Big City BBQ gets our vote for the Best New Restaurant in August of 2004, and will almost certainly end up on our annual Reader's Choice Awards ballot later this year.  The Big City boys are the new guys in town in the fast-growing barbeque arena, but the owners come from extensive prior experience as restauranteurs.  High profile Executive Chef, Rasshad Brown (www.rasshad.com), co-founded Big City after more than 15 years of professional culinary experience, including managing kitchens in resorts and corporate restaurants chains.

"BBQ with Soul!" they announce on their menu board, sporting such Southern delicacies as fried okra, collard greens, rice and gravy, black-eyed peas, more than a dozen size dishes in all.  But, what drives most BBQ aficionados here are the smoked meats, the brisket, ribs, pork, hot links and turkey.  All meats are rubbed and spiced for 48 hours, then smoked for up to 12 hours prior to serving.

What makes Big City really stand out, other than the quality foods, are their unique dry rubs and barbeque sauces.  "Most BBQ sauces are vinegar-based," offered co-owner and catering manager Len Wechsler, "but ours is tomato-based, so it doesn't leave an aftertaste."  For the adventurous at heart, you will want to dip into the hot BBQ sauce, my personal favorite, although I did see at least one other guest break a sweat after just one nibble.

Soul Food lovers will also appreciate the Fried Catfish, Smothered Chicken Breasts, and Smothered Pork Chops.  All "Southern Favorites" are presented as lunch portions (with one piece of meat) or dinner portions (two pieces of meat), and the dinner portions are often more than will reasonably fit on a plate.

Oh, and a word about desserts.  At my table, we passed around melt-in-your-mouth peach cobbler, pecan pie, and my new post-barbeque favorite, sugar biscuits.

The cost of an average meal at Big City BBQ is about $10 per person, maybe a couple dollars more for double dinner portions.  Lunch combos are $6.49 and include a BBQ sandwich with any smoked meat, a choice of any side, and a refillable soft drink.

Big City BBQ also offers party packs (packaged for groups of six or more) and fully catered meals for groups of 30 or more.  The full restaurant menu is available on the web at www.bigcitybbq.com/menu.htm.  For a catering menu, contact Len Wechsler at 480-756-5702.