Not Quite National BBQ Tour - Part 8: The Original Scruby's BBQ

Since I have to ‘suffer’ through a week in south central FL, I thought I might try a few of the local BBQ places.  The NQNBT was started on a business trip to Birmingham, so I take it as a sacred responsibility to immerse myself in local Q culture.  If you've read any of the other posts, you know I’m not an expert – but it’s fun learning.  Not sure that I can manage 4 BBQ dinners in a row, but I had to make the first night count with a visit to Scrubys.


RATING DEFINITIONS # STAR / 10

0-1  =   Its BBQ … I’ll try just about any place once
2-3  =   Honorable Mention … well executed even if not to my liking
4-7  =   Good BBQ … flavorful, distinct, and presented well with good sides
8-9  =   Good Kansas City BBQ … see above + KC Magic
10   =    The Undiscovered Country

Scrubys, Pembroke Pines FL

Scruby’s [Skrew’bees] is the 2012 winner for best Ribs in Broward county and are in their 20th year of bringing the Q to south FL.  Apart from “Tom Jenkins BBQ”, this was the most recommended place for me to try.  And since it was just short drive down a palm tree lined boulevard from the hotel I headed out right after work – windows down, a long song block of Tom Petty tunes on the Radio, dashboard drumming all the way there.

THE PLACE

The joint features an open pit smoking process in a gigantic brick oven that is visible from the dining room.  Other than the prominent oven and some rustic benches, it is pretty unremarkable – strip mall sort of family dining setup crammed between a bunch of unfortunate neighbors with signs advertising various medical procedures [ - 2 points for location/character]


THE FOOD

I will say this for Scrubys, the prices are very reasonable.  I got a Beef Ribs and Brisket Combo with 3 sides and bread + a can of diet coke for under $15

* Brisket (sliced):  Right texture, right look, …. Lacking in flavor.  Without the sauces, all would have been lost.

* Beef Ribs:  The menu said that if I liked Prime Rib, these were the ribs I should order … and that would be true if my taste in Prime Rib had been developed over years at Golden Corral.  Again, pretty dull but satisfying with the sauce (see below).

* Baked Beans: Served with all meals … and surprisingly made of Pinto beans.  I expected some chili flavor, but just got beans and a little pork.

* Cole Slaw:  Also standard and very … Long John Silver-ish.  The cabbage was very finely chopped, so it was more a pile of white mush than anything else.

* French Fries:  Ore-Ida is Alright-a.  This was my only  self-selected side (the other options being baked potato and broccoli).  As usual, I used the fries to sample all the available sauces … which leads me to the good part of the review.

* Sauces:  Scrub’s  has 4 sauces at the table and all are available at the counter to take home.  The ‘Sweet’ and ‘Original’ were good but nearly indistinguishable; the ‘Hot’ wasn't …. but the Pepper-Vinegar was fun.  Now usually, any sauce that plays up its vinegar content makes me think of the thin un-sauces of places like Birmingham.  This was different.  It was thick like a Texas sauce but  nearly clear and gave a great flavor to all the low-taste food.  If the Open Pit was the downside, this was the upside.  Even the toddler-fodder fries were fun with this stuff.

THE WRAP-UP

After doing a bit more reading up on Scrubys, I found that a big part of their famous ribs is a secret rub that is inexplicably only used on Wednesdays.  This is making me rethink my nearly wholesale “meh” opinion of the food and might be enough to try them again.  There also seems to be a lot of attention given to the pork side of the menu, so maybe there is a whole world of flavors put there and I just ordered the wrong stuff.  Taking into account the lousy location and unexpected sauce … overall, Scruby-Do gets 4 Scruby-Snacks and a possible rematch on this or another of my trips to Florida.  If I wasn't flying, I think I’d try to get some of that Pepper Sauce to take home.