So like any serious lover of food I have an addiction to the Food Network. It makes for perfect background noise when I'm at home on a "mental health" sick day or when I'm cleaning or marinating on what I will make for dinner. By far one of the most hunger pain inducing shows on that channel is Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I didn't know how obsessed I was with barbecue until I started watching the show. When I saw that a cookbook had come out recently, I had to pick it up not for the recipes but for the delightful to-eat list the catalog of good eats provided.
So when I got my edition of Daily Candy last February, and read about the opening of Bulldog Barbecue on North Miami, I was ready to go all in. Cheddar grits, corn pudding and burnt end beans? After I read that chef/owner Howie Kleinberg hailed from North Carolina "barbecue pedigree" and was a former contestant on Top Chef, the deal was sealed. I had my purse in my hand and was walking out the door.
For a restaurant only open a week, I was surprised and encouraged by the 45 minute wait. We took the opportunity to drive a few blocks up Biscayne Blvd to Total Wine and pick up a few bottles of beer to warm our stomachs until we were seated. I'll digress here for a moment because I have to mention, I don't like beer or wine. I dislike it enough that even getting drunk cheaply in college was not enough to get me to drink the stuff. I love Total Wine stores because of the sheer possibilities they present. I walk in there and I believe I COULD like beer and wine. I was intrigued by a brand called Blue Dog, some kind of ale infused with blueberry. I'm a sucker for good branding and the bottle's label had a great design concept. I will also note that Blue Dog has a higher alcohol content that most beer at a whopping 8%. When I popped the bottle and took my first gulp I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted enough like ale to be genuine, and slightly sweet enough to be tasty. Just when I thought the sweet was too much the ale flavor came back. I've tried and tasted quite a few beers and this is definitely my favorite by far. At that point even if the barbecue sucked, I would have been happy to have found Blue Dog!
So we get back to the restaurant and place an order for a white chili appetizer and for dinner a full rack of ribs, with corn pudding, burnt end beans and slaw. I was starving and the white chili did not disappoint. It was savory and sweet all at once with a slight crust of toasted homemade croutons and bread crumbs on top. As a non beef eater I rarely have chili, and this version was truly inspiring. By the time our main course arrived (a speedy 7-8 minutes later) my expectations had gone up a notch. The ribs were smoked sweet and tender, the burnt end beans had just the right amount of char, and the slaw was exactly how I like it, robust and crispy. The entire meal all I could do is moan quietly to myself about the yumminess of it all. We topped the meal off (just barely) with a fried apple turnover. I steeled myself to attempt the 3rd course against my better judgment, and Bulldog didn't disappoint. I thought they would drop the ball, but no, the quality of dessert was on par with the rest of my meal. Did I mention that for two, our bill (including a $15 Bulldog T that reads "Nice Rack") was under $50?
Suffice to say I will definitely recommend this place to my friends. Not question either about whether I'll be back. The question is only how soon!
