Memphis Blues
1465 West Broadway | Vancouver
(604) 738.6806
memphisbluesbbq.com
Cuisine: Southern-style BBQ
Locations: view list on website
Eating Options: sit-in, take-out
Reservations: optional
Accepts: cash, debit, all major credit cards
Overview:
My first taste of Memphis Blues was at one of my husband’s staff parties; for me, it was the culinary highlight of the potluck spread. After having eaten mostly seafood, sandwiches, and Asian fare during my 2007 trip to San Francisco, my gullet yearned to pig out on as much red meat as possible. So we made a beeline for the Memphis Blues on Broadway & Granville as soon as I stepped out from the airport.
It’s a pretty casual space, smelling deliciously of slow-cooked meat and corn bread. The walls are lined posters of the blues masters, and the rafters showcased bottles of hot sauce from around the world. Every table was armed with salt, pepper, and red and green Tabasco bottles. My kind of place.
With memories of the brisket foremost in my mind, I had no trouble figuring out what to order. We washed our meals down with microbrew and enjoyed the reactions of other tables when their giant platters of meat arrived. Watching the server was fun too–he cannily brought take-home boxes to the tables as soon as people began to sigh or loosen their belts. We went home very satisfied with the meat overdose–and we’ve been coming back ever since to appease our carnivorous cravings.
Sides
Potato salad
Very good potato salad. The boiled egg and dijon mustard make this salad robust, while the generous amount of cayenne gives it a nice spice level. This and the corn bread won my vote out of all the sides that came with the combos.
Corn Bread
Yum yum yum! My favourite of the sides. Baked with whole morsels of sweet corn. Do not forget to order this with your meat.
BBQ Pit Beans
First impression: your average side of beans. Decent if eaten alone. It didn’t go well with the brisket or the pulled pork. Also tremendously gas-inducing!
Subsequent impressions: slowly but surely warmed to it. It now seems to complement the pulled pork and brisket very nicely. Is that more pulled pork I see amidst the sea of beans?? Yum!
Slaw
So-so coleslaw served room-temperature. I prefer chilled coleslaw. It was also bland for my taste. Seemed to be missing the usual zingyness that I expect from a good coleslaw.
Update: I’ve had this coleslaw several times via take-out and it is spectacular! It’s the first side dish that runs out. I don’t know why I didn’t like it when we ate it at the restaurant, but I’ve had a complete change of heart about this one.
Mains
Sliced Brisket
Extremely well-marbled brisket, sliced thick and juicy. The regular combo and the sandwich combo usually last for two Karen-sized servings. My favourite.
Pulled Pork
My husband’s favourite. It has a slightly smokier taste than the brisket, but I don’t believe it is smoked.
Smoked Prime Rib
This has now eclipsed the brisket as the best dish I’ve ever had here. Only available on rare occasions like Mother’s and Father’s Day. I highly recommend keeping an eye out on Memphis Blue’s events page near major holidays so you don’t miss out on this spectacular offering. When co-founder Park Heffelfinger saw my face fall at the news that this is usually an annual treat, he used his arms to approximate the size of the rib cut (about the size of a suitcase) and threw out a huge price tag after that. No wonder it’s not in the cookbook!
Photos
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