philw wrote:food sec. in tribune has a nice review today by kevin pang

Kevin Pang, Chicago Tribune

A few other Brand BBQ print media reviews.

Mike Nagrant, New City
Heather Shouse, Time Out Chicago
Gary Wiviott, Chicago Reader

Funny how Heather Shouse's review differs so greatly from the guys... Judging from Nagrant's "hot for Teacher" quip, methinks the male reviewers are being a bit too generous regarding the quality of the the grub perhaps hoping they might get a peek at the hottie chef's drip pan.

Beauner wrote:Funny how Heather Shouse's review differs so greatly from the guys... Judging from Nagrant's "hot for Teacher" quip, methinks the male reviewers are being a bit too generous regarding the quality of the the grub perhaps hoping they might get a peek at the hottie chef's drip pan.

Heather has a refreshing hold-no-punches style. Nagrant does too sometimes, so I have to think he actually liked the place. To each his own.

But Kevin Pang? If you read his Brand review in the context of the kid-meets-Santa glee he expresses just about everywhere, describing barely average pub burgers as "hedonistically yummy," you realize that Brand BBQ sounds like the worst restaurant he's been to in his life. He gave it 2 stars. Does anything get one star?

And Wiviott? What does that guy know about BBQ joints?

It's forks. Only fine dining is worthy of stars.

got it. so does anything get one fork?

I suppose it must happen once in a great while. In the Cheap Eats realm, I have some sympathy for the notion, why devote newspaper space to damning with faint praise one neighborhood joint over a million others in town. In fine dining, it seems more like once a year, some place with serious problems gets the more-in-sorrow-than-anger warning star, but most of the time, we live in a glorious paradise of two and three star restaurants all around us...

Beauner wrote:Funny how Heather Shouse's review differs so greatly from the guys... Judging from Nagrant's "hot for Teacher" quip, methinks the male reviewers are being a bit too generous regarding the quality of the the grub perhaps hoping they might get a peek at the hottie chef's drip pan.

It could also be that her review was the first, and they managed to work out kinks in the subsequent weeks.

Giallo wrote:

Beauner wrote:Funny how Heather Shouse's review differs so greatly from the guys... Judging from Nagrant's "hot for Teacher" quip, methinks the male reviewers are being a bit too generous regarding the quality of the the grub perhaps hoping they might get a peek at the hottie chef's drip pan.

It could also be that her review was the first, and they managed to work out kinks in the subsequent weeks.

Maybe, but I don't see all that much substantive difference among these reviews. The tones are different from one to the next, but content-wise, they say remarkably similar things about the food: there are some tasty non-BBQ items at Brand BBQ, but the BBQ itself is not a strong suit.

polster wrote:According to the metromix article on 'Brand BBQ Market' it says:
"burnt ends (that's double-smoked brisket fat that’s been deep fried)"

Question are true burnt ends supposed to be deep fried or just double smoked meat? Frying seems to defeat the purpose?

Referenced article:
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/metromi ... arket.html
or
http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants ... 23/content

Is this how they do there brunt ends for real?

Cbot wrote:

polster wrote:According to the metromix article on 'Brand BBQ Market' it says:
"burnt ends (that's double-smoked brisket fat that’s been deep fried)"

Question are true burnt ends supposed to be deep fried or just double smoked meat? Frying seems to defeat the purpose?

Referenced article:
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/metromi ... arket.html
or
http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants ... 23/content

Is this how they do there brunt ends for real?

No, that's how they do Metromix. According to the chef and owner, the burnt ends at Brand do not meet a deep fryer. Though the New City article also mentioned deep frying, so who knows where the info is coming from.

had a great meal here other night. only thing we did not have was chicken. the smoked/braised beef rib was great. i will be going back soon to have more duck

Kennyz wrote:

Cbot wrote:

polster wrote:According to the metromix article on 'Brand BBQ Market' it says:
"burnt ends (that's double-smoked brisket fat that’s been deep fried)"

Question are true burnt ends supposed to be deep fried or just double smoked meat? Frying seems to defeat the purpose?

Referenced article:
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/metromi ... arket.html
or
http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants ... 23/content

Is this how they do there brunt ends for real?

No, that's how they do Metromix. According to the chef and owner, the burnt ends at Brand do not meet a deep fryer. Though the New City article also mentioned deep frying, so who knows where the info is coming from.

Sweet Charity Smith clarifies the deep fryer thing in the comments below the New City article. Still a mystery how multiple media outlets got the deep-fried information.

Below is a link to a pic of a burnt end sandwich from LC's in KCMO (IMO the best Q in KC). In no way does it resemble what is passed off as burnt ends at Brand BBQ. I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mpwillis/3675706993/

Beauner wrote:Funny how Heather Shouse's review differs so greatly from the guys... Judging from Nagrant's "hot for Teacher" quip, methinks the male reviewers are being a bit too generous regarding the quality of the the grub perhaps hoping they might get a peek at the hottie chef's drip pan.

