Southern barbecue heads East
First off, Pete really owns Uncle Pete's Hickory Ribs (309-311 Bennington St., East Boston; 617-569-RIBS). But more important than honesty behind the name, is that Pete truly slow smokes his ribs for hours over hickory.
Uncle Pete's has brought real barbecue to a neighborhood where a different kind of "barbecue" has existed for years. Look around and you'll see plenty of restaurants featuring "barbecue". But these spots grill lamb and steak tips over gas-fired grills. Uncle Pete uses hardwood (hickory, oak and applewood) to cook his ribs, beef and chicken.
At this homey, old-fashioned place, the takeout crowd places orders up front at a pair of windows. Step beyond them and into the '50s Diners sit in Naughahyde booths or at big tables covered with red-and-white vinyl table cloths.
If you're unsure what to order, go for a three-rib sampler (a bargain $4.75) and decide if you like beef or pork ribs best. The former, although not the essence of true barbecue, are still pretty good. They're big and filled with plenty of smoke flavor.
For barbecue purists, the spare ribs ($8.95 for half a rack; $14.95 for a full rack) are pretty lean, with a nice crunch on the outside that easily gives way to a sweet-tasting, pretty moist middle. Sticking to true barbecue, there's a pulled-pork plate ($7.50) , marinated Texas-style brisket ($7.95) and split barbecued chicken ($6.50) with a slightly sweet sauce. For the non purists, burgers, grilled sausages and a not-too-spicy Jamaican jerk chicken are also on the menu.
All plates come with a pair of side dishes. To the usual suspects- fries, cole slaw, baked beans - you can add mashed potatoes, ziti and a sweet but still interesting Asian slaw.
With large portions and fair prices, including a 12-ounce Sam Adams draft for $1.75, Uncle Pete displays a sense of barbecue culture rate for a Yankee. He knows folks down South like their barbecue to come with a bill that's about as big as the barbecue joint is pretentious.
- AL STANKUS -
Reprinted from Boston Sunday Herald
September 15, 1996