Saturday Night Quarantine BBQ

Scenes from a pandemic quarantine... Saturday night is now outdoor barbecue and fire pit time (which usually means s'mores for the kids). It's another way we mark each week of this at-home experience. And also a good opportunity to take advantage of our new grill, which we got just a month or so before everything went down. Below, for posterity's sake, I'll continue to keep a tally of our weekly eats. We're not grill masters, but we do like to eat.

March 21: Turkey burgers and sausages

March 28: Fresh salmon and hot dogs

April 4: Pollo asado

April 11: Chorizo burger and regular burgers

April 18: Grilled pizzas (Two: Pepperoni and sausage/artichoke/sun dried tomato/spinach/peppers)

April 25: Sausages and hot dogs

May 2: Marinated chicken and pork

May 9: Fresh salmon and hot dogs

May 16: Sausages and hot dogs

May 23: Grilled pizzas

May 30: Marinated chicken and pork

June 6: Grilled pizzas (pepperoni on one; sausage/sun dried tomatoes/spinach on the other)

June 13: Sausages and hot dogs

June 20: Marinated tri-tip steak

June 28 (Sunday edition): Steak, sausage, hot dogs

July 4: Grilled cheese pizza, grilled sausage pizza

July 5: Bonus edition! Steak, grilled corn on the cob, harissa chicken

July 11: Hot dogs, sausage

July 18: Salmon, beyond burgers

July 25: BBQ chicken skewers, tomatoes, zucchini

Aug. 1: None (just back in the house after termite fumigation)

Aug. 8: Cheat night: Take out BBQ (brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork) from Max City BBQ

Aug. 15: No BBQ because of construction; Thai delivery from Kozy Korner

Aug. 22: No BBQ because of construction; Korean BBQ from Kim's Kitchen

Aug. 29: No BBQ because of construction: Takeout from Rubio's

Sept. 5: No BBQ because of construction: Dinner via Blue Apron

Sept. 12: No BBQ because of construction: Pollo Saltado by Maria

Sept. 19: No BBQ because of construction: Blue Apron Seared Chicken and Honey Chipotle Sauce

Sept. 26: No BBQ because of construction: Pasta by Maria

Oct. 3: No BBQ because of construction; Maria and I attend "SNL" drive-in premiere event at Universal

Oct. 10: Chicken burgers with homemade guacamole

Oct. 17: Marinated tri-tip

Oct. 24: Chicken burgers

Nov. 1 (Moved to Sunday because of Saturday Halloween): Thin-crust pizzas (cheese and tomato; jalapeno chicken sausage and sun dried tomatoes)

Nov. 7: Marinated BBQ chicken and BBQ pork

Nov. 14: Chicken skewers and grilled tomatoes

Nov. 21: No BBQ due to the Great Los Angeles Walk (Thai delivery instead)

Nov. 28: Pollo asado and s'mores

Dec. 5: Chicken burgers, veggie burgers and fresh corn

 

Dec. 12: Persian-style chicken with tomatoes and peppers (BBQ outside, eat inside) 

Dec. 19: Andouille sausage and hot dogs (BBQ outside, eat inside)

Dec. 26: Grilled BBQ chicken pizza and grilled pepperoni pizza (plus s'mores!)

 

Jan. 2: Steak and jerk-marinated chicken, plus grilled zucchini. And burned a "2020" log.

Jan. 9: Hamburgers (eat inside)

Jan. 16: Boneless, skinless seasoned fajita chicken and Coleman natural seasoned and hardwood smoked St. Louis style pork spareribs in BBQ sauce

 

Jan. 24 (Sunday, due to rain on Saturday. Eat inside because of weather): Smoked brisket and Salt Lick Rub-seasoned chicken

Jan. 30: Grilled salmon and hamburgers with grilled zucchini and peppers  (BBQ outside, eat inside) 

Feb. 6: Grilled pepperoni pizza and grilled jalapeno sausage pizza with olives and orange bell pepper  (BBQ outside, eat inside) 

 

Feb. 13: St. Louis style BBQ pork ribs and veggies (BBQ outside, eat inside)

 

Feb. 20: Grilled chicken and beef fajitas, plus guacamole and homemade Mexican rice (BBQ outside, eat inside)

 

Feb. 27 Tri-tip, grilled tomatoes and peppers (BBQ outside, eat inside)

March 6: Salt Lick rub grilled chicken, bell peppers, squash and tomato (BBQ outside, eat inside)

 

March 13: Cheat night: Take out BBQ (brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork) from Max City BBQ

 

March 21 (Moved to Sunday because of Nathan's spring break trip): Grilled pizzas: Grilled chicken sweet apple sausage with spinach and tomato sauce; grilled jalapeno chicken sausage with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and olive oil (BBQ outside, eat inside)

 

March 27: On location in Nipomo, Calif.: Cheese, crackers, hummus, artichoke spinach dip, more; plus s'mores

 

April 3: Turkey burgers with homemade buns; s'mores (back in the backyard!)