I have no interest in seeing anyone's drip pan. I just try to describe it like it is. If you look at Charity and don't see that Tina Fey like quality or the dark bookish glasses on the attractive woman look, tell me I'm wrong. I've been known to describe male chefs by their good looks in articles too, and I also have no interest in seeing their dipping sticks.

While I don't discount that good looks might sway some, it has no bearing on my reviews. Food quality is always paramount. Curtis Duffy can charm the pants of most with a smile, but I love his food not because he's a hottie, but because the dude has mad chops. The ladies at Coyote Ugly have their charms, but I'm never gonna dub it the best watering hole in Chicago. I'm far to committed to my integrity to let anyone sway me with a wink.

I genuinely liked the food I describe in the review.

As for the deep fried thing on the burnt ends, I took that from the restaurant's original description. It was a bad move on my part not to fact check it. I made a mistake. I apologize. It's definitely a byproduct of the fact that we live in an era where professional fact checkers are no longer a luxury, and where I as a freelancer writer write 25 to 30 pieces a month and have a lot less time than I would have ten years ago to write an article. That being said, it’s a poor performance on my part, and I promise to be more vigilant.

the burnt ends were bigger this past time & better then the first week they where open

LTH,

Brand's BBQ is a moving target, on a recent visit brisket was improved, tender yet still retaining structure, and a smoked then braised short rib was tender and tasty if a little light on the smoke. I liked the flavor of the baby back ribs, the rub a subtle sweet, but they could have used another turn in the cooker as the meat was on the wrong side of chewy.

Brand BBQ Baby Back Ribs



In keeping with my general take on Brand the Cheffier portions of the menu shined. Brandcheezie, which I wax poetic about upthread and in the Reader, consistently delicious and an experiment of smoked peanut butter, which we were given to try, a surprisingly subtle salty smokey treat, a bit granular it would be terrific with ice cream.

In response to customer feedback Brand now has more traditional Burnt Ends on hand, served as a sandwich we ordered without bread as an appetizer. Picture turned out poor and, while still not quite what I like as a burnt end,* they were a hell of a lot more tasty than the picture would indicate.

Brand Burnt Ends

Tastier than picture indicates


There has been some reference to Pitmistress Sweet Charity Smith's appearance. She is attractive, but the bar in BBQ is not really all that high,** as evidenced by the group of (not so good looking) BBQ guys I had dinner with.

Phil Wingo, Dave 'Sweet Baby Ray' Raymond, Sweet Charity Smith/ Pitmistress/co-owner Brand BBQ, Barry Sorkin/Smoque, Drew Masur/co-owner Brand BBQ



Enjoy,
Gary

*My burnt end preference is for smoked brisket point to be butterflied, re-rubed and put back on the smoker until crackling crisp and served without sauce.
**Myself most definitely included

I just checked the hours on the website and they are only open for lunch on weekdays...
They open at 5pm on weekends? Oh, well, we're new breeders and are opting to stay home for dinner these days.

G Wiv wrote:
Brand BBQ Baby Back Ribs

gotta say the picture of Brands BB's really dont have me rushing into the cuity to eat there. The meat looks really grey with no visible smoke ring.

Food Nut wrote:I just checked the hours on the website and they are only open for lunch on weekdays...
They open at 5pm on weekends? Oh, well, we're new breeders and are opting to stay home for dinner these days.

They also have a pretty handy on-line ordering system, and they do deliver as well. I recently had the pulled duck sandwich and really liked it. Less a fan of their fries which tasted OK, but were limp. I like my fries crispier. They have improved their sauce delivery system since the last time I was there. They now have small squeeze bottles and will bring all the sauces to your table. Also, their lunch sandwich menu is substantially different from their dinner menu. Some of the sandwiches sound pretty good, but I haven't had a chance to try any yet.

G Wiv wrote:Brand Burnt Ends
Tastier than picture indicates

Was there much meat on these? They look mega fatty.

Another good review of Brand BBQ
http://tastingtable.com/entry_detail/ch ... Market.htm

I seriously don't get it. My only visit I had undercooked pork belly (ew) and overcooked ribs. Both didn't have alot of flavor. Reviews seem to all say choose wisely - I don't believe I should have to work that hard to navigate a menu.

I so want to like this place as it is in the neighborhood and the staff is very nice, but the food turned me off.

I had a very enjoyable experience at Brand on Saturday night.
The staff is very kind, the service is FAST...a little too fast IMHO, so we just held off on ordering our main course for a bit.

We started with the pork belly appetizer and the brandcheezie. Both very good. In fact we felt the pork belly was so good that we ordered a second!
The pork belly was nice in that it was well-cooked, crispy but fatty, and had a mild flavor so it was good for sauce sampling. It was served over greens so we felt very healthy! For our second order we asked for no onions, there were just too many raw red onions for us.

