Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ

When it comes to classic American BBQ food that includes ribs, brisket, smoked sausages and such, I have to confess that most of my experiences have been at chain restaurants, except for one memorable quickie dinner at Hungry Al's BBQ in West Covina. It's not that I don't enjoy indulging the carnivorous side of me, but with my love of ethnic cuisine, that's generally where I end up spending my dining dollars towards.

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Then Robert, who's an Assistant Organizer for my dining group, set up a Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ in Compton and after experiencing their food, all I could say was "Thank goodness I'm a carnivore." When we arrived, one of the first things I saw was a deep fried turkey being pulled out of a fryer. Crispy skin and juicy turkey meat! What a great precursor to what would turn out to be quite a BBQ feast.

In fact, my carnivorous self was also able to taste quite a variety of Bludso's meaty offerings, starting with their beef and chicken hot links. Unfortunately, these were just okay. It lacked something. A firmer texture? More flavor?

The pulled pork was tender with a nice smoky flavor to it.

When it came to the tri-tip, in truth, it wasn't very memorable, but in a way that's good, right? I always remember when I don't like something.

I enjoyed the crispy skin of the chicken, but it was dry and needed just a little more seasoning, but dip it into Bludso's spicy bbq sauce and you're good to go.

But what really did it for me was their ribs. Pork or beef, it didn't matter, because both were juicy, meaty, smoky and had a wonderful seasoned crust that was tasty to bite into.

When it came to the sides, I was blown away. My absolute favorite was the collard greens. Generally, you hear about collard greens being cooked with pork, but these were cooked with turkey and the flavor was amazing. I could have eaten a whole bowl of those greens and called it a night.

I also enjoyed the corn bread, which had a nice texture, as well as the beans which had a smoky sweetness that was appealing. The mac and cheese was a little dry on the surface, but got creamier as you spooned your way towards the middle.

As for dessert, they have a few to choose from, but my recommendation is to order either their housemade Red Velvet Cake or their Banana Pudding. The Red Velvet Cake had a lovely moistness to it and for me, that Banana Pudding was simply unforgettable.

Overall, this one meal really had me seeing American BBQ in a different light and I look forward to going on more culinary journeys exploring this cuisine.

To see all the pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157620989362675/

Bludso's BBQ
811 S. Long Beach Blvd.
Compton, CA 90221
(310) 637-1342




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