Mobile Food Scene-
Saucy-Q BarBQ
1111 Government Street Mobile, AL 36604
(251) 433-7427
Website: http://www.saucyqbbq.com/
Cuisine: Barbecue
Hours: Mon - Wed 10AM - 7PM, Closed Thursday
Fri and Sat 10AM - 9PM, Sunday 12PM - 6PM
Dinner for 2: Under $25 not including tip
Mobile Food Scene rating: HIT or MISS.
(251) 433-7427
Website: http://www.saucyqbbq.com/
Cuisine: Barbecue
Hours: Mon - Wed 10AM - 7PM, Closed Thursday
Fri and Sat 10AM - 9PM, Sunday 12PM - 6PM
Dinner for 2: Under $25 not including tip
Mobile Food Scene rating: HIT or MISS.
Feeling lazy and a little sluggish from being sick, we decided to get some take out instead of going out to eat. Saucy-Q BarBQ is fairly close to our house and we have been meaning to try it for a while. They have a great web page that made ordering over the phone easy. Our food was ready in about 5 minutes.
The restaurant seemed very cozy. It had that wonderful smoke smell permeating through the whole place. The woman that put together our order was very friendly.
The restaurant seemed very cozy. It had that wonderful smoke smell permeating through the whole place. The woman that put together our order was very friendly.
First things first. The packaging is hilarious. I love the take out container.
Being unable to choose from their extensive menu, we opted for the Gimme 5, which includes BBQ Ribs, Pork, Beef, Chicken, Sausage & Choice of 2 half pint Sides (mac & cheese and corn on the cob). Also, Miles couldn't resist the peach cobbler.
The ribs are pork spare ribs that had a light coating of salt and pepper before being smoked. On the outside they almost had a crust from smoking. They were very tender and easy to pick apart with our hands.
The chicken that was included was a 1/4 chicken with breast and wing. The skin was left on for smoking. The smoke flavor was light and did not overpower the chicken at all. This was by far the juiciest smoked chicken breast Gime has ever had. It was almost dripping juice and it was wonderful on its own.
The sausage was a simple smoked pork sausage. It had been cross hatch cut so there would be plenty of crisp edges. It seemed to have some nice heat to it.
The pulled pork was finely shredded and was lightly seasoned, as was true throughout every part of our meal. There was evidence of a crispy crust on the outside. Texturally, it was at the sweet spot right where the fat had largely melted away, the remaining meat had not become rubbery or dry. The smoke flavor was perfect for pork.
The beef was cooked likewise. It has a strong beef flavor that was not overshadowed by the smokiness. Gime gives Saucy-Q high marks across the board for the juiciness of their smoked meats. It can be very tricky to pull off meat this juicy. A brine likely played a key role in that. Each of the pulled meats was served with the obligatory slice of white bread, which is just about the only time I find myself looking for it.
Saucy-Q's highly touted sauce falls somewhere between the sticky sweetness of The Shed, and the vinegary snap of Dreamland. Like Dreamland, they leave the meat naked and allow the diner to slather away at their own discretion. The sauce is ketchup based with loads of black pepper and garlic. The black pepper is the only heat present. The sauce is super smooth and so viscous you can push it around.
The corn on the cob was as good as the corn sold at Popeye's. Horribly disappointing with a lack of flavor. It seemed like it had sat in hot water for hours, soggy and over boiled. And when I say water, I mean plain water, crawfish boil water's plain-jane cousin.
The mac and cheese was well cooked and had a big piece of cheese crust in our serving. Contrary to the rest of the food, the mac and cheese had enough salt to keep us happy. No pepper though. The noodles were well cooked and hadn't become soggy. It was good but not extraordinary.
The finale was rather dismal, we're sorry to say. Our peach cobbler fell sadly short of the mark. It consisted of an undercooked biscuit dough and canned peaches. They were buried under an impenetrable layer of cloying cinnamon sweetness that overpowered any other flavors which may have been hiding underneath.
Miles really liked the ambiance of the Government Street Saucy-Q. Besides the aforementioned smell of delightful smoked meat in the air, there is cheap beer, endearing caricatures of the owner's family members adorn the walls along with a pair of silk-screened t-shirts that Miles now must own. Yes we heart flaming pig heads, too! It seems like a great place to hang out. Strangely, at 8:30 on a Friday night it was all but abandoned and they were closing up shop.
So what is the final verdict? The meat was well prepared, juicy and tender. It was obvious that a lot of care went into ensuring that each meat had just the perfect amount of smoke to it. However, the seasoning left something to be desired. Also, one great plus about Saucy-Q is their large selection of side dishes that leaves other BBQ places in the dust. Red beans and rice, collard greens, fried okra, and more are all on the menu. Saucy-Q is on the list of places that we will eat at again, but at this point, it has not been added to the regular rotations list.
We want to go back and try different foods. It is possible that we just happened to catch them on an off night or too late into service. I am looking forward to watching Miles try to eat that 3 or 4 lb sandwich (He really wants a t-shirt) while I snack on some red velvet cake. Hopefully, our second meal will be better and we will be able to upgrade our rating. We will keep you posted.
So what is the final verdict? The meat was well prepared, juicy and tender. It was obvious that a lot of care went into ensuring that each meat had just the perfect amount of smoke to it. However, the seasoning left something to be desired. Also, one great plus about Saucy-Q is their large selection of side dishes that leaves other BBQ places in the dust. Red beans and rice, collard greens, fried okra, and more are all on the menu. Saucy-Q is on the list of places that we will eat at again, but at this point, it has not been added to the regular rotations list.
We want to go back and try different foods. It is possible that we just happened to catch them on an off night or too late into service. I am looking forward to watching Miles try to eat that 3 or 4 lb sandwich (He really wants a t-shirt) while I snack on some red velvet cake. Hopefully, our second meal will be better and we will be able to upgrade our rating. We will keep you posted.