Walk the Dinosaur...BBQ

February 28, 2009 4:58 pm

I moved to New York with the foremost reason to attend the French Culinary Institute. With every intention of moving back to my home state of Texas, I quickly fell in love with the city and have been here ever since (seven years in July). Though I live in the, "Food Capital of the World," I have barbeque sauce running through my veins.

After marrying a man from France, I quickly had to get him and his two daughters accustomed to the flavors and textures of barbeque. Luckily in New York, we have found one spot on establishment that can do just that, Dinosaur BBQ. Please note--I am fully aware of the other barbeque spots offered within the city, but Dinosaur is the closest you can get to Texas barbeque without big city prices.
There has been on more than one occasion that my family was going to "eat out," and Dinosaur has been the first place to come to mind. Constantly making the mistake of failing to make a reservation, or waiting until the last minute to attempt, we keep our fingers crossed that the wait won't be long a one.
The scenario plays the same scene time and again. The four of us step out of the car with the smoky smells of slow cooked meat falling off of the bone, our eyes glazed over as we all walk to the front door. Simultaneously we walk across the rickety wooden floor to the podium listening to the hostess bawl into her microphone the next party that is ready to be seated. We all come out of our barbeque daze, when after we are told that the waiting time for a table is a mere two hours.
"Plan B," goes into effect soon there after--take-out. With only a twenty minute wait, why shouldn't we fulfill our barbeque yearnings in the comfort of our own home? The order is always the same, The Family Deluxe. Everyone needs to understand the empire of eaters within my family, especially when it comes to ribs and cornbread. With the choice of three meats, three sides, and all the cornbread to feed an army, our only dilemma is pulled pork or beef brisket, in which we alternate between the two with each visit.

At home, the four of us regain the barbeque shock of earlier, while we pull each of the to-go containers from the bag. We pile the entire stash of wet-ones in the middle of the table, foregoing any napkins as they will not be able to fulfill the job. The scent is as if the entire kitchen has traveled from Dinosaur BBQ to our quaint apartment. No one speaks as it is every man for them self. As we all being to eat and lick the barbeque sauce from our fingers, I give a silent nod to the cooks and smokers at Dinosaur BBQ for pulling my once in a while homesick heartstrings.

Dinosaur Barbeque
646 West 131st Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 694-1777

Hailee Moore