Bludso's BBQ is coming to Hollywood at old Tar Pit location!

[wienermobile]

From LA Times : The owners of Golden State are teaming up with Kevin Bludso on a new project taking over Hollywood's former Tar Pit space. The restaurant will have smoked barbecue and carry the Bludso's BBQ name in its title. Yeah.........
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/daily...

[CLowe]

Holy mother of meat. Anyone tried the "small tray"? What a great menu idea. You literally get everything they have (save desserts) for $65, and it easily serves 4 people. Needless to say it was a great night. My favorites were the pulled pork, cornbread, and beans, but I couldn't really name a thing I didn't like on either tray.

[kevin]

I guess I'm in virtual reality on that one.

[wienermobile]

The menu according to the LA Times " Bludso's favorites: slabs of pork ribs, smoked chicken, beef brisket, pulled pork and hot links. Everything is ordered by the pound plus sides such as mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, cole slaw, collard greens and corn bread. For dessert are pies, cobblers and red velvet cake."

[kevin]

Yeah, I read that too. I'm curious if the pies, cobblers, and red velvet cake are the same as served at the original bludso's.

also, it is curiously missing the beef ribs.

[kevin]

also, i'm pretty sure it will be roughly one and one half times the price that it would be at the original bludso's.

some fucking upmarket prices we will have to deal with but then we save some money on gas.

[TonyC]

"upmarket prices" indeed, but "f**king" upmarket prices not so much. It's a full blown sit-down with a Type 47 license, in Mid-Wilshire. Certainly it'll be in line with Animal/SoaG, etc. and offer a completely d'frent dining experience than Bludso Compton. I was getting tired of drinking my beer in the backseat with the brisket anywho.

[Mr Taster]

>> Certainly it'll be in line with Animal/SoaG, etc.

Please Tony, don't say such things.

Both Kevin Bludso and the Golden State guys have done a pretty good job of keeping prices reasonable for their customers (Bless the Golden State guys for not charging ala carte prices the way virtually every other Fancyburger™ joint in LA does, despite their trendy location.) And Bludso's Texas Sampler, even with the moderate price increases, remains one of the best deals in LA for quality, price, and quantity.

Animal/SoaG prices are anything but reasonable. I'd say "fucking upmarket" is apt.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

"Animal/SoaG prices are anything but reasonable. I'd say "fucking upmarket" is apt."

Until you open and run a restaurant like either Animal or SoaG in that area of LA I don't think that your conclusion that their prices are either unreasonable or fucking upmarket is based on any reality, what-so-ever.

[Mr Taster]

Bludso's is not a restaurant like Son of a Gun or Animal, which are at their core "fucking upmarket". They cater to a more moneyed, trendy demographic than Bludso's.

I respect Golden State because they certainly have all the trappings of potentially going "fucking upmarket" but they've held their prices in line. By way of comparison, Umami Burger is, most definitely, "fucking upmarket".

Bludso's is, by no means, "fucking upmarket". I'm hoping that he brings this sensibility with him to the new La Brea location. Of course prices will need to go up to take the real estate into account. But I'm hoping they'll keep their souls intact and go more the way of Golden State has gone, and less the way Umami Burger has.

Mr Taster

[kevin]

I agree one hundred and ten fucking percent with your post.

I do really like Golden State, though I have gone with others and they've been quite surprised when the bill for a burger and two beers with tax and tip is 40 bucks, but I guess it could even be higher.

If two bites of a lobster roll for ten bucks, even though it's pretty fucking good, is not upmarket then I don't know what is.
(at least, the lobstatruck which is also expensive gives you about five bites for 12 bucks). 'Nuff said.

[raizans]

but barbecue > hamburgers, so i'm expecting a larger final bill at bludso's weho.

[kevin]

I don't know. I'm not really a fan of animal's poutine, but it's like 18 bucks and it should be no more than 9 or 10 bones, unless my memory escapes me.

Also, Animal is not in Beverly Hills or a prime area of West Hollywood, i.e. somewhere on the Sunset Trip.

Or maybe I'm just really fucking cheap.

Whoever is the first one to get to the LaBrea Bludso's, please report back on the double. I'll have to try it out as soon as I can too, but if the line is super long, maybe a drive to Compton would be quicker.

[Servorg]

"...but it's like 18 bucks and it should be no more than 9 or 10 bones, unless my memory escapes me."

Until you run a restaurant like one of the above, to term their prices as not being "reasonable" is so out of touch with what it takes to make a living and keep up the quality of your product that it can only mean that you are speaking from a position of virtual reality, rather than actual reality.

[ns1]

You are using "reasonable" in relative terms. Others are using "reasonable" in absolute terms.

[Servorg]

" Others are using "reasonable" in absolute terms."

