Jeff explained that the HP crowd wouldn't accept a smokier product and since he is there to serve the community, he feels he should cater to their tastes. I'm not sure I agree with his assessment of the North Shore Barbecue Sensibilities, but hey, this guy grew up in the area, he knows just about everybody up there, and if he says this is what they want, I guess I have to believe him.

For those of you who strongly disagree and feel RUB should be true to the Ideals of Barbecue (whatever the hell those might be), and anyone who doesn't like "real" Barbecue shouldn't eat there (or anywhere else for that matter--anyone who doesn't like Real Barbecue should just starve to death, am I right people?!?), all I can say is...don't eat there. I mean, this guy is a businessman; a restaurateur. His job is to make food that will appeal to his intended audience and keep his restaurant going for a very long time.

He understands his intended clientele and cooks for them. It's not his job to educate the public against there will as to what Real Barbecue is supposed to taste like. And frankly, what he's serving up there isn't such a bad version at all. Our brisket was moist with some decent bark. Same with the pulled pork and burnt ends. Mrs. Roadhouse focused on the turkey, so I can't comment on that , although I can say it came from a real, whole breast and not a processed loaf, as is the case at many of Kansas City's finest Greasehouses.

We also enjoyed our sides of mashed potatoes, corn bake, cole slaw, and baked beans. The taters were clearly the real thing; nice lumps, good texture, and a clean potato flavor. The corn bake was a good version of a classic Indian pudding. We liked the slaw's tangy buttermilk undertones. We also liked the fact that the beans were made from several different varieties of legumes and didn't find them to be too sweet at all.

As for his sauces, I'd rank them as follows:
1. Piedmont-This was Jeff's interpretation of the central North Carolina style of Barbecue Sauce. Vinegar based, similar to an eastern NC version, but more and different peppers, with a touch of tomato for color.
2. Mustard-This is RUB's original house sauce (sweet and tomatoey) mixed with three different types of mustard. The mustard is predominant so I'm not sure why they didn't just start with that and build a totally original sauce around it instead of just mixing in another existing sauce. But hey, it works, so who am I to judge?
3. Texas Roadhouse-They say it's from Texas, but the spice notes I noticed immediately were closer to several Kansas City sauces I've had. Gate's, LC's, and Bryant's all came to mind upon first tasting this sauce.
4. RUB's House Sauce (or whatever they call it)-This one was actually too sweet for me. Jeff Shapiro says this is what the Highland Park crowd wants, so this is what he makes. Once I mixed it with any of the other less sweet sauces, it was pretty good.

About the food in general I will say this; when I've eaten at other 'Que joints I've noticed that after a while my taste buds start getting used to the flavors and they become less interesting as I get towards the end of the meal. At RUB it seemed like my sense of taste increased with each bite. Maybe it was because I was drinking their (excellent) lemonade and that acted as a palate refresher. Maybe it was because I was trying different combinations of sauces with each bite so it was always new. I don't know. All I can say is, the flavor in the last bite was just as intense as the first, if not more so.

Finally, let me just say, that I'm still Smoque's #1 Fan, and I still love them dearly. But anytime I'm headed up to Highland Park for a movie, RUB will be my dinner stop.

And seriously, go see "Today's Special".

Buddy

So, Mrs. Roadhouse and I stopped in for dinner before heading up the street to the Landmark Theater to see "Today's Special" (I can't believe there isn't more discussion here of this lovely little foodie film. If you haven't seen it, you're really missing the boat).

You are free to begin a topic.

Jeff explained that the HP crowd wouldn't accept a smokier product and since he is there to serve the community, he feels he should cater to their tastes. I'm not sure I agree with his assessment of the North Shore Barbecue Sensibilities, but hey, this guy grew up in the area, he knows just about everybody up there, and if he says this is what they want, I guess I have to believe him.

I have lived in this community for 40 years, I have seen lots of people miss the boat on what people expect here. Otherwise the business district would be far more stable than it has proven to be.

