motoeric
Babbling Farker
Smokin’ Al’s has been Long Island’s ‘go to’ place for BBQ for years. When Nassau and Suffolk were a wasteland for BBQ lovers, Smokin’ Al’s was there. What impresses me is that the food quality that patrons enjoy today, in a competitive field of BBQ joints, is the same quality that they offered when they first opened. Consistency, quantity and atmosphere have been the hallmarks of this restaurant and have stood them in good enough stead to open a second location.
The Massapequa Park location opened in late 2008. Larger than the Bay Shore location, they have a similar look and feel. The caricatures of the 1920’s era pigs adorn the walls providing a ‘folksy’ feel that is a welcome contrast to the slightly upscale vibe of the polished wooden floors and open, airy space. The elevated ceilings make the large restaurant feel even more sizeable. Located on a corner lot, the huge bay windows on two sides offer plenty of natural light. There is plenty of (free) parking to the rear and side of the restaurant, which is a nice contrast to the original location.
When you enter the restaurant there is a large bar with an extensive array of alcohol lining the shelves. Between the bar and the entrance is a small podium for the members of the wait staff to greet the customers and show them to a table, which are to your left. To the right there are about 8 bar tables that I assume are used by patrons when tables for dinner aren’t available. The dining area extends roughly 40 feet from the entrance and also runs parallel to the bar and the area where the kitchen staff borders on the front of house. There is a smaller, elevated area that holds roughly 8 tables.
The service was quick and professional. Our only minor qualm was that the waitress didn’t know what types of wood were used for their smoking and wasn’t able to find out. She was attentive, considerate and intuitive. Our drinks were rarely empty and empty plates didn’t linger.
3 varieties of BBQ sauce adorned the tables. I believe that there might have been a labeling mistake when they filled up the bottles, as the “Sweet Talkin” variety was considerably less sweet than the base sauce. None of the sauces really stood out. The base sauce (or what was labeled as such) was extremely sweet and relatively thick, with serious cinnamon overtones. The “Rattlesnake” sauce was similar to CattleBoyz in appearance (bright red and glossy, with large seeds visible) and lacked much nuance. The “Sweet Talkin” sauce was a quotidian Memphis wannabe. Barely memorable.
We enjoyed the burnt ends appetizer. They lay upon a bed of crispy fried onions and were smothered in sauce. The meat was delicate and not overly fatty. I would have preferred that the cubes of brisket be seared prior to the addition of the sauce, but they were still very good.
The pricing was reasonable ($9.99 for sandwiches with two sides, $13.99 for platters) and the proportions were epic. I was in an odd mood, so I ordered their hot dog. It was tremendous and covered in half the items on the menu. Cheese, coleslaw, chili, baked beans and fried onions made this an awkward mélange. Nearly unmanageable in scale, excellent French fries were flying everywhere as I tried to cut this thing into reasonable pieces (eating it with your hands was out of the question).
The pulled pork was decent, but without a trace of smoke. There were sizeable bits of bark amongst the strings and chunks and the flavor of the meat did fight its way through the sauce that it was cooked in. It wasn’t bad, but I would hesitate to call it BBQ. Top tier crockpot pulled pork? Maybe.
The pulled chicken was similar, but maintained more of the flavor of the chicken (which is odd, as pork has a stronger natural flavor). The hamburger was deemed ‘top notch’ by the lunch companion enjoying it. I believe that there might have been cheese mixed into the meat prior to cooking. It was large, moist and flavorful. The lettuce, onions and tomato with the burger were all extremely fresh in spite of it being the dead of winter. The sides were universally excellent (garlic mashed, french fries, corn bread, mac and cheese).
Would we return? Absolutely. The atmosphere and service were top rate and the value for the dollar was spot-on. Is this ‘true’ BBQ? Not really. The staff didn’t seem to have any idea about smoking and the flavor of the meat reflected that.
The Massapequa Park location opened in late 2008. Larger than the Bay Shore location, they have a similar look and feel. The caricatures of the 1920’s era pigs adorn the walls providing a ‘folksy’ feel that is a welcome contrast to the slightly upscale vibe of the polished wooden floors and open, airy space. The elevated ceilings make the large restaurant feel even more sizeable. Located on a corner lot, the huge bay windows on two sides offer plenty of natural light. There is plenty of (free) parking to the rear and side of the restaurant, which is a nice contrast to the original location.
When you enter the restaurant there is a large bar with an extensive array of alcohol lining the shelves. Between the bar and the entrance is a small podium for the members of the wait staff to greet the customers and show them to a table, which are to your left. To the right there are about 8 bar tables that I assume are used by patrons when tables for dinner aren’t available. The dining area extends roughly 40 feet from the entrance and also runs parallel to the bar and the area where the kitchen staff borders on the front of house. There is a smaller, elevated area that holds roughly 8 tables.
The service was quick and professional. Our only minor qualm was that the waitress didn’t know what types of wood were used for their smoking and wasn’t able to find out. She was attentive, considerate and intuitive. Our drinks were rarely empty and empty plates didn’t linger.
3 varieties of BBQ sauce adorned the tables. I believe that there might have been a labeling mistake when they filled up the bottles, as the “Sweet Talkin” variety was considerably less sweet than the base sauce. None of the sauces really stood out. The base sauce (or what was labeled as such) was extremely sweet and relatively thick, with serious cinnamon overtones. The “Rattlesnake” sauce was similar to CattleBoyz in appearance (bright red and glossy, with large seeds visible) and lacked much nuance. The “Sweet Talkin” sauce was a quotidian Memphis wannabe. Barely memorable.
We enjoyed the burnt ends appetizer. They lay upon a bed of crispy fried onions and were smothered in sauce. The meat was delicate and not overly fatty. I would have preferred that the cubes of brisket be seared prior to the addition of the sauce, but they were still very good.
The pricing was reasonable ($9.99 for sandwiches with two sides, $13.99 for platters) and the proportions were epic. I was in an odd mood, so I ordered their hot dog. It was tremendous and covered in half the items on the menu. Cheese, coleslaw, chili, baked beans and fried onions made this an awkward mélange. Nearly unmanageable in scale, excellent French fries were flying everywhere as I tried to cut this thing into reasonable pieces (eating it with your hands was out of the question).
The pulled pork was decent, but without a trace of smoke. There were sizeable bits of bark amongst the strings and chunks and the flavor of the meat did fight its way through the sauce that it was cooked in. It wasn’t bad, but I would hesitate to call it BBQ. Top tier crockpot pulled pork? Maybe.
The pulled chicken was similar, but maintained more of the flavor of the chicken (which is odd, as pork has a stronger natural flavor). The hamburger was deemed ‘top notch’ by the lunch companion enjoying it. I believe that there might have been cheese mixed into the meat prior to cooking. It was large, moist and flavorful. The lettuce, onions and tomato with the burger were all extremely fresh in spite of it being the dead of winter. The sides were universally excellent (garlic mashed, french fries, corn bread, mac and cheese).
Would we return? Absolutely. The atmosphere and service were top rate and the value for the dollar was spot-on. Is this ‘true’ BBQ? Not really. The staff didn’t seem to have any idea about smoking and the flavor of the meat reflected that.