Reasonable is always going to be relative since it doesn't have an "absolute" value attached to it.

[ns1]

touche.

That said, 18 bucks for poutine is still too damn expensive, and while it may be relatively reasonable when compared to other "fucking upscale" restaurants, it most certainly isn't reasonable when compared to poutine's humble roots.

[Servorg]

"That said, 18 bucks for poutine is still too damn expensive..."

You aren't ordering or eating that one dish in a vacuum. If you are at Animal then the cost of running the restaurant, paying the staff, making the tax man happy and keeping the landlord and his lawyers away from your door - all the while turning a profit and making a living - end up determining how the prices of the food end up shaking out. At least Animal lists prices on their website, so you don't have to hunt down what the damages are going to be, more or less.

[kevin]

Yeah, but can't by the same token, another restaurant serve say an equally comparable poutine, same size, all things being equal as much as possible, and serve it for 40 dollars in a a comparable location and still have the same defense re the cost and expense of: location, taxes/the IRS, lawyers, accountants, suppliers, line cooks, waitstaff, the printing of the menu, tablecloths, uniforms, etc. and still be deemed reasonable.

I guess the decision is where in each of our own individual opinions we deem to fair to ourselves at least to drawn the proverbial fucking line in the sand and employ our dollars as customers somewhere else.

[ns1]

"I guess the decision is where in each of our own individual opinions we deem to fair to ourselves at least to drawn the proverbial fucking line in the sand and employ our dollars as customers somewhere else."

and that's pretty much the end of it.

[TonyC]

"and that's pretty much the end of it."

Yup, except from now on, I will simply refer to Animal/SoaG as "fucking upmarket". Thank you Chow censors for always allowing the F-bomb.

[Mr Taster]

I think we need to give Kevin props for inadvertently coining this awesome term, which can be liberally applied to so many restaurants throughout Los Angeles (and throughout the fucking upmarketverse.)

Thank you, Kevin!

Mr Taster

[Steve2 in LA]

I didn't know we could SAY "fuck" here. Fucking good t'know.

[Mr Taster]

Chowhound's policy has always been that language itself is not censored, as long as it is not mean spirited or derisive, and contributes to the discussion of food.

Mr Taster

[JAB]

"and contributes to the discussion of food." Did you type that with a straight face?

[Mr Taster]

Yes. See?

:-|

Mr Taster

[CLowe]

Ha!

[Servorg]

They can try it, kevin (charging $40), but diners vote with their pocket books all the time. I just have a problem in trying to say that a place like Animal is out of line for their pricing. Unless you've tried to run a restaurant like Animal for any significant amount of time, then you don't really have even the vaguest idea what it takes to maintain both the quality and the quantity of the dishes the are putting out.

[kevin]

That's true. You do have a point there.

But sometimes I still find that some restaurants can get away with it, because of the trendoid factor and other factors. (At the same time, I do like the food at Animal but every time I go there, it just seems just way too expensive to me. But then again, that's just my personal view and I'm prolly alone on this one as usual).

[kevin]

And in the interests of all honesty, I have never run or operated a restaurant or cafe before.

[latindancer]

As long as Animal doesn't go through the roof with prices and doesn't downsize their portions then I'm with them.

When/if that changes, it's safe to say I'd fold.

[Mr Taster]

One could argue that Animal's prices are already through the roof, which is of course part of the criteria of being an official member of the FUB™ or Fucking Upmarket Brigade™ (That, and of course, lots of trendy people being trendy together.)

Three friends and I went to Street this weekend with a Groupon. Now Street is most definitely a member of the FUB™. But with the Groupon, the cost came down well within the realm of reason (really, it was a steal-- it was certainly worth more than what we paid, although not worth nearly as much as what the menu prices were).

Our bill came in at $78, which the Groupon covered entirely. Each person's share with tip came to $12, and we were not stuffed by the end, but were satisfied. Although the service was blindly intrusive, interrupting our animated conversations at several times by walking over to the table and talking over the speaker, Susan Feniger was there making the rounds and was quite charming and welcoming with a soothing, easy smile. It was actually one of the nicest parts of the meal.

I'm not saying that the FUB™s have no place in the pantheon of restaurants in LA. There are certainly many people here making enough money to support the prices, and who don't have a problem with a restaurant calling itself rustic, homey, and down-to-earth and then charging $20 for a plate of fried chicken or pasta. It's the hypocrisy more than anything that sticks in my craw, and it's why I'll drive to San Gabriel for a plate of noodles 100 times for an actual bowl of homeyness before I'll go down the street to a place that calls itself homey on the menu and in its decor.

Mr Taster

[EarlyBird]

I refuse to go to Animal until they put a sign up on the establishment designating it as Animal. How trendy and "in" does a place need to be? Barf.