When I bring pulled pork to a party here, it is swooped on and vanishes rather quickly. I have friends who have been known to drive to Uncle John's and Barbara Ann's for their BBQ fix. I know a cross-section of people, which at least suggests there is interest.

It is not my dime on the line. Who knows I might have made the same choices RUB did.

Regards,

Jeff explained that the HP crowd wouldn't accept a smokier product and since he is there to serve the community, he feels he should cater to their tastes. I'm not sure I agree with his assessment of the North Shore Barbecue Sensibilities, but hey, this guy grew up in the area, he knows just about everybody up there, and if he says this is what they want, I guess I have to believe him.

This is BS, the guy is a total cop out if he feels that Highland Park cant handle a taste filled smoke product. There are other HP places that load up on the flavor, Merk Cheddar Michaels Burgers or NY Slices "The Grandma Slice"- made with smoked buffalo mozzarella cheese, hand crushed plum tomatoes, and roasted garlic.

These are things that foodies enjoy in HP and redefine what Jeff has assumed of the HP eaters.

RUB's brisket has NO smoke flavor.

Skokie may not be like HP but I do know that Barry Sorkin (originally from skokie), of Smoque BBQ, does not assume that northside people are going detest smokiness when he started with his co-owners.

Jeff and his notion that people in HP wont like smokiness is absurd and he is alienating the HP hinderlands customers who actually want smokiness.

I will be going to smoque bbq where the real people who like smoky food eat.

Once again, Jeff Shapiro is a businessman who is making choices based on his understanding of his broadest market's tastes. We (foodies) are different. We will travel from Highland Park (or other points north) to the south side of Chicago (Hell, we'll travel to other states just find out about the next greatest cheeseburger we heard about from some guy) to explore the culinary possibilities. The average diner in HP and surrounding areas will not make that trek.

We were there at the dinner hour and there was no shortage of customers. Maybe this will change, I don't know. Maybe Mr. Shapiro will get braver in his use of smoke and the north shore crowd might respond with great enthusiasm. Only time and the market will tell.

If you're someone who insists on smokier flavor in his Barbecue (admittedly, I do prefer it but do not insist on it) then you should take your business elsewhere. Of course if you really insist that RUB make Barbecue to your liking, I suppose there is one way to insure that you'll get it. I figure Jeff Shapiro is looking to pull in upwards of a couple grand a night. If you're willing to pay him that much on a daily basis, I reckon he'll smoke his meats any way you'd like.

Buddy

Starbucks -- at least at the onset -- didn't assume that people wanted to drink the same, familiar cup of coffee everyday. They went for something different and pretty much changed the way much of U.S. feels about coffee, creating a huge market (for themselves and others) where one didn't even exist previously.

I'm not saying that Mr. Shapiro has any chance of changing the world on the same scale but by adapting his product to a distilled down version of what he assumes the tastes of Highland Parkers are, I believe he's seriously limiting himself from any significant growth beyond the immediately local crowd. On that basis, I'm not even sure it's a good business strategy. As I posted above, I think he'll be plenty busy for a long time just doing what he's doing but it's unlikely the place will ever become a destination for those who don't live nearby. In business, you always have to add customers because no matter how good you are at what you do, you're inevitably going to lose them, too (for reasons that are beyond your control). When the first wave of customers recedes a bit, who will replace them? Other Highland Parkers? That's a finite pool of customers. It seems unlikely that Real Urban BBQ, in its current configuration, has the "juice" to draw diners from farther afield but maybe no restaurant in Highland Park, no matter how good its food, could ever do that. He's the pro and it's his money, so he gets to decide. It also seems entirely possible that he could catch lightning in a bottle, turn into another Michael's and be as busy as he can bear for as long as he cares to stay in business.

I just know that my experiences at Real Urban BBQ have left me disappointed and wishing for a more "real" style of barbecue. I wish I liked it more because it could not be more conveniently located, relative to my office. I'll continue to stop in from time to time but less often and less enthusiastically than I would if the product were smokier. But again, I doubt they need my office's business to be successful and I wish them all the best.

