|
more articles like this
Killer B
updated: Feb 19, 2011, 9:45 AM
By Lady Lemonjelly
First, for this week only, in recognition of the recent popularity of "Lady" in people's titles, be it Ladytron, or Lady Gaga, the First Lady or Lady Antebellum, I'm going to be Lady Lemonjelly. You should see this outfit I have, made entirely of Red Vines and corn tortillas.
# # # #
I don't know about you, but I'm still a little upset over JR's BBQ closing several years back. JR's turned beef ribs into tender meat velvet on a bone and they had great sweet potato fries. But I'm at a good point in my grief cycle and it's time to move on.
Killer B's has opened in a cursed culinary zone, that spot on State Street which has seen Fatburger, California Crisp, and Kozmo's close over a pretty short period of time. I think the same folks who did California Crisp and Kozmo's run it. Maybe bbq meat will be the winning combination this time. And this is also not to be confused with Killer B Fitness, which has two gyms around town. One Killer makes you fit, the other makes you full. I went to the latter.
A good way to dabble in what they offer is by sampling the happy hour menu. Appetizers are half off up until 7 pm, and you can try the trio of sliders for about $3.50. That's what we got, and it includes a bbq brisket slider, a pulled bbq chicken slider and a pulled pork slider. They come on lightly toasted rolls, with a generous dollop of coleslaw sweetened with pineapple. They were all good, but with the sauces dominating the flavor spectrum it's hard to tell which is which.
# # # #
Speaking of sauces, most items already come seasoned and lightly sauced, but you can add more bbq sauce and there are several to choose from: A sweet sauce, a honey chipotle and a habanero sauce. I'm like Goldilocks; I like the one in the middle. Er, Lady Goldilocks, I mean.
# # # #
# # # #
Another item ordered from the appetizer list was the deep fried mac and cheese balls. If you're a deep fried fan, this is a fun one to try. The cheese has a good tang to it. It comes with a spicy mayonnaise for dipping. Normally $5, and $2.50 at happy hour.
# # # #
We also tried a half rack of baby back ribs, which were great, very tender while still holding structure on the bone. These came with two sides, and I went for the deep fried goodness of sweet potato fries and onion rings, all tasting fine. It's $11 for the half rack and two sides. Another person at the table got the cheeseburger, which I didn't try, and didn't gather any comments on, but did get a photo.
# # # #
People who've had Memphis style bbq, or Kansas City bbq in Memphis or Kansas City grouse that Killer B's is not either, but I doubt that Killer B's is trying to be just like those places. Hey, I don't say your fried rice is bad because you don't make it like my mom's fried rice. The guy working the smoker has his way of doing things, and the fact that there *is* a smoker on site to barbeque the meat is pretty cool, and I like the food that came out of it.
My personal test of whether a bbq place meets my expectations is with their beef ribs. I haven't tried them yet because I opted for a larger variety of smaller plates. So that means a return visit. At the time I visited, Killer B's could serve beer and wine. But soon they'll have a full bar license with proper cocktails. Technically, they consider themselves a sports bar, which isn't really my thing, but the convenient location, the access to bbq made on site in a large smoker and the temptation of a cocktail would keep me coming back.
# # # #
Killer B's BBQ and Bar
718 State St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 845-2254
killerbbqandbar.com
Note: is it just my imagination, or are the rotating photos on their website completely different? I don't think they serve heart-shaped waffles here.
9 comments on this article. Read/Add
# # # #
|
