(04/30/06)

The Horseshoe had been around since the Prohibition days, first as a private club, then an Irish bar, and since the early 1990s as a BBQ joint. Previously a dive, the Horseshoe Cafe got a major facelift in 2005 and became the Horseshoe Grille. On the outside, it looks huge and fairly respectable, like the kind of place you'd expect to be used for weddings and bar mitzvahs. The digs are pretty plush by BBQ standards, with lots of white bricks and dark paneling, framed pastels of horses, modern lighting, tall padded booths and a fireplace in the dining room. A big bar area has at least 4 plasma TVs. It had the comfortable feel of a Red Coach Grill transported forward from the early 1970s.

We got a nice basket of cornbread with honey-cinnamon butter after being seated. Not bad. The server was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable from start to finish, advising us on the various dishes, sauces and their preparations. My drink never got below 1/3 full without an offer for a new one.

The menu listed the predictable barbecue items (ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausage, chicken) but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were "developed with the expertise of Memphis rib master John Willingham." Willingham is a veteran of the Memphis in May competition and one of the true barbecue masters, so this was a good sign. I ordered a three-way combo with ribs, pulled pork and brisket. My wife ordered grilled salmon from their nice array of non-BBQ items, which include steaks and tips.

Ribs were grilled with dark brown barbecue sauce and served with a wet, caramelized crust. Listed on the menu as St Louis ribs, they were as small as babybacks and somewhat fatty for such a small rib. They were pink inside, moist but not juicy, with not much real flavor other than from the sauce. Disappointing.

Pulled pork was a big mound of finely chopped meat, with a good ratio of bark, tossed in just enough of the same sauce to give the otherwise dry meat some moisture and sweetness. The pork had a good flavor, though, with noticeable smoke. It might have been better with a vinegar sauce, but still pretty good. Brisket was a large single slice (at least 3/4" thick) of meat that was tender enough to cut with a fork, with a strong beef flavor. Not bad, not great.

There was a squeeze bottle of the same sauce on the table, and I also got a small container of a hotter version with the meal.

Sides (tart cole slaw and soupy baked beans) were about average.

The bottom line: decent but less than stellar barbecue. None of the food items wowed me, but the barbecue was real, the salmon was good and the place was comfortable and well-run. If your Aunt Gertrude is in town and you want to take her out to a place she'd like but still have some barbecue, this is a good choice.