=R=

Never heard of a BBQ man limit the smokiness of his product for his clientele. Also for the record just because I participate on LTH Forum please don't call me a (FOODIE) Thanks!!

Danny

i have heard of this smoke control by some other newly opened places.
cooking for the peoples tastes?
i dont know that it is for me ?
the places that have told me that they want less smoke ,to me is not the bbq that i'm looking for
though i have not been here yet

Hi,

I have to admit surprise when I heard they were using pellet burning smoker. I wonder if the limitations are related to the process they acquired for the restaurant and maybe they cannot make it smokier.

Regards,

Even though I haven't lived in HP for several years now, I grew up there and spent enough years there (let's see ... 30?) that I do feel like a native. Personally I don't get why HP residents would be presumed to not like a good smoke flavor to their barbecue. But then, I certainly don't know everyone's tastes and I don't know what market research Jeff has done.

Could it be that the Port Clinton Square property managers don't like the amount of smoke that a good smoky barbecue place would put out?

Buddy, I haven't seen "Today's Special," but I'm going to. I was quite intrigued that the Tribune movie critic gave it four stars.

3rd visit last night with the whole family. I know there's a lack of deep smoke inthe food, but I really find the overall taste and texture very pleasant almost across the board. Really love the chicken and like the ribsand sausage a lot though I ask for the rub on the side and switch between the mustard and vinegar sauces. All the sides have nice flavor, though the carrots might be a tad too sweet. If I want Q, and don't feel like doing it myself (or travelling into the city) then this is my place.

Knowing that I love a good BBQ brisket sandwich, my girlfriend picked one up last Friday night at RUB along with three of their sauces and a couple of sides. The meat was fine for my tastes and the sauces excellent. Went back again today for lunch at 1 pm and ordered the same product. It was not as moist as before, but I still enjoyed it.
Not being a BBQ aficionado, I would imagine it must be very difficult to make a consistent product primarily due to the differences in the basic meats used.
IMHO, the above thread indicates how peoples' tastes are different and that, my friends, is what makes the world go around and around.
Best regards,
Grandpa Bob

Finally hit RUB for lunch on Saturday and it was good but not great. Had the three mini sandwich sampler (turkey, brisket and pork) while my wife had the redneck taco (pulled pork on a corn "ho" cake). We shared some mac and cheese and garlic fries. Of the sauces, the Texas (spicy) was the consensus favorite. We liked the Carolina (vinegar, too). The house and mustard were too sweet for my tastes.

We were impressed by the entire operation and it was clear a lot of time and thought went into this place. As an HPer, I not only am happy to have another option in town, but I want to see local businesses open and thrive.

While the food was all top notch in terms of quality, as has been discussed over and over, it didn't have that certain something (I guess its smoke, but I am no expert) to make it crave worthy. It's a good option for a quick lunch or dinner because of proximity and given the lack of options (BBQ Pit, Ravinia BBQ, Players), but it's just not up to Smoque or Big Ed's standards in my opinion.

Maybe the flavors will evolve or Jeff will try some more "smokier" items in response to the feedback. I understand the thought of trying to cater to stereotypical HP diner, but once he's established maybe he'll grow more adventurous.

I stopped by this place last week (open 5 weeks) and was talking to the owner Jeff. He says he has competed throughout the years with Kansas City BBQ. This is the real deal. They have a couple of commercial smokers and were pulling out a couple of smoked pork butts and a brisket when I was there. I tried the brisket topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw wrapped in a cornbread taco (Red Neck Taco). It was excellent. The brisket was moist and tender. The side of pork n' beans was incredible with chunks of pulled pork thrown in the mix. If you're in the area, it's definitely a must. I'm planning to return this week and take some home for the family .

mcdraw wrote:I stopped by this place last week (open 5 weeks) and was talking to the owner Jeff. He says he has competed throughout the years with Kansas City BBQ. This is the real deal. They have a couple of commercial smokers and were pulling out a couple of smoked pork butts and a brisket when I was there. I tried the brisket topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw wrapped in a cornbread taco (Red Neck Taco). It was excellent. The brisket was moist and tender. The side of pork n' beans was incredible with chunks of pulled pork thrown in the mix. If you're in the area, it's definitely a must. I'm planning to return this week and take some home for the family .

