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| Old Southern BBQ |
Well, well, well...the landscape has changed.
It's so hard to find something reasonable to eat in Shoreview and Arden
Hills that isn't fast food or deep-fried.
I see a glimmer of hope.
Old Southern BBQ, a Dave Anderson family concept, has opened location #5
in Arden Hills (for once, we're not on the bottom on the list or NOT on
the list at all).
A much smaller and more focused effort than Famous Dave's, with a better
layout than any Dickey's BBQ I've ever been in, this place has some
possibilities.
First, let's look at the cooking equipment rundown...NO deep fryer
anywhere in the place. Smokers and stoves--they're actually making some
food here.
Second, prices. This place is affordable for lunch or for your family
dining out after schools and sports and everything else that makes you
say "there's no time to make dinner tonight."
A pulled
pork sandwich and a side for $7.99 is quite the deal. Sides
range from slaw to potato salad to potatoes (sweet or mashed) to
beans...and even some things you might have found at Marianne's Kitchen...like pickled cukes (like refrigerator sweet pickles) or
garbanzo & grilled veggie salad in vinaigrette. On the catering
side, you can grab 4 dz BBQ sliders for $1.99 each or go with a big
party pack of ribs or BBQ tacos or BBQ sandwiches.
Third, options. We like to start near the beginning of the menu....we
can work our way through during our future visits. So we both opted to
start with a bowl ($7.99). We started at the top with the Dixie and
the last one on the list...the Memphis. The
bowls are based on mashed potatoes or rice, then offer an assortment
ingredients from Jimmie Beans (think the flavor of Bush's), Party Corn!,
red onions, slaw, etc.
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| Old Southern BBQ -The Dixie |
The Dixie: think Mexican BBQ bowl...rice, jalapenos, tomatoes, corn,
BBQ sour cream...and the twist, Jimmie Beans....then topped with pulled
pork.
Overall, we liked this bowl better than the Memphis...but we
thought the texture of the rice detracted from
the overall bowl. It's like a carnitas bowl add baked beans. All in
all an interesting combo of flavors.
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| Old Southern BBQ - The Memphis |
The Memphis: mashed potatoes with cheddar and Jimmie beans, corn, red
onion, tomatoes, BBQ sour cream, and the Memphis combo--brisket and
sliced Texas link.
Here we really liked the Texas link...we'd order
that alone...great flavor and texture. The chopped
brisket added another layer of flavor. The rest of the bowl was
similar to the Dixie without some of the 'freshness' offered by the
Dixie. Here, the red onions were in pieces that we too big--they
should have been chopped more finely. The jalapenos in
the Dixie were nice thin slices with the seeds removed---so jalapeno
flavor without overwhelming the balance.
You can get a big garden salad, a sandwich and side, pitmaster platters,
smokehouse 'packs' that serve 2 to 6 people plus meats by the pound.
Many areas of exploration for next time.
Good enough that we'll return to work our way through the menu.
The service was quick and friendly. We had a nice chat with one of the
management team-who the went to the kitchen and rubbed pounds and
pounds and pounds of meats to prep for the smoker. The newly trained
staff had absorbed their customer service training
and gave great service. And since they've been open less than a week,
no one was burned out--we hope the optimism and cheerful dispositions
continue!
The interior was pretty BBQ standard...corrugated, but painted in good
colors, flag inspired tables, high and dining height seating options,
Lift Bridge beer as a beverage option in addition to soft drinks and
iced tea.
My reservations so far....it appears they use Smithfield meats. Years
ago that would have been seen as a positive. But Smithfield is now a
Chinese-owned company, so wished instead that Old Southern BBQ was
supporting local farmers and local products. Times
have changed, and the expectations for local food and fresh options
means they should be upping their game from the get-go. Since they only
have 5 locations, maybe they'll look at their local roots (MN and WI)
and change their sourcing model to bring jobs
and business to local producers and local farm families...supporting
rural communities in the states where they operate restaurants.
Perhaps you'd all like to suggest that to them when you visit. It would
be a good test of their customer responsiveness!
Give 'em a try....great to have another option on Lexington Avenue...in
the new addition to the Lexington Station development (which will be
adding 2 more buildings in the future).
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| Old Southern BBQ |
Old Southern Smokehouse is the best restaurant.
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