Dan's the Man!

Barbecue. The most ancient of cooking techniques and the quintessential summertime fare. There’s nothing better than the sizzle of a steak hitting a hot grill or the sweet smokiness wafting through the neighborhood on a balmy weekend afternoon.

There’s passion around barbecue – I’ve seen grown men at the brink of brawling over techniques and recipes. Everyone’s got their own secretive method, and it’s held close to the chest. It’s this extreme single-mindedness on achieving perfection that makes barbecue so good.

It’s readily understood that the Midwest and the South own barbecue. But now Lancaster’s got a bit of the South on West James St. That’s where Dan the Man has his barbecue shack. It houses a huge grill that takes up a quarter of the space. The rest of it makes sure your traditional sides of things like cole slaw and baked beans are ready to go for your platters. That means there isn’t room for on-site dining, so when you go, be prepared for take-out.

Dan opened up shop a little more than a year ago and it’s a family affair. Everyone pitches in, and it’s such a familial atmosphere that you feel you’re one of them when you’re there. They’re the salt of the earth, and you can almost taste the home-cookin’ love in their collard greens.

Dan’s better at some things than others. When it comes to barbecued ribs, Dan is totally The Man. The ribs are meaty and tender, falling off the bone. Combine that with his award-winning barbecue sauce, and what more can you ask? When we ordered our half rack of pork ribs ($11), we told Dan to do his thing, so he combined the medium and hot sauces and layered it on. Delicious. I recommend getting more of the sauce on the side to make sure every bite you take is appropriately slathered.

Among the other things we sampled was the BBQ 3-pc. Chicken Platter ($9.50), with sweet potato fries and macaroni & cheese. Unfortunately, the chicken is something Dan is still working on. It’s pretty dry. Even the award-winning sauce can’t mask this issue. Both sides are good, but there’s nothing memorable about them.

The last thing we tried out was the BBQ Pulled Pork Platter ($10.99) with the collard greens and yams. Flavor is great, and the pork is nice and moist – as long as they keep the pork braising in its sauce. As the moisture in the holding pan evaporates, anything that isn’t covered in its juices gets dried out, and I got some arid pork pieces mixed in with the rest of the moist morsels.

The collard greens are great—cooked until tender. I so rarely have a chance to get them, but when I do and they’re good? I just can’t get enough. Instead of the traditional ham hocks, Dan’s wife makes them with turkey parts. Just as good. More, please.

Now, I’m a big fan of yams, just not of candied yams. They’re already sufficiently sweet – how sweet does one have to make ‘em before they’ll eat ‘em? But I like yams enough, I’ll pretty much get them anytime they’re offered. And these are good. They’re sugared, and as I throw my arms up in surrender, I’ll admit that they’re good.
Final assessment – stick with the ribs. You can’t go wrong, because Dan’s figured out his secret method, and it’s close to perfect.

Cincinnati, for real?

The last time I was in Cincinnati was my first time in Cincinnati. It was 2004, and it was the trip that introduced me to an amazing array of beers from all over the world. It was the first time I ever had Chimay Blue from Belgium and Hitochino from Japan. It opened up a new appreciation for good beers, and for that, Cincinnati will always have a soft spot in my heart.

It all happened at JeanRo's, a little French bistro on Vine Street. It's one of Jean Robert's first restaurants of his now five, and as good as the beer was, so was the food. It was rich, delicious, complex, and yet simply French. I don't remember my own dish, but I remember someone else's. He had the Coq au Vin, and it was the best version I had ever had. Everything I've had since pales in comparison.

This past week, I went to Cincinnati for the second time in my life. We went straight from the airport to JeanRo's. After 4 years, I had to admit I might have been a bit tentative about how it might have changed. With Jean Robert's expansion into 5 different restaurants in the city, I was concerned there would signs of neglect. But it certainly did not disappoint. I had my La Chouffe - Belgian for "the gnome." A delightful pale ale that's rich in flavor, with a light sweetness and served in a glass with a little colored gnome on it. I love it.

I was all ready to go with the Coq au Vin, but was convinced to switch to the Filet by the server. When faced with the options of beef or chicken, I always go with beef. This was a hard choice, but I relented. Am I glad I did. The filet was perfectly medium rare and tender as a tender could be. It was topped with a blue cheese mousse and accompanied with potato au gratin and sauteed baby carrots. Not an extra grain of salt or pepper was dispensed--it did not need any adjustment at all. It was all delicious and I was so perfectly happy. Along with the dish, I had a glass of Joel Gott's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich and smooth, a perfect companion with the filet.

Before the trip, I was counseled by many a folks who used to live in Cincinnati that I shouldn't revisit JeanRo's, but to go to the Montgomery Inn's Boathouse for their famous barbecue. Not one to miss out on an opportunity, we made plans to visit this restaurant for lunch before the trip back home. Now, maybe it's because I just reviewed Lancaster's Dan the Man BBQ, who has tremendous ribs. Maybe it's because all the pomp and circumstance led to high expectations. Whatever the reason, I was not impressed. The ribs were thin, like they came from a starving pig. The sauce was good, and that's fine, but come on. Great sauce on a toothpick is hardly satisfying.

Final assessment: I continue to love JeanRo's. It introduced me to my first love of Belgian beer. And any place that can keep up their game over all these years has my vote. And I hope to enjoy it again in the future years.