Hogging out
Hungry after a long workout this past weekend, I remembered reading an article in the Honolulu Advertiser about a couple of barbeque places that opened up recently. One of them, Hog Island BBQ, was nearby in Kaimuki so we decided to give it a go.
Hog Island BBQ
First off, Hog Island BBQ is pretty hard to find. If you remember A Taste of New York deli, HIBBQ is on the parking lot side of the building it used to be in. The pay parking lot is pretty retarded for that complex so we parked on the street and almost missed it. Fortunately we had just seen a BBQ marathon on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives so we were motivated. iPhone, Google and Google Maps to the rescue! (“The blue dot and the pin are overlapping! It’s gotta be around here somewhere!”)
Service was friendly and quick. The menu is straight forward featuring 4 sandwiches, 4 entrée plates, and 4 sides (nice symmetry!). There’s no menu board – offerings are printed take-out flyers (see here for the online version)
We ordered the Beef Brisket and the Pulled Pork plates, both with Chef’s Scalloped Potatoes and Pitmaster’s Baked Beans. The brisket is pictured below… I think… they looked pretty similar.
Beef Brisket plate
Keeping in mind I’m no barbeque expert, I’d say overall the food was fairly good but not exactly ZOMG! FTW! to-die-for good. The pulled pork was tender and had good flavor, but I’m such a sucker when it comes to pork that was almost a gimme.
The beef brisket was a little less satisfying. It more like well-done chunks of steak (which isn’t necessary a bad thing) without any particular seasoning that I could detect. I don’t think the brisket could’ve stood on it’s own without the barbeque sauce served on the side. That being said, the homemade sauce was good, bumping up the flavor and making the dish much better.
I suppose I was expecting more, especially after reading the Advertiser review. However, it’s very likely that my palate has become accustomed to the heavily seasoned local style plate lunch fare, and the meat may actually have been barbeque perfection. What do I know about authentic BBQ?
The portions were generous and both eGeekette and I have leftovers for lunch this week. We probably could have taken the option for two meats on a single combo plate for an extra $1 and been just fine.
All in all, while some things could be better I think Hog Island BBQ is a nice addition to the culinary scene. It’s good to have options. Give Hog Island BBQ a try for yourself and let me know what you think.
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By Derek, March 9, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
I went on a BBQ mission this weekend too. Checked out Texas Style at Bob Barr B-Q in kaneohe. Pretty good, but I didnt get the Rib. Saving that for next time. it really is one rib. But its HUGE.
By egeek, March 9, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
Sounds like TSBBQ serves Flintstones-style bronto ribs!