“Que” in Columbus?, By Art Study, Food Critic:
How we found great Barbeque on
our little trip through Ohio:
One one thing above all else seems to do the job of uniting us, and creating a feeling of ‘home,’ a sense of warmth and comfort. That one thing is American-Food. And nothing qualifies more as an entire category of truly American foods, than that of Barbeque!
Established and run by barbeque aficionados who double as certified judges for the Kansas City Barbecue Society in their spare time, City Barbeque offers any barbeque lover just what they crave, no matter where in the country they might be from.
Not only do they carry all the ‘standard’ fare that one would expect to find in a barbeque joint (ribs, chicken, beef & turkey), but it’s the little ‘extras’ which will really endear you to this place. Like their corn-pudding, the chili, hushpuppies, and the unbelievably delectable peach cobbler!
But at the heart of City Barbeque is the main-course, their superbly seasoned and smoked barbequed meats! The chicken and turkey are the best I’ve had away from home, and are the favorite of those watching their diets. But for those of us not counting calories, or watching our waistlines, it’s the mouthwatering pulled-pork, the “fallin-off-the-bone” ribs, the Texas smoked-sausage, and my personal favorite, the prize-winning beef-brisket! (1997 American Royal Barbeque Championship, Kansas City)
“Que-By-Mail”
When we were traveling around Columbus, Ohio we were taken by the sights and scenes that make up central Ohio. And as our eyes and ears soaked-up the differences of this part of the country where we’d never been - our noses picked up an unmistakable scent in the air, which led us to a place which made us feel ‘right-at-home’ amidst all the newness – and that place is called City Barbeque!
The brisket is just about the best I’ve tasted in any part of the country! It’s wonderfully juicy and tender, with a lightly smoked flavor which runs throughout the meat. Unlike some of the smoked & barbequed brisket I’ve had in other joints, the smoky-quality of City Barbeque’s brisket is smooth and even, not overpowering or biting the way some heavily smoked meats can be. It’s so delicious, when we got home from our trip, I sent away for a whole slab of the stuff!! That’s right, City Barbeque has a unique mail-order service they like to call “Que-By-Mail” which lets anyone, from anywhere, order just about anything off their menu and they’ll ship it directly to your home or business! Prepared fresh, they flash-freeze your order, and ship it by UPS packed in ‘dry-ice’ inside of a special insulated container. (Ours arrived in two days after we placed our order!)
You can even order right off of the Internet! From their website you can take your time looking through the menu, and complete your entire transaction without even picking up the phone! This is a truly modern convenience for such an old-fashioned place.
City Barbeque is definitely a welcome slice of traditional Americana, and will undoubtedly be putting Columbus, Ohio permanently on the map for extraordinary barbeque! And with five new locations in other parts of Ohio, there will be even more happy people coming back for seconds!
