It’s five o’clock somewhere, and at Dana Point’s Rib Joint Roadhouse, you don’t need an excuse to have a drink any time of the day.
Regulars sit at the wooden bar and discuss their problems over beer and wine. “She broke my heart,” says a depressed patron. “You’re a survivor,” a friend chimes in. “Let me buy you a drink,” the tanned cocktail waitress offers. Regulars flock to this saloon-like joint on Pacific Coast Highway to drink and lend an ear to their friends, but also for the comfort food. These colossal plates of barbecue might just cure the blues.
Family owned and operated since 1982, the roadhouse has been serving up Memphis-style barbecue seven days a week with live music Tuesday through Saturday. A look at the menu’s list of options is a step in improving any melancholy mood.
A family feast goes for $69.95, but since there aren’t four carnivorous travelers with me, I order the roadhouse combo ($19.95). The mighty and meaty meal can be split between two. The meat alone consists of a 1/4 chicken, one pork rib, one beef rib and two baby back ribs. Sides include a choice of fries, corn on the cob, black beans and rice, barbecue beans or a $1.50 baked potato. A slice of homemade cornbread and a trip to the salad or soup bar completes the long list of food.
It’s not easy to finish this dinner. The salad is basic, but the meat makes up for the simple appetizer. The overwhelming heap of ribs and chicken is tender, tangy and sticky–a taste of what traditional Memphis barbecue should be. Because this barbecue style doesn’t rely on sauce, meat is slowly smoked so natural flavors are more pronounced. For those who need to lather their ribs in a flavorful glaze, the meal is served with a side of a semi-sweet barbecue sauce. This meat is legit, even with (or maybe because of) the restaurant’s dive-bar vibe.
Stick a fork into the side of savory barbecue beans, and the dinner’s smoky theme is all the more enhanced. A bite into the moist square of cornbread is a filling balance to the plate’s richness. Be sure to have a stack of napkins.
There aren’t any desserts offered, which is a good thing. Another morsel of food, and I might have to be be airlifted out of the restaurant.
House rules state that credit cards are allowed, but the owner prefers customers pay in cash. A glance at their website also reveals a 20 percent off coupon for dine-in orders. You’ll want to eat-in to get the complete roadhouse experience anyway – the cast of characters brings out the flavor of these meals.
Rib Joint Roadhouse
34294 Pacific Coast Highway
Dana Point
949-661-9500
Rib lovers find comfort food at PCH dive is a post from: Food Frenzy