Bodeans

[Jon Tseng]

stil gd

also doing burnt ends on sun now!

J

[jamesmarsh]

also doing burnt ends on sun now!

Are you sure Jon? I thought it was Mondays and Wednesdays?

[sandra]

We had dinner here tonight, came up on it as we were walking home - great baby backs and baked beans, liked the coleslaw, but have had better - potato salad was unimpressive...

Will definitely be going back for burnt ends, pulled pork, etc etc etc...

Can almost hold a candle to Brother Jimmy's in NYC!

Wait a sec. If it can only "almost hold a candle to Brother Jimmy's", why on earth would you ever go back?

Sorry, I just saw this from July!

Why would I go back to Bodeans? b/c there is no Brother Jimmy's here...is there?

And we have been back, at least 4 times since July 7th! Every time just as good.

[jayrayner]

I've been just the twice this week, Monday and Wednesday, which both happen to burnt ends day. And they were, ooh, terrific. Had to go to Bodeans, of course. When you're doing the low carb high protein thing and you happen to find yourself on Oxford Street where else is there?

I think I may be addicted.

[Simon Majumdar]

I have only been once this week

No burnt ends

S

[Clerkenwellian]

thank you all for the recommendation. A great place: smart but unpretentious, lovely service, great food, daft pricing.

[Jon Tseng]

Hmpf. Phoned up and not doing burnt ends on sun after all

there were a few months ago - honest!

also note the regular specials. Last time was there had plate of burnt ends, then wandered downstairs for the grill room special of full rack of baby back ribs for a fiver

J

[sandra]

Going there tonight....

[PCL]

...yeah, me too... sounds too good to pass up and i'm sick of substandard bbq in this town...

[PCL]

Just had lunch there. There is a £6.95 express lunch deal... including 1 No. beer or soft drink, and guaranteed 15 mins on your table of one eats for free... fantastic value for the West End, and man... I could do it everyday.

The deal's a little limited, but with chicken, or boston butt (pulled pork sandwich) or 1/2 rack of ribs on offer... hey, what more do you need.

Was a little sad given that we'd had dinner there last night, but it seems to be the season for pork in our office at the moment!!

Have a good weekend all.

[balex]

Had dinner there last night. It was much much worse than it was on my previous visits. The meat didn't taste barbecued at all, it was dry and chewy. It was latish, about 10 pm, I don't know if that had anything to do with it. Very disappointing.

[Winot]

Noticed on Saturday that they have opened a branch in Clapham. On the corner opposite Bellevue/the tube next to Oddbins where Tartuffe used to be. Let's hope Balex's experience isn't the result of their over extending themselves.

[Suzi Edwards]

i was there about a week before balex and it was still great, went on a sunday and gorged on baby back ribs.

i still think the beans are the best thing there though. is that heresy?

[balex]

The beans were very good still. And the fries were good. I hope that my bad meal was just a one off, because I am very fond of the place.

[jimbob]

Hi,

1st post but went to Bodeans last night, not for the 1st time (more like the 6th).

Was good again BUT:

Bloody Ceasar came without celery

Ribs were a little on the cold side

and the great beans that came free with ribs arent provided anymore, have to order them separatly, but we didnt realise this until the ribs came and were in a rush so missed out!

Still the best place for this kind of food in london, but hopefully the slide will stop!

[Andy Lynes]

Welcome to eGullet Jimbob. I really must try this place soon, just hope I haven't missed its heyday already.

[Kim D]

Went there tonight.

I had the pulled pork sandwich. 5 quid.

My husband had the pulled pork dinner. IIRC, 11 quid.

What did he get for that extra 6 quid? (I still don't know how to make that British pound sign.)

A small amount of baked beans. They were tasty. I've never tasted anything like them in The States but I liked them. So did my husband.

About the same amount of fries. They were good. Better than Burger King anyway. Not as good as McDonald's in its heyday.

