Chuck's Wagon BBQ on H Street NE?

[monkeyrotica]

http://www.thrillist.com/eat/food-din...

Has anyone tried this place? They claim to smoke over hickory, apple, and pecan wood, as the smoke ring would indicated. Looks like they're a catering op that serves carryout on the side.

[MakingSense]

It was pretty ordinary. The brisket is chopped. Kinda weird.
I'm not a particular fan of whole pig BBQ which always tastes a bit steamed to me. Flavor was OK but I really prefer the texture of shoulder. Western NC-style tomato-based sauce. Tiny little containers of cole slaw to add to your sandwiches.
Sides were good but didn't light my fire.

Not sure I really understand this place. I wanted to give them another try and pulled up there last Sunday. Closed. They're only open Fridays and Saturdays. Not sure how a restaurant survives like that with sky-high rents in the city.

I'll give them another shot and let you know.

[monkeyrotica]

The H Street blog stated that, since they just opened less than a month ago, they're only open Fridays and Saturdays. My understanding is that they're primarily catering with retail on the side.

[MakingSense]

I think their main place is out in Clinton. The kitchen on H Street is big enough to do a lot of food prep but the front counter is really cramped, so maybe they are going to do a lot of catering. There was a caterer in that space before them.
We can use some good BBQ on H. Kenny's is OK but not as good as Hogs on the Hill was.

[monkeyrotica]

Almost all the bbq I've tried in DC has been extremely sauce-centric, and painfully sweet at that; ribs are usually drowned in a sweet sauce. Pulled pork is also mixed with too much sauce. This seems to be the case with Kenny's, Hogs, Levi's. ANY BBQ place gains extra points from me just by holding the damn sauce. About the only place that goes easy on the sauce is Mr. P's.

[reiflame]

Not in DC proper but both Branded 72 (formerly O'briens) and Adam's Ribs go light on the sauce. Branded 72 doesn't add any before serving; you get to add your own.

[Dennis S]

IIRC, Willard's is light on the sauce, especially for burnt ends and brisket. I think they go lighter for the pulled pork and chicken, too, though I wasn't overly impressed with them (I make better) and so haven't ordered either of those in some time.

[Steve]

Anymore, I always ask for sauce on the side. I have learned my lesson. It's a pity that places drown the bbq with raw sauce as a default. More and more, it's that way in many other parts of the country.

[fisherdm]

What about the dudes down in the north end of the RFK parking lot that are always out there smoking ribs. Anybody tried them?

[MakingSense]

Those RFK ribs are more than respectable. I grab them fairly often when I hit the farmers' market. Nice crunchy char on the outside and the meat still has a decent chew to it. Not that "falling off the bone" mushy crap.Choice of regular or hot sauce on the side.
There's also a Jamaican stall sometimes that does really good fried fish.

[sweth]

FYI, Chuck from Chuck's Wagon tried to post a reply here a few times, but they were deleted (presumably for being too spammy). There was some non-spammy useful info in those posts, though, so (assuming the powers-that-be approve) quickly summarizing:

They were originally also open on Sundays, but there was no traffic, so they dropped that; they're now open 11-3 M-R and 11-7 F&Sa. Also, they apparently have 4 sauces on the menu now: "hot & spicy", carolina vinegar, mumbo, and "white barbecue" (which I had never heard of but which ktmoomau just explained to me is a southern white gravy style sauce).

[Dennis S]

Yes, and I think them being so up front was fine. We've had Dino, Roberto and others on here. As long as there isn't a misrepresentation...

[flavrmeistr]

Mmmm...look good! Need to get me some.