The sauces are quite good. The overwhelming table favorite was definitely Brand Signature, followed by Smoky Spicy. I thought the Mustard one was great, my hubby liked it as salad dressing, but not on meat (to each their own). The Classic was the least favorite...it tasted bottled, just nothing special. The Cherry was unique and definitely worked well on the brandcheezie. I didn't like the Peach, but I will attribute that to my hatred for Cloves (and all like spices) which for me overwhelmed the sweetness. I have no memory of the Jerk....which in and of itself is a review I suppose.

For the main courses, I could not resist the burnt-ends burger. I am a burger lover and it sounded so good...and it was! Perfectly cooked medium-rare as I requested with some smoked gouda. Good bun to meat ratio. I didn't even need condiments...just the occasional dip in the Signature sauce. Delish! Now I'm hungry.
Hubby had the duck and was quite pleased, the bite I had was good, very moist.
Our friend had the pulled pork sandwich. It was good, but after eating pulled pork at Pappy's in St. Louis two weeks ago, it just couldn't compare. It was good though a little dry. For sides we tried the sweet potato fries, the broccoli, the hand-cut fries, coleslaw and the burnt ends mac and cheese. The sweet potato fries were great, and I am not a sweet potato fry fan, they were crinkle cut, which I think made them crispier. The broccoli was fantastic. I could have just eaten a big bowl of it. It had garlic cloves and spices, just delicious. The hand cut fries were good, nothing super memorable. The coleslaw was vinegar based, tasty enough. The mac and cheese was the only real disappointment. It was the blandest mac I have ever had. I love mac, I make my own and I am confounded as to how this could be so blah. It was so bland that I couldn’t discern what kind of cheese they are using but it just tastes like nothing. Very weird. They really need to correct that. The burnt ends on it did nothing to help the flavor.
On the recommendation of the board I ordered some of their candied smoked pecans. They were just ok in our opinion, if you like smoke you’ll like them, but for me the smoke completely overpowered the sweet and the nut.
The BYO was great! The atmosphere was cute. It was a bargain. We will be back.

Went to Brand last weekend. The meal was mediocre. Pulled pork and brisket were both dry and lacking in smoke flavor -- the brisket tasted almost like pot roast. Both were helped by the very good sauces, however. Sides were a mixed bag; I liked the mac and cheese, but it wasn't anything special. The fries were alternately crisp and soggy, not sure what the problem was there. Service was quick and friendly, the 4 of us left satisfied but ultimately underwhelmed and longing for another trip to Smoque or Honey 1.

I tried Brand for a second go and nothing changed substantially. Not a terrible meal, but not a great one.

1.) The Brandcheesie was still spectacular.
2.) The pork belly confit still lacked crispiness, porkiness, and goodness. Nagrant apparently had this and referred to both a fried egg and maple mayo; neither of which were on mine either time ordering it. I had a white bun that ill fit the pork belly nugget.

It still feels like there are substantial gaps in what is I'd expect burnt ends, pork belly confit, etc. to be from having them elsewhere and what is served here.

msmre wrote: Nagrant apparently had this and referred to both a fried egg and maple mayo; neither of which were on mine either time ordering it. I had a white bun that ill fit the pork belly nugget.

I believe the described sandwich is on Brand's lunch menu which, for whatever reason, has a lot of interesting sounding sandwiches not on the dinner menu.

It does seem odd that the wait for dinner to remove the more appealing aspect of a dish. Truthfully, after looking at the lunch menu, it looks better in nearly every aspect to the dinner menu.

Got an e-mail from Brand BBQ earlier today announcing that they have been making ice cream in house. I must admit some of the flavors sound pretty intriguing:

-Bourbon Smoked Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate Chunk
-Strawberry Basil
-Bourbon Smoked Candied Pecans and Bourbon Caramel

Having had their Bourbon Smoked Candied Pecans, I can say I might eat anything with them on or in it. Seems interesting, so I thought I would mention it. Will have to check this out and report back.

i got the same email
i am going tonight to try some of them
& maybe some pork belly

philw wrote:i got the same email
i am going tonight to try some of them
& maybe some pork belly

the peach icecream was great.
did get the pork belly = outstanding

My dining companion (who is vegan) and I both found the food to be very flavorful and well-prepared this evening at Brand. This was our first visit in many months and we liked the new-ish seating near the front where it is less dark than the rest of the space. We are very pleased that this BBQ restaurant has good vegetarian options and we plan to return.

We did, however, come up with a "punch list" of recommendations we think are worthy of consideration by the fine folks who run Brand BBQ Market:

1. Beverages: drop the corporate sodas and offer locally or at least regionally made beverages instead. There's more to life than Coke and Pepsi.
2. For all the sandwiches served on a bun (burgers, portobello mushroom, smoked tofu, etc.), please toast the bun!
3. For dine-in customers, serve the side of cole slaw in something other than a plastic to go container.
4. Drop the baggie of oyster crackers that accompanies the chili/soups and instead serve a hunk of French roll or a cornbread muffin on the side.

Thank you,

Matt