[a213b]

Seems rather arbitrary, but I happily encourage this as it means more availability for the rest of us.

[Mr Taster]

The "no sign" thing is part of the too cool for school ethos that turns people off. Of course, it has nothing to do with the food, so in that sense it's arbitrary.

Ironically, not having a sign is a conscious effort to attract the type of people who enjoy the feeling that they've found something exclusive. Having no sign is therefore broadcasting to a specific demographic.

If you mistrust or disrespect self-consciously exclusive or trendy things, particularly in this city where image is paramount, then I can absolutely see how not having a sign on your restaurant would turn a certain type of person off, while attracting a very different type.

My philosophy? Stop trying to be cool, and just cook some good food, without all the pretense. All the other stuff adds a bitter taste to my meal, no matter how fine the cooking is.

Mr Taster

[linus]

or maybe they just dont want a sign up. or cant think of a good idea for one. jeez.

[Mr Taster]

linus, it's certainly possible that some or all of what you propose could be true.

But the bottom line is that among the current FUB™ restaurant climate in the City of LA, whether it is the restaurant owner's intent or not, they're communicating something very specific by intentionally and purposefully making their business harder to find.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

Animal takes reservations (and honors them in the times I've gone). They have a working phone number and their address in Google maps is accurate. Even the first time we went I had absolutely no problem in finding the restaurant. In fact I didn't look for a name as I was going by addresses. These days Google street view has rendered the problem of finding places so non-existent that it doesn't even rise to a noticeable level anymore.

[raizans]

don't forget that canter's is right across the street. you might as well not even try, lest you deface the neighborhood with obnoxious signage.

[Capybara]

No sign? No wonder I didn't think Animal all that great. I wonder where I ate?

[Steve2 in LA]

I've been to "435 N Fairfax Ave" a half-dozen times and this is the first I've realized they don't have a sign labeling the place. Strangely, it didn't stop me from enjoying their chow even one iota.

[Mr Taster]

If it doesn't bother you, then that's great. Being aware of these kinds of things isn't the easiest or most convenient way of living one's life. But I do feel it gets me closer to the truth, and that's the one thing I seek more than a great meal.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

And let's not be put off our quest for great chow by the lack of a sign or the absence of table cloths or tattered menus. What was it Jim wrote so many years ago...

"Chowhounds...won't hesitate to go far out of their way for Slightly Better. For a true hound, the curve of diminishing results is more an exciting challenge than an imposing dead end...Chowhounds, by contrast, are iconoclasts who spurn trends and established opinion and sniff out secret deliciousness on their own."

Secret deliciousness may just mean the lack of signage, or a food cart with no fixed address or an arepa "lady" who comes and goes like a wisp of smoke in the night...

Signs? We don't need no stinking signs! ;-D>

[Mr Taster]

There's a significant difference when a place is purposefully made harder to find for the sake of exclusivity, trendiness, or whatever (a characteristic of the FUB™ type restaurant), and when a place is made harder to find because that's the actual nature of the thing (like Dean Sin World's kooky signage).

One is self-conscious, the other is not. I completely understand that the subtlety of this may be lost on some people, and that others simply don't care about it. That's fine with me. I can't change the world. I can only communicate my observations of it.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

It still all boils down to the food. You can set up arbitrary barriers to your pursuit of deliciousness, or you can set those barriers aside and pusue the thing that matters; the food.

[Mr Taster]

See last sentence of this post:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8531...

Mr Taster

[ns1]

"There's a significant difference when a place is purposefully made harder to find for the sake of exclusivity"

I don't think a lack of a sign makes a place any harder to find, but w/e. this conversation has clearly run it's course.

[bulavinaka]

Seems kinda douchey to dwell on douchiness. You live food - those you douchify are masqueraders. If that's not a truth you can accept, then you're destined to never let go.

[yinyangdi]

I remembered reading that Shook/Dotolo couldn't afford signage when they opened Animal:

… Shook and Dotolo opened Animal a few months before the drama of the 2008 recession. "We did not order tablecloths because tablecloths are not cheap," Shook recalls. "You have to keep them fresh, and they cost you about 10 to 25 cents per table. These are all costs you have to pass on to the customer. We didn't put up a sign because we couldn't afford it. We wanted to spend all of our money and put all of our focus on the food we were making, and we made exactly the food that we wanted to eat." … By the time the two opened their second place, Son of a Gun, in 2011, they could afford tablecloths but opted to skip them. The starched whites had become not only a literal option but a symbol of what was past. "Our plates at Son of a Gun are made by Heath — that is not cheap," Shook says, "but they are beautiful objects. And our tables are made of zinc."…
http://www.laweekly.com/2012-05-24/ea...

