Review - KBQ Real Barbecue 7.26.08

Only open for less than a year, first glances upon this tiny restaurant do not conjure up any special feelings nor give any indications for what's in-store. Located a few miles outside of D.C. and nestled in a suburban shopping center in Bowie, KBQ Real Barbecue's simple façade doesn't jump out at you as a traditional BBQ joint like those found graced along southern highways. Once inside it’s a different story.

KBQ Real Barbecue is a personal homage to legendary music and "Q." While maintaining its simple theme, the walls are covered with posters and photos of blues and jazz legends, there are a handful of occupied tables to your left, a blown-up menu to your right, and a small counter in front of a window into the kitchen straight ahead. Once you taste owner Kerry Britt's food, his simple approach is amplified and distinctly displayed in good tasting, quality ribs.

With the juices still flowing out of the ribs (and sometimes to its detriment) one bite into your cut and you will find that Mr. Britt does not try to overwhelm your mouth with competing flavors – the most dominant taste is smoke, but peppery spices are evident through his rub. His ribs are well prepared and well cooked – tender while maintaining its composition. Between the two of us, our cuts were consistent with one another, one cut was a bit fattier than the other, but neither felt that one received a significantly better plate than the other.

The ribs come dry, but the sauces available at each table compliment the ribs well. Although the differences are only subtle, the two sauces: original; and sweet and spicy, both add to the total flavor and taste, without over powering the meat.

This is our second trip to KBQ Real Barbecue. Both times the quality, flavor and taste were consistent. Most notably about the entire experience, Mr. Britt takes the time to greet all of his customers, answer questions, and just make small talk with all those who enter.

Mr. Britt has a genuine respect for barbeque and is a true professional who has studied the industry and clearly believes that no job, from cooking to clearing tables, is too small or unimportant for him.

The ribs platter costs $12.99 and comes with two sides (we recommend the mac-n-cheese) and choice of bread (two types of cornbread or a dinner roll). A half rack contains between six and eight ribs.

In addition, if you are hungry – make sure you order KBQ's original sausage. Crispy skin, spicy, with outstanding overall flavor – it’s worth a trip on its own.

Our ratings (see how we rate on the side bar):

Presentation/Visual: 8
Tenderness: 8
Taste/Smoke Flavor: 9
Sauce: 7
Overall Impression: 8

Recommendation: One of the best – come often.

KBQ Real BBQ:
12500B1 Fairwood Parkway
Bowie, Maryland, 207201
http://www.kbqrealbarbecue.com/

Why We Do What We Do:

We were spoiled once.

In a small rural town, known more for pigskin than most anything else—there lies a BBQ joint unlike any other. Located on the other side of town from its more famous cousin, most of those who make an annual pilgrimage to this city are unaware of its existence.

It's not unreasonable to understand why. There are no signs, no billboards, nor any television commercials promoting its unique taste. You cannot find it on any map, there is no menu online, nor any souvenir t-shirts available for purchase.

To get there, you must follow your nose and turn down an unassuming, somewhat hidden, two-lane road. There, perched on top of a hill, you will find a small rustic shack with a stack of wood lined up in the back, a single counter top, and a park bench or two situated outside alongside its stone bricked walls. The essence of it can be summed up in one word... "simple."

Like its appearance, its menu has remained unchanged since its opening so many years ago. Its proprietors, who live in a quaint house on the same property, maintain the same daily routine. Perfected by years of practice, each day begins before dawn. They manage the homemade backyard pit like an old pro, cook their meat with love, and provide the best barbecue one has ever tasted. They keep serving until there is no more food to share - a feat that happens more often than not soon after lunch is served each day. Don't bother calling ahead. They are usually to busy to answer the phones.

Unfortunately, the years have passed and we have moved away from that small town and instead found ourselves surrounded by the big city lights of D.C. Despite the distance, we have never forgotten - and still yearn for - the perfect blend of smoke, flavor, and taste that one finds there.

Some come to the Beltway to change the world, others to obtain power - we just want some good "Q." At first we were skeptical, unsure that we could find anything up to par. But through extensive research, recommendations from those we respect - some who we do not - and pure luck, we have discovered a pantheon of known and unknown BBQ joints throughout and across the Beltway region.

This site is the pre-eminent resource for Beltway BBQ. Its mission is to debunk the region's reputation and once and for all prove, what we have surprisingly discovered -- Good "Q" is found here, you just have to know where to look.