Eat Ugly: Rhode Island BBQ: Wes' Rib House

What a great night. Monday night’s BBQ baseball extravaganza was a blast. Wes’ Rib House was just what a BBQ joint should be. Being from New England we don’t have a plethora of choices when it comes to real barbecue. Many of the joints in and around Boston are fair to good, but Wes’ in Providence Rhode Island is one of the better establishments. A simple place with cold beer, tangy sauce and a casual setting make Wes' a comfortable and relaxing place to dine.

It is hard for me give a valid assessment of the service. Don’t get me wrong the wait staff was spectacular there was never an empty mug on the table and a request never took more than a minute to be satisfied. However, it was a Monday evening and our group of 10, a family of 4 or 5 and few bar clientele were the only patrons. Most importantly, our server and his partner were pleasant, patient and professional.

The Missouri style barbecue was tasty and plentiful. The menu has something for every taste and appetite. We did not partake in any appetizers only because we had our eyes on the prize. I have in years past had their chili and it is an excellent blend of well a balanced spices. The dinner combinations range from the Platter with a large portion of one meat to the Show Me Platter with a choice of 4 meats. Other fare includes kabobs, lamb and steak, but we were there for the BBQ. However, one our more wimpy cohorts ordered the 12 oz. sirloin and said it was very good.

Aside from ‘wimpy” the rest of us had BBQ and none were disappointed with the portions. We are big eaters and want big portions. In this department Wes’ does not disappoint. The selections of meats include beef, chicken, chopped BBQ, pork chops, ham and ribs. Not wanting to be out down I ordered the Show Me Platter with double ribs, chopped BBQ and beef.

I have to say I was a little disappointed in the beef, mainly because I am a brisket fan and well, roast beef is just not brisket and needs to be served rare. It was tender, but needed something to jazz it up a bit. The chopped BBQ was great. It had a nice tangy light sauce on it that didn’t take away from the pork. The stars of the day were the ribs (as they should be). They were tender, but still had some integrity. The meat easily came away from the bone and didn’t fall apart. I hate it when I pick up a rack and it falls apart in my hands. They were flavorful with a nice touch of smoke. The ribs like the chopped BBQ needed nothing more in terms of flavor. They had a nice spice and offered a very subtle sweet finish.

On my next trip I will be sure to sample the other barbecued offerings, but judging from the sauce stained shirts of my friends they were good as well. Dollar for dollar and pound for pound Wes’ Rib House offers up some tasty BBQ. I look forward to my next trip there and hope that you too will someday soon stumble into this fine rib shack.

*Picture borrowed from Wes' image gallery (http://www.wesribhouse.com/gallery.html- retrieved 6-13-06)