[kevin]

However in my worthless opinion, even with the savings brought by the lack of starched tablecloths and an official or rather traditional sign, the prices are still very expensive.

[Mr Taster]

And that's kind of the point I was making earlier, kevin.

Saying "we're downhome! We're not pretentious! Look, no tablecloths! We serve "authentic", nose-to-tail, locavore, buzzword food!" and then charge $23 for a small plate of schmaltz and onion sauteed chicken gizzards (I'm making this up, by the way). Or charging $7 for a loaf of "rustic, artisinal" bread. (Nancy Silverton is the queen of the homey hypocrite schtick)

If you're really down-to-earth, you don't have to talk about it- you just live it, and that humility is in part expressed in the price and the quality of the food. One thing's for certain though-- humility's no way to get rich, and that's the inconvenient truth surrounding all of this.

Mr Taster

[Mr Taster]

That makes me feel better about the place, and I'm glad I misundersood.

However, it also does not mean that the restaurant is not miscommunicating their intent to the public.

I don't wear a wedding ring because our rings were 24k gold gifts from my grandparents-in-law (24k gold is traditional for Chinese weddings, but impractical to wear because the metal is so soft.) Fast forward six years and my wife and I still have not purchased our everyday wedding rings. That does not mean that I am ignorant of the fact that people could mistakenly think I'm trying to hide something, or that my wife and I are on the outs. But I don't act surprised, or chastise people when they assume these false things. It's completely understandable because that's the message I'm sending unintentionally.

And so it goes with Animal's lack of signage.

Mr Taster

[linus]

sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

anything expressed here about restaurateur's intentions reflects the author's intentions, not the restaurateur's.

passing one's own interpretations of someone else's intent is about as far from "closer to the truth" as you can get.

[Mr Taster]

Truth is not a destination, because one can never achieve it fully-- it's a process that one works to get closer to.

I extrapolate from my environment, and when my environment indicates something different, I shift- like I did when I read the Animal signage story.

But Animal's story doesn't change the reality that there are places in LA that cater to people who like to feel that they've found a secret, whether that "secret" is an artificial marketing construct, or more organic in nature.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

The truth is, it's all about the product (meal) delivered. All businesses advertise in some respect or another. None of that matters if they can't deliver the product that their customers want. The proof, after all, is in the pudding...

[Mr Taster]

See last paragraph

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8531...

Mr Taster

[linus]

i don't know, mr. taster, no offence, but i don't see your view here as any different than whatyou accuse the proprieters of animal of having.

certainly there's a pretense to divining restaurateur's motivations and customers reasons for going to a restaurant, isn't there?

i'm a pretty misanthropic sort, but i can't seem to find anything sinister in not having a sign outside a restaurant.

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, this whole discussion is getting really far afield of anything that actually has to do with the restaurant. We removed a bunch of posts that mostly centered around accusing the restaurant and other posters of being "douchey" and we'd really ask that everyone let this branch of the discussion go.

If you've been to Animal and want to talk about the food, that's great. But please give the sign issue a rest, thanks.

[kevin]

Ok, will do.

Now how about those sweetbreads with vadouvan sauce at animal, now isn't that pretty good. ? I haven't had that in ages it feels like.

[slew]

Should kill all the 'Animal' posts too...

Everytime I click on the thread, I expect info on the new Bludso's locale...

But... Nada. :/

[kevin]

My apologies.

[bulavinaka]

My Singaporean bro-in-law told me about a similar story about an eatery in Singapore. The family started up a place with very little funding - they were short on cash. Word got around fast about the place having great food. Because they had no sign up, the word was to look for the place with no sign board. Business was booming - the family had no time to put up a sign and since patrons just started calling the place, "no sign board," they just stuck with the name, "No Sign Board."

[Servorg]

It still makes me laugh that all the time that Mori ran his own sushi restaurant he had no sign. When he sold the restaurant then finally a Mori Sushi sign appeared. Life is a kick...

[maudies5]

I remember when Buffalo Club opened and part of their P.R campaign was that they had an unlisted telephone number. This was apparently a ploy to keep out the riffraff. The number quickly became public and , BTW, one doesn't hear much about Buffalo Club any more. Oh, and as I recall, they also didn't have a sign. It's just a load of P.R.B.S.

[Steve2 in LA]

And wasn't there also a big todo last century with the fact that Ma Maison had the best known, unlisted phone number in LA? Now, I don't know if that holds with Animal or not.

My last say on the subject is this; a) Never noticed or cared there was no sign, b) Really enjoyed eating a great deal of the food there 3) the prices ARE a bit high but I don't eat there every week so, screw it. Next?

[kevin]

That is true.

