Smokeez North

In a little strip mall waaaaaay the hell up in North County (3808 Vaile), the place had some really delightful BBQ. Clean, not scary if not exactly friendly, Smokeez North (and I've yet to find a Smokeez South) offers a good variety of Q from snoots to ribs.

The rib tips were tender, the sauce tangy, and the sides (I recommend the fries) plentiful. A great spot to keep in mind if you find yourself up north.

Mars' Best

About a block south of Merb's on S. Grand, Mars' Best is strictly carry-out. Not that you'd want to stick around after you passed your money through the slot in the bullet-proof window and taken your order out of the drawer that passes through the wall. I just don't remember this neighborhood being THAT rough.

Anyhow - the food:

Stopped by on the way home from work. Got the rib tips. Very tender. Smoky sauce with a bit of tang. The price is quite reasonable. I'll be going back if for no other reason than this is the closest to my house (except Fat Toney's).

Penny's

I'm on my own for this one.

Evidently El Scorcho impressed everyone enough that they wanted to go back Friday instead of, as we had planned, Penny's. A moot point it turned out as Steve had a meeting run late and we went nowhere.

I'll let someone organize these trips for a while and see what happens.

Meanwhile:

Penny's sucks.

The worst so far, by far. I got the pulled pork sandwich and I swear they just pulled a tub of Lloyd's (or worse, the Sysco equivalent of Lloyd's) and slopped it on a bun. $7-something as well. Plus I sat at the bar and got to hear non-stop chatter about who was off when and who partied too much the night before. Ugh.

I know some people swear by this place for BBQ. I attribute this to there being little competition in So. County for BBQ. No need to ever go back.

El Scorcho

This is fairly new addition to Maplewood (on Manchester next to the guitar store) and almost did not make it onto the list by virtue of its Tex-Mex moniker.

It's an odd amalgam of BBQ & Tex-Mex. About eight of us went. The brisket I had was very tender & moist - best I've had since Super Smokers tanked. The sauce is a sweet TX style.

The folks I went with enjoyed the Mexican offerings as well.

Service was enthusiastic but addled with drinks being mixed up and one order completely wrong.

Prices are high for BBQ - not so much so for a Mexican joint in Maplewood, but be warned - they'll clip you $5 for chips & salsa you get free everywhere else in town.

This'll make it to the next round for sure (sans chips).

Sweet Jo Mama's

I scouted this place out and it's a good thing I did. The address is 2800 Olive (at Leffingwell), but you'd have to be looking for it. First problem: the sign had a different name. Second problem:

This is a cafeteria inside a nursing home.

You read that right: a nursing home.

But yes, there was barbecue here. Rib tips were the choice of the day and damned if the sauce wasn't one of the best I've had. As an added bonus, they had the tastiest greens I've ever eaten. As Steve put it "I'm moving here when I retire!".

That said, the meat could have been smoked a few hours more as it was a little on the tough side. All in all - not bad but we probably won't be going back.