Good brisket is hard to top. Russellville's newest brick-and-mortar barbecue joint features a brisket that places in the top five in the state.
Ridgewood Brothers BBQ, 803 W. Main Place, started out as a food truck, then opened this permanent location just south of West Main Street near Kroger at the end of November. The line to get in at lunch can take 20 minutes, but it's certainly worth the wait.
The brisket is offered fatty or lean, both beautifully rubbed with spice and bearing a nice, thick black bark. The fatty brisket is fall-apart, cuts-with-a-spoon soft, where oak notes remain close to the surface edge. The brisket pairs well with the house hot sauce, which has a nice flavor of pepper vinegar and just a little bite.
Burnt bacon ends are an unusual item to see on Arkansas barbecue menus, but these small smoked parcels of rubbed pork are pliant and juicy. The sliced smoked turkey also has an excellent and robust flavor. Other meats offered are pulled pork and sausage links, the latter of which are housemade sausage links that are stuffed and then smoked. Ridgewood Brothers also offers pork spareribs, and on Saturdays only you can get bones of smoked beef ribs, too -- and instead of a set price for a platter, meat is priced by the pound, so you choose as much as you want when you order.
In addition to more traditional sides like coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad, Ridgewood Brothers BBQ offers smoked green beans tossed in their rub spice, and an incredible smatter of cheesy jalapeno rice grits, which are creamy and filling, a perfect choice to match for maximum comfort food dining.
Ridgewood Brothers BBQ does not take phone orders. Visit online at www.ridgewoodbrosbbq.com.
Updates
The Standard Market Cafe opened in Fort Smith in late November.
The cafe offers grab-and-go snacks and lunches ranging from sandwiches and flatbreads to muffins. Its market space includes a variety of grocery items and household essentials.
The cafe at the HUB at Providence is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, according to its website.
Kat Robinson is an author and Arkansas food historian in Little Rock who travels the state researching our culinary foodways. Her 11th book, "Arkansas Cookery: Retro Recipes from The Natural State," covers dishes from the mid-20th century church and community cookbooks. You can reach her at [email protected] with recommendations, recipes and news on River Valley restaurants.
The brisket at Ridgewood Brothers BBQ in Russellville is offered fatty or lean, both beautifully rubbed with spice and bearing a nice, thick black bark. (Courtesy Photo/Kat Robinson)