It's not as if Animal functions as my neighorhood coffe shoppe where I drop in on a daily basis so even if the prices are exorbitant to me, I'll only visit every so often.

[EarlyBird]

Interesting: couldn't afford signage at first, and finally didn't need it. Okay, I can live with that.

[latindancer]

<a place that calls itself homey on the menu and in its decor>

I completely agree with you.
I'd rather drive down Crenshaw, south, as far as i can go to find great BBQ and all the delicious fixings served on paper plates with realistic prices opposed to sitting in a restaurant in BH trying to pass off their BBQ as authentic at a high price with all the trendiness.
That's just me, though....

[linus]

i don't care where a place is located, how they decorate it or what kind of plates they serve food on.
if it's priced fairly, considering materials, labour and rent, i'll enjoy it if it tastes good.

[Servorg]

How do you figure to get anywhere in life with a reasonable, logical attitude like that? ;-D>

[Mr Taster]

It's not at all what we were discussing before, but I agree with this.

Mr Taster

[Servorg]

Using any of the criteria that linus sets out for avoiding (or going to) a particular restaurant makes as much sense as saying "I'm not eating there because it west of the 405 or east of the 110 or has no sign or contains too many hipsters or the crowd is too gray around the temples or the men wear hats, or, or, or." None of them tell you anything about the food which you may, or may not, enjoy.

[latindancer]

Well, as mentioned, that's just waaay too logical an answer :).

Personally, I'd rather travel to the original location, the place that "started it all" and the place that got me interested in the first place, than any other new venture (with an attempt of the same authenticity) the owner's opening.
It's just been my experience that I eventually go back to the original. Something always changes and it doesn't have the same appeal.
I'm not sure where you live but we have a restaurant in Los Angeles that I adore. It's a seafood restaurant, extremely casual in a tiny space, with some of the best seafood and a very loyal clientele mostly local. In all honesty, I know several people who're not willing to drive to eat it because of the location.
I cannot imagine this place opening in Beverly Hills where the owner would most likely do a great business. It'd, undoubtedly, lose most of its authenticity and it just wouldn't be the same because the cook who cooks it best can't be in 2 places at the same time.

[linus]

i live in l.a., so you can mention the name of the place if you'd like.

maybe i'm jaded but i've given up judging places by terms like 'authenticity.'
i get your point a restaurant can lose a certain something when they move from their original humble digs; however, it is often the case the original(if it stays in business) then suffers because the owners/cooks are concentrating on the new place.

there seems to be a trend 'round here that, for example, 8 dollar friend chicken is de facto 'better' and 'more authentic' than 20 dollar fried chicken.
for me, that ain't necessarily so.

[latindancer]

<I've given up judging places by terms like 'authenticity'>

Coni's Seafood. Part of the charm, of course not all of it obviously, is the clientele and the simplicity of the decor. Of course the food is the main focus but when a place like that is brought to areas where the owner is hoping to further their business and profits it's next to impossible to duplicate the 'authenticity' for lack of a better word. They're now having to pay much higher lease, decorate to please a more upscale clientele and charge higher prices. With Coni's the cook is the highlight of the experience.
People, like me, prefer the original and I'm willing to drive the extra miles to get what originally drew me to it in the first place.
It has nothing to do with the prices, it has *everything* to do with the food that is, inevitably, going to be better.

[Servorg]

Let's look at Animal using the same criteria. Price is much higher, but the food and concept were brand new out of the box for LA when Shook and Dotolo set up there shingle (whoops...no shingle. My bad! lol) and opened the door to the public. Not Beverly Hills, but close enough for Government work. Setting up artificial barriers to finding chow worthy food does no one here any good, ever. Test and Verify (to paraphrase). Not every concept will be worthy to every diner, but the impetus to try it, and report back here, shouldn't be restricted by some illogical bias about things that have nothing to do with the final product.

[latindancer]

Shook and Dotolo absolutely did their homework. They found a concept that works. They found the perfect location, with a steady clientele that is completely loyal.
Is it for everyone? Certainly not and it seems to be fine because they're tremendously successful without the naysayers.
On my part...I try everything that sounds appealing to me.
Should a restaurant, that I've loved and been loyal to, decide to expand, I'll always try it and 'test and verify'. I'm not so close-minded about my allegiance to the original location that I'm willing to shoot myself in the foot should the new location be more suitable.
It *is* all about the food, you're right, and I do believe in the restaurant world where owners are planning their ventures, they're also deciding which additional factors are attractive to the future clientele.
Does a ravioli taste better in low light or in bright light? Does a martini taste more wonderful in a dark, smokey atmosphere or is a light, industrial open setting with loud music?
There's a mental intangible for many, perhaps not all, where that Nathan's hotdog tastes soooo much better at the baseball park than it does in my kitchen.

