Reviews
Reviews
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Newsday There's nothing quite like the glorious mess of eating barbecue. When the ribs are right, as they are at Bobbique in Patchogue, they're a little crusty on the outside, ever so slightly glossed with barbecue sauce, the tender meat deeply imbued with that smokiness that comes from having spent hours in a barbecue pit. It's no wonder each table has its own supply of paper towels for fingers and faces lucky enough to come in contact with those ribs. Chef-pitmaster-owner Eric Rifkin wants his customers to get sloppy. The entire experience, Rifkin says, is about informality and uninhibited enjoyment. In trying to replicate what one would find at a barbecue joint down South, Rifkin has set up Bobbique so that customers order at a reception desk and pay their tab before being handed a number and told to find a table. Servers then deliver beverages and food. It's not a system designed for the ease and comfort of the diner.
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New
York Times THIS is gourmet barbecue,” the woman at the next table said as she relished the exceptionally moist homemade corn bread at BobbiQue in Patchogue. She was right. This six-month-old spot features the soft, smoky meat of real pit barbecue in the hands of a classically trained chef, Eric Rifkin, who knows his way around the kitchen as well as the pit. His cooking skills are evident in the fantastic side dishes and luscious desserts. Mr. Rifkin earned his culinary stripes at An American Place, Vong, the Lobster Club and City Crab, all in Manhattan. Long Islanders know him as the chef and co-owner of the Crazy Dog in Westhampton Beach and the restaurant of the same name in Sayville (both now closed). He is owner as well as chef of BobbiQue, which he named for his 8-year-old daughter, Bobbi. Mr. Rifkin fell in love with Memphis-style barbecue and honed his skills by working at top barbecue spots in that city. BobbiQue has a smoker that holds 700 pounds of meat; all the meat and seafood served here come out of it. Even the hot links (kielbasa) started as fresh sausage and were smoked on the premises. The restaurant is very casual, with patrons placing their orders at a counter and the food being delivered to their table. Servers are laid back but very accommodating, checking frequently to see if diners need seconds on drinks or wish to order dessert. The staff reflects the casual ambience of the restaurant. Mr. Rifkin was going for the industrial look in this large storefront, and he achieved it with corrugated metal roof decking (used as a decorative accent), hanging industrial lights over the bar, exposed pipes and old brick. Four large black-and-white Frank Stewart photographs of barbecue pits and their owners are the only adornments on the walls. Diners sit at high tables covered in butcher paper or at low tables in front of a stage where blues bands perform on the weekend. Rolls of paper towels, which are used as napkins, top each table. BobbiQue has earned a following for its blues music, its congenial bar serving more than 70 varieties of beer and, most of all, its terrific food. Don’t miss the barbecued wings. They are big and juicy, with deep, smoky flavor. Another opener that hit all the right notes was the basket of deep-fried pickle chips accompanied by a first-rate tartar sauce. Crisp sweet potato fries with a honey-mayo dip were also an addictive starter.
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Newsday Last month, Eric Rifkin, chef at the former Crazy Dog in Westhampton Beach and Sayville, launched Bobbique at 70 W. Main St., Patchogue, 631-447-7744. Rifkin, who named the place for his 8-year-old daughter, came up with the idea after a family trip to Memphis. He has devised what he calls an "authentic pit barbecue menu that doesn't stray into quesadillas and nachos." Food is served on metal trays and includes such staples as St. Louis-style ribs, brisket and pulled pork, as well as barbecued salmon and shrimp for those who veer a bit from tradition. His signature chopped salad, which some might remember from Crazy Dog, is also on the menu. Service is "fast casual," meaning that diners order at the counter and are each given a number. The food is then delivered, at which time orders for drinks and desserts may be taken. Rifkin also features 70 different beers -- 12 of them drafts -- as well as "live" cask ale and a variety of bottled brews. In the rear of the place is a stage for blues performances. Courtesy of Newsday.com |