Barbecue in LA is trending. I believe this is strongly due to the nationwide publicity of Franklin Barbeque in Austin, Texas. Their multi-hour lines made news nationwide and flooded Instagram. In the last couple of year’s, LA pop-up BBQ’s become abundant and Trudy’s Underground Barbecue was one of them. Fortunately, owner Burt Bakman recently opened Slab on 3rd Street in LA.
Even though Slab is located just east of Beverly Grove on popular 3rd Street, the restaurant is hard to find, even with GPS. Slab lacks prominentsignage and when you are trying to find a parking space at the same time, it makes for a challenging experience.
Slab is extremely popular and it is helpful if you are the patient type. Depending on when you arrive, it is possible that the line could be long or it may be difficult to get a table. Diners pick up a tray and select their items cafeteria-style. Brisket is carved to order; Beef Ribs, Pork Ribs and sides are also available.
Trudy’s Underground Barbeque was known for their brisket. Pepper is liberally applied on the outside. Lean brisket with no fat used to be the standard and over time tastes changed. And restaurants began portions that include varying amount of fat.
I enjoy baby back ribs because they are lean and meaty. We selected Tony’s Pork Ribs and were not disappointed. These baby back ribs are tender, sweet and tangy. The glaze made them even more appealing. Conversely, the beef ribs where huge and include enough meat for two people. Note that the beef ribs are only available on the weekend.
The Frito Pie was a huge upgrade over the typical chili served in a bag of fritos at the fair. It included chili, chopped onions, shredded cheese, and cilantro. If they melted the cheese, it would have placed this dish over-the-top!
Of the sides, we liked the collard greens and the baked beans. We thought that the mac and cheese was just ok. In my opinion, it lacked creaminess.
If you like to add BBQ sauce (and I am one of them), they have three different sauces available. They have a sweet, a spicy and a Carolina gold sauce. Of the three, I enjoyed the spicy sauce the most.
If you enjoy BBQ, Slab is the real deal. Make sure that you arrive early because like many true BBQ restaurants, they don’t cook to order. They slice and sell what they have prepared that day and after that, they close.
Slab, 8136 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048; 310.855.7184
slabbarbecue.com