[linus]

well, the coni thing is a special case, as it seems the important thing was to go to whichever mariscos chente had sergio cooking.
but that's a whole can o' worms i don't care to open.

[latindancer]

Los Angeles is strongly lacking in, what I consider, 'great' seafood. I'll go to the ends of the earth (and have) to find it because it's important to me.
The chef, cooking the meal, is also important. There are certain nuances, in preparation of fish dishes, that not all chefs understand and are accomplished in.
I like my seafood simple, fresh and delicious. Many of the restaurants, some very highend with high expectations and prices to match, don't come close.
When it comes to 'Coni's' yes, the cook is important, but the fish at Coni's is also some of the freshest, most unique and creatively prepared I've seen in LA.

[Mr Taster]

>> there seems to be a trend 'round here that, for example, 8 dollar friend chicken is de facto 'better' and 'more authentic' than 20 dollar fried chicken. for me, that ain't necessarily so.

That's a very complicated statement you've made. As we've discussed before 'round these parts, "authentic" is really a meaningless word because it too slippery-- I cringe when I read it in a professional review, as it is a sign of sloppy food writing. (i.e. Something can be authentically "Tex-Mex" as much as it can be authentically "Oaxacan"-- everything is authentic to itself.) "Traditional" is a better fit, though traditions change too. But a "tradition" is more concrete concept, locked in time as it were, as of the moment the speaker speaks it. The "tradition" as it exists now, in this context, in this culture, at this time.

As for 'better', there is no hard and fast rule that says $8 fried chicken (for example) is automatically better than $20 fried chicken. (Though I agree that far too many people make this automatic assumption). The difference comes from one's expectations, a more ephemeral concept. Let's say I get Animal's poutine for $18, and there's another knockoff selling the same dish for a much more reasonable and less FUB™ $5. Let's say the culture of Los Angeles acclimates to the $5 poutine. Suddenly the relative value of the dish is lessened. The argument of "nothing matters but the food" falls apart in this scenario. The $18 poutine may be equally delicious, but the customer is left with a bitter taste paying over 300% more for exactly the same dish.

There is always more than just the food itself to consider. If you don't care about any of this, or don't see it, then that's great. More power to you. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those lucky people.

Mr Taster

[linus]

i don't think my statement was complicated at all.

as hard as you are trying to make this "fub" thing happen, i don't understand your position.

an 18 dollar poutine doesn't leave any more of a bitter taste in my mouth when compared to a merely equally delicious 5 dollar poutine than the orange at the end of a meal at urusawa does compared to an equally delicious orange eaten on the side of a snowy alp.

the items simply don't cost the same to be put in front of me. and, one could argue, no two dishes are ever exactly the same, especially when made by different cooks in different restaurants.

[latindancer]

<the items simply don't cost the same to be put in front of me>

There's an assumption that a highend restaurant's ingredients are the freshest and priciest and therefore the reasons to charge more.
That assumption is simply not true in many cases. It's the area and the clientele that many times drives the prices.

[linus]

i think there are a number of factors which drive restaurant
prices, including rent, labour, ingredients, energy, etc., etc.

[latindancer]

A restaurant that charges $50 for black cod is the same piece of fish that the restaurant down the street charges $15 for the same preparation.
The food costs are all the same and it's just the markup that's different.
I've never been able to understand the person who willingly goes to the restaurant, knowing (or perhaps not) they're getting gouged.
That $50 black cod is no more guaranteed fresh than the $15 one. That $50 black cod is, in many cases I've experienced, no more tasty than the other.

[Mr Taster]

To be fair, as others have said, the markup does have to take other factors into account (truly legitimate markups for ongoing costs, like staffing, real estate, etc.) And then there's the decor- for some reason, people will pay more for "fancy", even if the food is exactly the same. (I consider fancy trappings a false markup-- a one time cost that people pay for as long as the restaurant is open.)

If Galuten's BBQ is equally as good as Bludso's BBQ, I have no problem paying a little more for the La Brea location, as it saves me gas and time traveling down to Compton, and I understand it's a more expensive location. They're also able to keep the cost of the BBQ down if they're using it as a loss leader for the alcohol.

So this is not an absolute question of "I refuse to pay more for the same dish in West Hollywood as in Compton." The real question is, does the markup reflect legitimate costs, or false ones?

What I mean is, how much of the cost of meal goes to legitimate expenses like staffing, rent, reasonable profit for the owner, etc. and how much goes to false expenses like fancy trappings and a disproportionately large cut for the owner?

