True, I have not been to many barbeque restaurants in the Seattle area since my relocation here nearly a year ago. As a matter of fact, to date, I have only been to two restaurants that dedicate themselves to selling ‘que. One was more a bar than a barbeque restaurant, which should have been a tip off right there that I was to be disappointed. The second was a restaurant that opened about a mile from my house. “Could this be barbeque worthy of Southern taste buds”, I asked myself. Well I was soon to find out as I made the short walk to Bourbon & Barbeque Grill.

I stopped by after work and though the restaurant opens at 4pm (I was there at 4:15pm) they don’t start serving food until 5pm. So, since I had some time to kill, I sat at the bar and indulged in at least one of their name’s sake, bourbon. Their selection was strong with only one minor omission, Jim Beam Black label, but I made due with a Maker’s Mark. Some chitchat with the staff while they rushed to get ready for the evening service and my bourbon made the forty-five minutes fly by. In no time at all I had my order placed and my skepticism on high.

It didn’t take long at all to get my order and put Bourbon & Barbeque Grill’s food to the test. First in line was an order of Fried Green Tomatoes ($2.50). This item wasn’t on the regular menu but instead was written on a board near the door. But do they ever need to make this a constant item. A little more thinly sliced than I typically would have made for myself the tomatoes were nonetheless sweet and tart. Incased in a crispy, crunchy batter that adhered well to the tomato slices, they were enhanced by what the owner call Jezebel Sauce. As for this when you go in. Apricot and horseradish may not sound like they’d go well together but applied liberally to the tomatoes and it gave a subtle kick that helped to actually bring out the tomato’s natural sweetness. I didn’t feel it worked quite as well with my sandwich but that’s personal preference.

Now, the sandwich. I ordered a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich ($8.75, add fries for $1.00). For those of you who may not be quite familiar with Southern barbeque, a pulled pork sandwich defines your “‘que”. Made, typically, from the cheapest cut on the pig, the shoulder, the meat in a sandwich can be succulent and tender or it can be filled with fat, gristle and sinew. As I write this I feel myself back at Bourbon & Barbeque Grill, sandwich in hand and that first bite. Immediately I was back in Tampa at my favorite barbeque shack. Juicy pork goodness dripping down my chin, a tart tomato, vinegar sauce teasing my tongue and a smoky goodness coming from the meat itself. This was good barbeque. Lightly sauced the chefs leave the meat to speak for itself. Done just to the point of melting away fat and connective tissue made for rich, moist pork. The light saucing allowed me to try a few of their sauces until I found the one that was right for me. The sandwich costs a bit more than I would pay in the South for pulled pork and the bun, I felt, should have been toasted to stand up to sauce and meat but these were only minor drawbacks.

If you are one of the above mentioned people who’ve yet to experience true Southern barbeque, this is the place for you to go. If you’ve had good barbeque before and have been found wanting for some of the same here, this is the place for you. If you live within walking distance and get a hunger for good barbeque more times than you’d like to admit; well then, this is the place for me.