10 Great Places for Unique Barbecue

I read a fabulous article in USA Today by Larry Bleiberg entitled "10 Great Places for BBQ with a Unique Sizzle". In the article, BBQ guru, Stephen Raichlen, shared his favorite places along with a little tidbit about each of them. If you are near any of these, give them a try and let me know what you think!

1. Aburiya Kinnosuke (New York) : a hyper-authentic Japanese robatayaki bar where fresh fish, meats, and vegetables roast on vertical stakes in front of charcoal. The restaurant uses super-premium Japanese charcoal that burns hot and slowly. Raichlen suggests ordering the tsukune, a chicken dumpling grilled on the back of a wooden spoon.  http://www.aburiyakinnosuke.com/

2. Allen & Son Barbecue (Chapel Hill, N.C.) : As traditional as it gets when it comes to the wood-smoked pork sandwiches. According to Raichlen, Owner Keith Allen is one of the last guys who splits wood, fires it up, lets it burn down to embers, and smoke roasts. Sandwiches are served withe just the right amount of vinegar sauce in the Carolina tradition.  (919) 942-7576

3. Oklahoma Joe's (Kansas City, MO) : a former gas station turned restaurant run by multi-KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) Grand Championship winner, Jeff Stehney. This guy knows smoke "backward and forward" according to Raichlen.
http://www.oklahomajoesbbq.com/

4. Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (Llano, TX) : Classic roadside joint.  They cook smokey and tender meat outside over giant pits of oak wood embers all over the small Hill Country town. Choose from beef brisket, ribs, pork shoulders, or even goat, which Raichlen says tastes like "lamb with a hangover". www.coopersbbq.com/tour.asp

5. Soot Bool Jeep (Los Angeles, CA) : Located in Koreatown, they specialize in bool kogi (thinly shaved ribeye steaks) and kalbi kui (butterflied, sweet soy and sesame glazed short ribs) which they grill on charcoal-burning braziers in the center of your table. Yes, it's real charcoal, not gas burners. (213) 387-3865

6. Camino (Oakland, CA) : farm-to-table style restaurant that roasts ingredients such as heirloom vegetables and small-farm pork over a wood-burning hearth oven. On Saturday and Sunday, during brunch, they serve bread cooked over wood fire. http://www.caminorestaurant.com/

7. East Coast Grill (Cambridge, Mass.) : In 1985, this place became the first modern restaurant in the country to focus on a wood-burning grill. 25 years later it's still going strong. Raichlen suggests the grilled blood-rare tuna steak. http://www.eastcoastgrill.net/

8. Pok Pok (Portland, OR) : Raichlen calls this place "the best Thai street food this side of Bangkok". You'll find charcoal-grilled sates, Thai-spiced ribs cooked in a Texas-style smoker and chicken roasted on a vertical charcoal rotisserie. He notes, "the flavors are so insanely robust, they'll weld your tongue to the roof of your mouth". http://www.pokpokpdx.com/

9. Dressing Room (Westport, Conn.) : According to Raichlen this restaurant serves the BEST wood-grilled burger in North America...a fairly strong statement. Raichlen has 20 requirements for making a burger and this kitchen follows all of them, from using grass-fed, organic beef to serving it on a homemade brioche bun. http://www.dressingroomhomegrown.com/

10. Al Forno (Providence) : Raichlen refers to this place as the "birthplace" of grilled pizza but he also loves it for its Dirty Steak - a New York strip laid directly on the embers...you get this amazing crust. http://www.alforno.com/

Photo via Gourmet Magazine showing charcoal stakes at Aburiya Kinnosuke