Obviously this will vary from restaurant to restaurant, and owner to owner. I get the sense that when you're working with cheap ingredients (flour, water and salt at a bakery, for example) and charging $7 a loaf for something that costs about 40 cents of ingredients, someone like Silverton is taking a disproportionately large slice of dough for herself.

Mr Taster

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, this is getting pretty far afield from anything to do with a specific restaurant and into speculation. It's also getting a little unfriendly. We ask that people please let this sub-thread go.

We've already asked people to keep this discussion a little more focused once, and we're asking again. If you're not sharing specific experiences with food you've personally eaten at a specific LA restaurant, please reconsider making further posts.

[latindancer]

I used the term 'authentic' to describe the original (location). Nothing more.

[kevin]

What's the name of and where's this tiny seafood spot that you speak of ?

Pray tell, please ?

[latindancer]

Coni's Seafood in Inglewood.

I go the 'long' way south down Crenshaw from my home.

[Steve2 in LA]

So, how's the Potato Salad at the "Hollywood" Bludsoe's? The original was nothing to write home about.

[bulavinaka]

Them's fightin' words! ;-)

[EarlyBird]

And to think I live close enough to walk there and back, but far enough to tell myself I'm burning off calories.

Wow!

[wienermobile]

Just in from LA Eater "Bludo's La Brea will most likely debut to the public during the week of February 11. But, the exact date is still up in the air." It's coming really soon! Photos at this link: http://la.eater.com/archives/2013/02/...

[kevin]

shoot, forgot to mention that, yea, it will be open a week from today per the golden state guys.

Can't hardly fuckin' wait. no joke.

well, unless there is a delay.

[TonyC]

kevin,
thought you don't eat pork? what are you gonna order at bludso bar and que? beer?

[kevin]

beer and the brisket and the beef ribs ?

What ? are they only going to be serving of the pork ribs here ?

if so, i guess i will have to make the long drive to compton.

i presume the beer list will be as well-curated as it is at golden state though in the past few months to a year or so, the beer list is not as interesting as before, maybe i'm just becoming quite jaded.

[carter]

Beer will do that!!!
Try wine, a much better option!

[chrishei]

This really is a game-changer, but I'll most likely remain loyal to the O.G. location as well. I've made a habit of combo-ing my trips down south (Bludso's + Mom's, Jim Dandy + Hawkins, etc.).

[Rosiepigs]

Any update on this? I need me some ribs!

[Mr Taster]

I talked with one of the Golden State guys (I think his name is Jason) about a week ago and he confirmed the details of what has been discussed already (location, Bludso is training his guys to bbq, etc.). I didn't press him for details, but I came away feeling optimistic. So, in this case I'm hoping that no news is good news.

Mr Taster

[kevin]

Sounds good. Now I will be mercifully saved the one and a half long drive in heavy traffic.

[The Chowhound Team]

Just a friendly reminder, Folks, this thread is about Bludso's or other BBQ available locally. Discussion of venues out side of the greater L.A. area is out of scope for this board.

[Tripeler]

I wonder if it will be called the Tar - B - Que Pit?

[New Trial]

For food that really sticks to your ribs.

[EarlyBird]

I wonder if it will be called the Tar - B - Que Pit?

Yes, and they'll be serving many of the beef "dinosaur bones."

[Mr Taster]

Oh good lord, I hope not.

Mr Taster

[Dirtywextraolives]

So what's the word, wiener mobile? Do you have an idea whe they will open, or if they have, how is it? I still want tot go to Compton and try it there, and try Big Mista's as well. Still have not been able to try him when he goes to the MV farmers market....

[wienermobile]

According to both Grub Street and The LA Times their opening is scheduled for the end of this year.

[wienermobile]

And FYI here is Big Mista's current Farmers Market schedule & locations:

Atwater Village CFM
3250 Glendale Boulevard
(Wells Fargo Parking Lot)
Sunday 10a-2p

Altadena Farmers Market
Lower Loma Alta Park
600 W. Palm St
Wednesday 3p-7p

Century City Farmers Market
1800 Avenue of the Stars
Thursday 11a-3p

Bank of America
Farmers Market
333 S. Hope St
Friday 10a-2p

Gigi’s Farmers Market
The Americana
@ Brand on Caruso Drive
Saturday 10a-2p

Torrance CFM
2200 Crenshaw Boulevard
(Charles Wilson Park)
Saturday 8a-1p

[Dirtywextraolives]

Oh, thank you so much for that, someof those I can definIely make it to! Appreciate it so much!!

[wienermobile]

You are welcome and if Big Mista has their BBQ Pastrami (and they don't have it that often) make sure you try some, it's great.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Are you kidding me?! Oh, you know I'll be checking that out as soon as I can! Much appreciation ;-)))

[sel]

And you have to try the 'pig candy' at Big Mista's that I still want to get some of!

