What a thrill. Right down the street from where I grew up, in good old Affton in St. Louis, MO, a brand new BBQ restaurant just opened 6 months ago. Well I just had to try it.
From the moment I opened up my car door in the parking lot, I could smell sweet hickory in the air. Is there anything more inviting when you’re hungry for lunch? The decor is simple and rustic – exactly as a BBQ joint should be. Wood everywhere, potato sacks on the lights, cool. Everyone I talked to was more than polite. Very nice, very welcoming, and happy to answer all of my questions. So far, Boodles is batting .1000, so now let’s eat.
My sister Karen and I ordered one of everything on the menu. They have an option to pick 2 or pick 3…so we picked 5. My friend Pfeif showed up as well, and he ordered the Sloppy-Bo, so we had nearly every main dish on the menu, including every side.
The pulled pork had a good dark bark on it, just the way I like it. I was expecting more kick than it had, but they probably need to keep it mild for the masses. The smokiness was perfect, the tenderness right on, but the meat itself was slightly dry.
The ribs, on the other hand, were buttery and juicy. I even asked our waitress if they were sitting in a vat of butter back there…she said no, but I’m not convinced. They had a great smoke ring and they were perfect pull from the bone tender. I thought the bark could have used a little more flavor…it was just a bit too simple for my tastes. I would love to try their process with my rub and taste the results.
The brisket had the best smoke ring I’ve ever seen on a brisket. I’m not kidding – look at that picture. It’s deep red and gorgeous. The tenderness was perfect, pulled right apart, not tough. Flavor and smokiness were great as well. I’ve cooked a LOT of briskets so I know first hand how difficult it is to master these traits – and Boodles has it down. While the brisket was a bit dry, I can’t complain too much. It was overall awesome.
The chicken was awesome as well. If it’s possible, it might have been a bit too smokey, but I attribute that to eating it with the skin on. That skin can really suck in the smoke. The meat pulled right from the bone and tasted great. I do love me some smoked chicken.
The star of this meal was shockingly, the turkey. I can honestly say it was the best smoked turkey I’ve ever eaten in my life. Karen and Pfeif agreed, and the leftovers my wife ate later that evening were still good enough for her to agree. Juicy. Tender. Smokey. Melt in your mouth. A perfect 10 across the board.
The Sloppy Bo was awesome as well. It’s a mix of pork and brisket, simmered in a mix of their sauces. I could eat this sandwich regularly. It was absolutely delicious.
The sides were all…okay. Standard BBQ sides. The one that stood out to Karen and I were the fried biscuits. Oh boy. I could eat a LOT of those. Very unique. Very tasty, and I’m SURE they are very healthy…
The sauces were all good as well. Karen and I don’t prefer sweeter sauces, so our favorite was the spicy. Very good, a nice kick, complimented the meats well. I also enjoyed the mustard sauce – very unique and tasty.
Overall we had a great experience at Boodles BBQ. Everyone was nice, the food was hot and smokey, and for the portions they were reasonably priced. To see their menu or learn more about Boodles, you can go to their website HERE. For anyone locally in St. Louis I definitely think it’s worth dropping in and trying it out. If you do nothing else, get the turkey, and thank me later.