A bit more pork. Could it have been twice as much. I didn't think so but maybe. The pork wasn't bad. The chipotle bbq sauce said "Hot" on it but it wasn't.

My opinion? Go for the pulled pork sandwich. Definitely worth the 5 quid. My husband said if he lived in London he'd go here when he needed a bbq fix. We don't get great bbq in Chicago so we were happy with it. Our expectations were low and we weren't disappointed.

- Kim

[PCL]

Stumbled back on this thread....

God, I miss Bodean's... visited vicariously through a couple friends who were visiting London.

[jayrayner]

Dropped into D'arblay street Bodean's for solo lunch as is my low-carb want these days. Half slab of spare ribs were actually better than I remember, not least down to a good layer of fat.

Andre, one of the founders, was there, spotted me and insisted I try something new for the menu, which is to say: beef short rib (or Jacob's ladder, as it's known here). Boy was it good, tender, rich, full of flavour. The best thing I've tried there.

Andre is talking about serving four of these beauties for somewhere in the mid teens; high by Bodean's standards but seriously bloody worth it for anybody who likes their cue.

Suggest that, for now, if you want to try it you call in advance and check they have em. These mothers require serious time in the pit. Further reports welcomed.

[curlywurlyfi]

hmmm, I went to the Poland St one about ten days ago + was v underwhelmed. Pork spare ribs still delicious but L's pulled pork sandwich tasted frankly like tinned corn beef with liquid smoke; + T's 'Ham Fest' was literally two slices of supermarket ham in a cheap white roll with barbecue sauce.

[Iestyn]

hmmm, I went to the Poland St one about ten days ago + was v underwhelmed. Pork spare ribs still delicious but L's pulled pork sandwich tasted frankly like tinned corn beef with liquid smoke; + T's 'Ham Fest' was literally two slices of supermarket ham in a cheap white roll with barbecue sauce.

←

I went to the poland street branch a month or so ago, and had been a month before that. Good food on both occasions, not great but it makes a nice change and reasonable prices. I see from this threade that in 2003 they had American beer other than Coors, pity thats no longer the case.Bodean's Blog Review

[chrisp]

I am imminently to blog the Clapham branch, and may now even ring ahead to order that short rib which sounds great. I doubt I'd be leaving without a portion of chicken wings with blue cheese dip either, which is also brill.

[brokentelephone]

I love BBQ. So much so that last summer I rented a car and drove through texas eating BBQ every day. Growing up my parents owned a BBQ restaurant, and I grew up eating there weekly.

I don't eat pork so cannot judge much of the menu at Bodeans , but I have to say that the beef ribs are excellent, albeit inconsistent. Often times I feel ripped off as the ribs vary in size dramatically, sometimes a half-slab is equivalent to a full slab, other times, the half-slab is far too small, but I am aware that ribs are not a usual cut here in the UK, and hence, they might have problems with their supply. That being said, the ribs have a great taste, and I love the fact they're 'wet' with a good sauce!

The brisket is BAD. So bad. I've eaten it about 6 times, and each time it's been extremely dry, and flavourless.

Overall I like Bodeans, but if it were transplanted to the US I doubt it would be as successful, as the standard of quality is so much higher. That being said, after eating once at the place in Spitafields, the Arkansas Cafe, I realized just how good Bodeans really is!

[chrisp]

Got a table for two tonight at the Soho branch - asked about the beef short rib during reservation, but they didn't have a clue what I was talking about! Anyway I'm sure I'll find something else decent to tuck into.

[Mrs Foodie]

What's all the fuss about? If you buy yourself a wood pellet smoker BBQ (I noticed the other day that they are on sale at the mo at www.americanbbq.co..uk) you can do your own all summer!

I do shoulder of lamb for about 4 hours, ribs of beef and chicken - a veritable Bodean's in my own garden. BBQ this way isn't cheap but it is something so good it is worth the investment - and the booze is cheaper at home! And your local decent butcher will get Jacobs ladder for you - our famer's market chap can do them to order.