Our office lunches have left much to be desired. We've had lunch from here 2 times since my last post on this thread. In neither instance has there been any discernable smoke flavor in the food. Service has been friendly, prices are very reasonable for the neighborhood but the food is not something I'd go out of my way for...and I'm a person who will routinely drive 20+ miles each to get the meal I want. Meanwhile, this place is literally steps from my office and the only reason I return is to see if it has improved at all.

I really question the decision to go with the smoker they're using. I say this not only because the food produced on it is not smokey at all but also because the place has been pretty much dead at lunch time (at least when we've picked up), which suggests to me that people are not returning after their initial visits. I also question the contention that competition bbq is "the real deal" but I suppose that's a debate for another thread.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I really question the decision to go with the smoker they're using. I say this not only because the food produced on it is not smokey at all

Real Urban BBQ hosted what I tend to call the serious BBQ group that Dave Raymond, aka Sweet Baby Ray, organizes every two three months and I thought the BBQ, brisket in particular, Chicago top tier.

Brisket, Real Urban BBQ



The obvious question is did RUB step up their game when they knew 35 BBQ guys were coming in, maybe, I would, but in talking with Jeff Shapiro, owner and pitmaster of RUB, it seems he took customer and internet input to heart and about two weeks ago made a small, but significant, procedural change that resulted in increased smoke flavor and visible smoke ring.

I liked the moist smoked chicken and the pulled pork had bits of Mr. Brown, always a plus, Burnt Ends were real burnt ends and Texas style sausage juicy with good casing snap. Baby back ribs were a shade tough and very lean, I will try Saint Louis, aka trimmed spare ribs, next time.

Real Urban BBQ





First thing said as I walked up to the serving line was have a burnt end.

Burnt End



Nice looking place, almost too nice for a 'real' BBQ joint, but at least they don't have valet parking. Service, customer flow, customer interaction was excellent, though I'd expect no less from a man with Jeff Shapiro's background.

Prices seem reasonable for the neighborhood, I randomly ran into a Highland Park resident I knew picking up dinner for the family, and I can see RUB's whole smoked chicken for $12 with two sides becoming a mainstay on Highland Park and Deerfield dinner tables.

In reading my mostly positive review please let me point out that while I paid for dinner our group was given menu carte blanche for a reasonable fixed price. I've also known Jeff for a few years and find him a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and engaging BBQ man.

Enjoy,
Gary

My first visit this past Saturday evening yields three comments:
1. The place literally had a line out of the door at 6:00 on a Saturday evening. Business seems good, and they seemed well staffed to move things along.
2. A guy brought his ribs thinking they weren't fully cooked because there was a pink ring.
3. As for the food, I had the St. Louis ribs rubbed (sauce on the side). I found the rub a bit too sweet for my taste. I'll return to try the chicken and brisket but I'll go other places for ribs.

Jonah

ronnie_suburban wrote:Lunch today was a step backwards from the taste I had last week. Today, in addition to the smokey notes still being faint to non-existent on all our meats (brisket, pulled pork and burnt ends), the brisket was really dry and no smoke ring was visible. Bark on both brisket and pulled pork was good, though. Burnt ends were just not good by any measure. They were desicated, chewy and really hard to get down

This sums up my feeling exactly after eating RUB takeout tonight. The ribs looked nice, had a nice chew to them, but there was NO smoke flavor at all. The burnt ends were terrible. They were so dried out I actually had to spit them out to avoid choking on them. I don't know how you manage to make burnt ends that don't taste like they've been smoked?

Mac and cheese was passable. I am a big fan of the hoe cakes with pieces of jalapeno in it which was very tasty. Sadly they were the highlight of our meal.