Feast Your Eyes: Deep Fried Turkey from Bludso's BBQ

 

Deep Fried Turkey Being Pulled from Fryer at Bludso's BBQ

Links to Check Out:
Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ
Sunday BBQ at Bludso's BBQ Photos
Bludso's BBQ Website

I'm Willing to Drive for the Pork Ribs at Cambinos Asian BBQ

I first heard about Cambinos Asian BBQ when it showed up as an outing on my dining club's calendar. Even though it was in OC, just the thought of Asian BBQ was enough to get me in my car for a drive beyond LA County boundaries, especially since I had such a wonderful experience with Park's Finest BBQ. By the way, owner James Sar, is Cambodian, but named his restaurant Cambinos after his former Filipino-Cambodian basketball team that used to play around Orange County.

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While the very name of the restaurant seems to indicate that the BBQ served there is a fusion of Cambodian and Filipino cuisines, James' friend, who was managing the restaurant at the time of our visit, mentioned that the purpose of Cambinos is simply to serve home-style BBQ utilizing general Asian influences and not necessarily specific to any one country. We were also told that a different BBQ sauce was developed for each of the various meats on the menu.

To get a broad idea of the BBQ, our group opted to split several plates of their Mixed Plate to share. This Mixed Plate consisted of steamed rice, grilled veggies, chicken and pork skewers, chicken thigh, beef short rib and spare pork ribs. Normally priced at $9.95, you can get it for $7.95 on Saturdays.

The first thing I tried was the Boneless Chicken Thighs which was marinated in a house blend of spices and hoisin sauce. Unfortunately, the marinade was a little too sweet for my palate, so it wasn't a hit with me.

Next was the Beef Short Ribs, which was marinated in a soy based sauce with ginger. This was just an okay dish for me. It needed more ginger.

Then I took a bite out of the Pork Spare Ribs which was marinated with a blend of lemon and lime juices along with garlic and other spices, and I was completely wowed. First, the meat was tender and practically falling off the bone. Second, I enjoyed the tart and slightly vinegary flavor of the meat itself. These ribs are definitely a must order.

As for the skewers, I didn't realize at the time that there were actually two different skewers on the plate, which meant that I didn't get to try the chicken skewer. I did try the Pork Skewer with a special marinade blend of spices, brown sugar and ginger and I found it absolutely delicious. It reminded me of Filipino BBQ, which actually is always on skewers.

Seeing the Grilled Cornish Hens with a Pineapple Glaze on the menu piqued our interest, so we placed an order for that as well. I'm so glad we did. Along with the Pork Ribs, those hens are a must order. The chicken meat was tender and juicy with delicious tropical flavors.

For dessert, we also checked out their simply called Yellow Cake. A small cake that was moist and had a slight sugar glaze to it that even made it more appealing.

Overall, I really enjoyed my Cambinos. While there were a couple of items I could pass over, everything else was really stellar. So much so, I'm planning on bringing my assorted family members there for a meal sometime. If you happen to be in the Cypress area, be sure to check it for yourself as well and go for those ribs. Yum!

Cambinos Asian BBQ
5721 Lincoln Avenue
Suite F
Cypress, CA 90630
(714) 484-0511




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The Park's Finest BBQ Lives Up to its Name!

This past summer, I've had my share of BBQ from Bludso's BBQ to Big Mista's BBQ to Porky's BBQ and much more, so based on all these tastings, I can say without bias that my favorite BBQ comes from The Park's Finest BBQ. What's even better is that TPFB is owned by Johneric Concordia, whose BBQ and BBQ sauce is based on flavors from the Philippines, where I'm from.

I first experienced TPFB in late September as part of a BBQ series hosted for my dining group, by one of my Assistant Organizers, Robert. Currently, Park's does not have a retail restaurant space. They only do catering for now so lunch was at a Filipino gallery, Remy's on Temple and outside the gallery was where the smoker was parked from the wee hours cooking our meal.