 

April 10: Dry rub BBQ chicken and grilled veggies (plus homemade guac) (BBQ outside, eat inside)

 

April 17: Lunchtime BBQ: Banh mi-style Asian Chicken sausage; also hot dogs

 

April 26 (Moved to Monday, due to Saturday dinner with Goldsmiths and Sunday night Oscars): Marinated BBQ chicken, beef fajita meat, various grilled veggies

 

May 1: Banh mi-style Asian Chicken sausage

May 8: No BBQ, instead tacos from Glassell Park's Angel's Tacos

May 16: [BBQ moved to Sunday] Fajita chicken, marinated pork and veggies

May 23: Beyond Burgers

 

May 30: Ooni pizza oven individual pizzas (tough first try!) 

May 31: Bonus BBQ with the Uys!

June 5: none (at the Rose Bowl for "Pose" FYC event)

June 12: none

June 19: none (Amazon Prime Video "Small Axe" FYC event)

June 26: Chorizo burgers

[break for Hawaii trip and other things]

July 18: Another rough Ooni pizza oven attempt! [eat indoors]

 

July 25: BBQ chicken as part of Blue Apron meal [eat indoors]

Aug. 1: Pollo asado [eat indoors]

Aug. 7 (special Friday edition): Marinated chicken; BBQ ribs; veggies

 

Aug. 15: Villar family gathering; Casa Bianca pizza

 

Aug. 21: No BBQ 

 

Aug. 28: No BBQ; Villar family gathering at CPK Encino

Sept. 6: Labor day edition! Ribs, marinated chicken

Sept. 11: No BBQ

Sept. 18: No BBQ

Sept. 26: Move to Sunday; Chicken kabobs, sausage and hot dogs (eat inside)

Oct. 3: Pork hamburgers, tater tots, sweet potato fries

Oct. 25: Lunch time turkey burgers

Rate-A-Restaurant #384: The Park's Finest BBQ (Historic Filipinotown)

Restaurant: The Park's Finest BBQ

Location: 1267 W. Temple St. (Historic Filipinotown)

Type of restaurant: BBQ

We stipulated: We were heading downtown to catch the LA Auto Show but wanted to grab a bite to eat first. We knew The Park's Finest was on the way, and it's been on our restaurant bucket list for a while. It was time to check it out.

They stipulated: "This food is the product of a group of friends' adventures growing up and cooking in the hood. This is our party food. What we eat at our celebrations. Mama Leah's Coconut Beef is a reflection of the Philippine islands. Ann's Cornbread Bibingka is the experience of growing up in L.A. Big Tony's hood famous sauce mixes cane, pineapple, simmered soy sauce, peppers, and spices, and is the soundtrack to it all. Meat is the canvas. Smoking is the art. The Park's Finest is the love."

What we ordered: Mount Taal Manok (crispy, seasoned, smoke-roasted chicken) $13; San Pablo Pulled Pork (16-hour roasted pork shoulder confit) $14; Timuay Beef Tri-Tip (tender season-crusted sirloin beef, cut deli-thin and paired with our own horseradish crema) $16; Elote (esquites style corn off the cob, smoked with butter, fresh ground peppers, pink Himalayan salt, and our garlic/onion seasoning blend, served with mayo, freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese, and topped with cayenne pepper) $7; steamed white rice $3

High point:  First off, love a BBQ place that has rice -- it's something that I miss at most BBQ places, as it feels weird to eat meat without it. Blogger Kid 1.0 loved the elote, and the tri-tip with horseradish crema was just right. Also enjoyed the pulled pork.

Low point: The Park's Finest prides itself on its homemade BBQ sauce, but I found it a bit too sweet. I need spice with my BBQ, and although they did have Sriracha sauce available, a spicy BBQ sauce option would be nice. (The shoyu/vinegar sauce did pair nicely with the pulled pork.)

Overall impression: The Park's Finest does a great job of giving a Filipino twist to BBQ.

Will we return:  We might want to try some of the other offerings -- especially Mama Leah's Coconut Beef and the Mount Mayon Hot Links. But probably not quite a regular stop.

Rate-A-Restaurant #363: Max City BBQ (Silver Lake)

Restaurant: Max City BBQ

Location: 4729 Eagle Rock Blvd. (Eagle Rock)



Type of restaurant: BBQ

We stipulated: A new BBQ place, nearby? Sold. Let's check it out.



They stipulated: "MAX CITY BBQ serves slow-cooked, southern-style barbecue. We combine locally harvested ingredients with traditional, crowd-pleasing recipes to produce fantastic barbecue. Our specialities are wood-smoked ribs and mouth-watering pulled pork. We provide amazing yet affordable food that consistently leaves our diners counting down the days until the next barbecue.

Superior barbecue, delicious accompanying dishes and impeccable service are what we’re for. We believe in fresh, locally grown products that respect a forward-looking attitude toward our health and to our environment. MAX CITY BBQ is based upon a simple menu with a simple philosophy: Barbecue doesn’t have to be bad for you. It just has to be delicious."



What we ordered: Uncle Kenny’s Smoked Platter: 1/4 Rack of St. Louis Ribs • 1/4 Chicken, plus coleslaw, cucumber salad and cornbread ($17). Izzie’s Kids Plate: Kids portions of one meat & one side (includes corn bread) ($7.50).


High point:  Good size platter for 2 people.
Low point:  Lunch specials only available on weekdays.



Overall impression: That $17 price seems steep for a plate, but it's enough food for two (especially if you're sneaking bites from your kid's plate as well). The brisket was too fatty for my liking, but that's Maria's speed. Also, the cucumber salad was a bit too salty. But overall, an enjoyable visit.



Will we return: It's nearby, so yes.