When a pig grows a beard...
- Erikka Nelson
- Feb 11, 2017
- 2 min read
Location: The Bearded Pig
Website: thebeardedpigbbq.com
BiteByBite Rating: 3 out of 4 bites
The San Marco isn’t an area of Jacksonville really known for southern BBQ, any BBQ for that matter. But that has changed…..enter the Bearded Pig BBQ.
I decided to visit the Bearded Pig BBQ on a Friday evening. Since the restaurant is located in San Marco, I was fully expecting a ‘hipster’ vibe when I walked in. And while there was moderate amounts of flannel and fully grown beards, BPB doesn’t come across as hipster. The décor is simple, modern and rustic, a balance struck between ‘mom & pop’ and the ‘millennial they sent to college’. There is seating along one wall, and a generous sized bar opposite the seating. The bar features craft beer, mostly local and some wine. There is also a beer garden outside complete with warmers for cold nights and TVs. As you head to the back, you get to the register where you order.
Now to the good stuff...the food. My husband and I ordered the San Marco Platter: 1/4 of each of 2 meats, 2/4 rack ribs, 1/4 chicken and two sides. All for the price of $25. I honestly did a double take at the price, that is an awesome value. That being said, let's stop and do a quick icebreaker about me:
I LOVE finding a good deal, I LIVE for a great deal!
I smoke a lot of meat myself, my husband(Shaun) and I even won a contest.
This means, I am a BBQ snob.
My parents are from the south, I've lived all my adult life in the south, there are some cooking rules I hold near and dear.
Since we've gotten that out of the way, let's continue. Shaun and I ordered, picked our meats: ribs, chicken, brisket(you can choose fatty or lean) and pulled pork. We sat ourselves and the food came very quickly. The platter was served on a cafeteria tray. There are various sauces already on the table: spicy, sweet, savory and mustard based. I wanted the sauces to be thicker, but they weren't bad in taste. The brisket was fantastic! The chicken was seasoned exceptionally well. The pepper that was used had this natural spiciness that was juuussst right. The ribs were cooked just right. I hate ribs that are over cooked and fall off the bone. That, my friends, is an overcooked ribs and should be banished from the earth. These ribs won't ever be banished.
The beans were filled with onions and I wasn't a fan of that. I'm used to more traditional baked beans. Also, the collard greens had carrots in them, again, something I'm not used to. They tasted pretty good, but again, carrots threw me for a loop(See #4).
I definitely recommend a trip to San Marco to get some 'Que. The Bearded Pig is a great place to fix when it come to BBQ.
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