Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
646 W. 131st Street @12th Avenue (very close to West Side Hwy)
New York, NY 10027
(212) 694-1777
http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
Subway: 1 train to 125th Street/Broadway


Last night about 10 of us trekked up to Harlem (1st time!) for a farewell dinner at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Four of us arrived almost an hour early for our 8PM reservation, and as we entered the restaurant, our surroundings went from urban Harlem to a wild wild West rodeobar in full swing. We waited in the comfortable bar which had an ample assortment of interesting beers on tap. The best way to try a few (without getting hammered immediately) was the beer flight (4 4-oz samples of your choice); also available was a flight of agave tequilas (which we weren't ready to tackle). I also tried the Remy Red sangria (too strong, not fruity, not recommended), and everyone had some of our favorite beer: the Abita Purple Haze. While at the bar, we couldn't resist so we ordered a small Swag Sampler (fried green tomatoes, chicken wings, spicy shrimp boil and Creole deviled eggs)... it was good enough that we ordered it again once we were seated.

When all 10 of us were finally there and seated, we ordered A LOT of food & drink, starting with Coors Light pitchers (there are so few places in NYC that have pitchers!), 2 large Swag Samplers and 2 orders of chili. The noise level was loud, but audible conversation was definitely not a problem. The food came fast and despite our little bar snack, we were still hungry. The fried green tomatoes were excellent: tender yet not mushy on the inside of the perfectly crisp crust. The Creole deviled eggs were exactly right: creamy, tangy with a hint of spice. The drunken spicy shrimp boil, full of Old Bay spice, was also perfect, and this comes from a girl who went to school in Baltimore and had her fair share of Old Bay spiced shrimp. Even my husband, who snubs getting down & dirty to peel his own shrimp, started peeling away (after I peeled his first so he could see how good they really were). The chicken wings... they were meaty, but they didn't really taste like much. No one asked us how we wanted them, so make sure you specify if you do order this dish. The chili -- our native Syracusean, which is from where Dinosaur Bar-B-Que hails, talked highly of it -- I thought it was strange. It had a slightly sweet aftertaste... it didn't do it for me.

Down to dinner: at every meal, there are always people who eat like you, and who don't eat like you. I like to separate the table based on eating style: good eaters on one side, non-eaters far far away from me. Four of us last night were eaters, and the four of us shared the sampler extreme (1/2 rack of ribs, Texas beef brisket, 1/2 bar-b-q chicken), pork & brisket (pulled pork & brisket), an additional 3/4 rack of ribs plus 4 pieces of honey hush cornbread and 6 side dishes (each dish comes with 2 sides): mac & cheese (2), cole slaw, mini iceberg wedge (mini version of the salad they offer as a starter), french fries and Syracuse style salt potatoes. The pulled pork and brisket were tender, fall-apart good, and I would definitely recommend both. The ribs were good; some pieces were meatier and better, while others were dry and meatless. I wouldn't rave over them. My husband, a Texas native, felt similarly, and although I wouldn't trust him to review any Asian cuisine, I think he's a rib aficionado. I didn't touch the chicken; it looked dry, and at the end of the meal, it was the only thing left on our plates. As for sides, the mac & cheese, one of my favorite foods ever, was pretty good (creamy, a little dry), and each bite made me like it even more. The Syracuse-style salt potatoes were the best new thing I've eaten in a while: buttery-boiled new potatoes slathered in a buttery-delicious sauce. The fries were fries; the cole slaw didn't wow me. If the mini-iceberg wedge is anything like their actual wedge salad, DON'T GO THERE -- all we got was a little chunk of lettuce with a couple halved grape tomatoes and their house dressing in one of those red & white paper boats. What happened to the bacon and pecans that was in the salad description???

Overall, I think Dinosaur was pretty good. I definitely know what I would (and would not) order next time, and I still want to try to the Hot Elgin Sausage and simmered greens. Plus, it was CHEAP... tons of food, tons of drink and the bill was $32 per person, including tip!! That might be less than half of what we'd spend at Blue Smoke (reviewed 7/16/2006)! Harlem is not close, but the good food, hopping-fun scene and right price just might make it worth it.