[Dirtywextraolives]

Will do...

[avar]

Happy to see the list of Big Mista's locations. Thanks. Went to the B of A 333 S. Hope location bought a half rack of ribs. Very disappointed. Lacking in flavor, tougher than I expect. Didn't even like the spicy sauce. Haven't been to Big Mista for 2 years. Went to the Atwater location 4 times and the ribs were pretty good but never as good as the comments on Chowhound. Have always prefered Bludso's and J&J for consistently very good ribs.
Hope someone else will comment.
I really like ribs and I don't eat them often enough to not enjoy them.

[wienermobile]

I am more of a fan of their brisket than their ribs.

[raizans]

i stopped picking up bbq at the farmer's market because of the inconsistency. smells as tempting as ever, though.

[raizans]

i'm happy for the bludso family, but curated beer and cocktail lists don't belong on the same menu as barbecue! fancy barbecue is not just annoying, it's depressing to see.

on the other hand, i've never consumed alcohol along with barbecue. maybe it'll be good.

[bulavinaka]

If you drink alcohol and enjoy really good barbecue, you should consider giving it a try.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/853145

I'm glad for the Bludso family as well - I'd always wonder when they would branch out to offer their excellence to greater LA. I just didn't expect them to do it this way - but props to them nonetheless. It's artisan-level eats and I'm hoping they'll be in good partnership with Golden State.

[raizans]

you hit the nail on the head: "artisan-level eats." i think the golden state menu talks too much about where all of the ingredients come from. i'd prefer it if that sort of pretense doesn't become part of going to bludso's, whichever location it may be.

[A5 KOBE]

Let's just hope for the sake of this new business venture that it has no ill effects on the Compton location.

[TonyC]

Through the grapevine -- a GS crew member has been encamped at Bludso for months learning to man the smoker. While decades of Q can't be replaced by a few months of on the job training, at least somebody will be onsite 24/7 to do a little QC.

I've had some beers while downing Bludso's, it's a natural combination (think Smoke City, but with actually edible pork). OTOH, I've almost always eaten at Bludso's. Kevin's been talking about a partner for.... a very long time. That said, along with raizans, I'll probably remain true to the Compton locale, and drink my beer offs the premises.

Also, for Compton Q lovers: someone go check out Raging Q next time you drive Morthbound on Long Beach Blvd while returning from Bludso's. Super nice folks.

[wienermobile]

Just in from the LA Eater the new Bludso's La Brea location will have a 2600 pound smoker.

[foufou]

Yes, congrats to bludso's for this opportunity but as well I too hope the Compton location is not diminished by a focus on the new location!

[bulavinaka]

Every time I've been to Bludso's, the vast majority of customers seem to be from the surrounding neighborhood. The counter ladies and many of the customers know each other at least by face, if not by name. I don't think the mothership will be in jeopardy.

[Steve2 in LA]

I agree with bulavinaka. While I've dutifully made the trek (from Van Nuys) a few times, I can't imagine there are enough people doing that whose absence would negatively impact the Compton Bludsoe's. On the other hand, I'd be MORE than happy to frequently take the (much shorter) hop over the hill if the 'cue is even CLOSE to the original.

The Bear Pit just doesn't cut it.

[kevin]

Yeah, that makes sense. I'm pretty sure the majority of the crowd that goes to the LaBrea location will be customers who have never visited Bludso's before.

[raizans]

bludso's dry rub is classic and delicious. i usually eat my ribs dry and some of my pics are on yelp for reference.

i have not been to phil's, but my sister said it's not the real deal so i never bothered.

[bulavinaka]

Bludso's beans are excellent imho. We always order an extra quart when we get their large party platter.

[Ciao Bob]

Love the open mind!!!!

[bulavinaka]

Great news for Bludso's, but time-wise for me, it's a flip of the coin. I'll keep going to Compton. Besides, Cookie is a real doll.

[Bruin2]

But will it have the same $30 Texas Sampler that feeds 4? Or instead the West Side $30 small slab of ribs that barely feeds 2. That is the question. If the former, I'll be one of the first there. Here's hoping.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Yes, the ultimate question indeed. Can any of you comment on and compare Bludso's and Big Mista's? I have been wanting to do a side by side comparison for a long time. Maybe one of you already has, and has any intelligent analysis.

[Mr Taster]

My Big Mista/Bludso's journey, documented.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/627037#4767118

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7300...

Bottom line- consistency and quality share equal importance, and Bludso's has been outrageously consistent in the quality of their BBQ (and for an outrageously fair price.)

Mr Taster

[Dirtywextraolives]

Thank you for the information.

[ExtraCheesePlease]

Wow, that just made my week. No more trekking to Compton when I'm craving Bludso's.