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Before we dug in, Johneric, gave us a little history about his company. He talked about how his father, "Big Tony", was a Navy cook and how he had developed the Concordia BBQ sauce as a way to appeal to both the crew's palate, but still stay true to his roots. The base flavor of his sauce came from the combination of the natural sugars from sugar cane and pineapples simmering with soy sauce, peppers, and spices. This secret recipe was passed to his children and grand-children. What's unique about this sauce is that it still allows for experimentation so that there can be variations to the Concorcdia sauce that can suit any palate.

After learning more about The Park's Finest BBQ, it was time to dig in. Check out what was on the menu starting with their Ligaya Veggie Medley which were marinated and grilled zucchini, squash and green onions. I loved the peppery flavors.

Their Compostila Pork Tender Loin was smoky and tender.

The Mt. Malindang Pork Rack of Ribs had a beautiful char and the spice rub was very flavorful.

I couldn't find any flaw with their Taal Manok (Chicken). Even the white meat was juicy, which was amazing since BBQ Chicken Breast can often times be dry.

Their Rib Eye Roast and Batangueno Beef Ribs were also tender and juicy and would make any BBQ lover very happy.

We also partook in another Ligaya Veggie Medley, which was made up of grilled asparagus and green onions and there was also Pulled Pork and Mt. Mayon Hot Sausage Links for the taking.

I wish I could be more descriptive about all the various BBQ meats we ate, but I was too busy eating and not taking any notes Usually, I don't like to over-hype anything, especially, when it comes to food, but I just found Park's Finest BBQ to be mind-blowing good. By the way, while the BBQ could really just stand on its own, the addition of the BBQ sauce took it over the top. The BBQ sauce variation that Johnerico prepared for us was both sweet and spicy and flavored with coconut. That sauce was quite addicting.

As for dessert, there was an interesting twist on a Filipino dessert called Bibingka, which is usually made with rice flour and coconut. Based on the name, Park's version called Ann’s Cornbread Bibingka probably contained cornmeal. I wish someone thought of that earlier. The addition of the cormeal made this bibingka a little more dense, but also a little sweeter. What an awesome variation to something so traditional.

Overall, even months later, I still can't forget The Park's Finest BBQ. I hope that they eventually do get a retail restaurant. I'll certainly be a good customer. As it is, I might just have to plan party just so I can get more of their BBQ or if any of you are planning on having them cater an event, I certainly wouldn't turn down an invitation to chow down on what I think is the best BBQ I've ever had.

The Park's Finest BBQ
theparksfinest213@gmail.com
(213) 247-4909
http://theparksfinest.com



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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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Hungry For More at Hungry Al's BBQ

I always seem to tell this same story, but when it's true I just have to go with it. It starts with me saying "I've been driving by this place for years and finally decided to check it." Sometimes that statement changes to "I've known about this place for a while and finally decided to eat there." For this posting, the place in question is Hungry Al's BBQ in West Covina.

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It's a small place and not much in the way of ambiance, and yes, I've driven by it many a time, but always always wondered about the food. The clincher for me was when I was at a local concert and heard the people seated in front of me talking about how Hungry Al's has a smoker in the back of the restaurant. A BBQ restaurant that has its own smoker is definitely worth checking out plus I heard nothing but praise from all my eavesdropping.

After finishing up with errands one evening, I decided that it was finally time to stop driving by, pull into the parking lot and find out what Hungry Al's BBQ is all about. I walked in and ordered the Beef Rib Dinner and you get a choice of either a regular or spicy bbq sauce. Spicy was definitely my choice. With the dinner, you also get to choose 2 from 3 side dish options. I went for the bbq beans and potato salad.

Taking that first bite out of that beef rib had me almost kicking myself. What in the heck took me so long? The meat was tender with a smoky-sweet-heat. It was just really delicious.

When it came to the bbq beans and the potato salad, I thought that both were tasty, if not spectacular. I also ordered a side of collard greens that was cooked well, but needed just a bit more seasoning.

Overall, Hungry Al's BBQ may be small, but so far, their BBQ Beef Ribs are mighty in flavor. I'm definitely looking forward to tasting more of their meaty menu.

Hungry Al's BBQ
116 N Vincent Ave
West Covina, CA 91790-2205
(626) 967-6998




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