Biscuit BBQ Reborn in Brooklyn

[twhalliii]

Biscuit BBQ, formerly located on Flatbush on the Park Slope/ Prospect Heights border, has re-opened on 5th Ave in Park Slope (230 5th Ave, north-west corner at President St.). The former occupant, Night and Day (meh), has been transformed into Biscuit and the place opened on Monday night. I haven't been yet (this weekend) but with Smoke Joint opening in Ft. Greene, and good places like Pioneer still on the map, it looks like a BBQ revival in Brooklyn.

Lots of discussion of Biscuit on the Brooklynian boards...

>>CLICKAGE<<

I heartily welcome Biscuit to the neighborhood... I think the place will do well and it looks like they are keeping the back room open for music, so it could turn into a very fun place. Fingers crossed.

Update: Just walked past Biscuit and they are not open for lunch. Also, they have a long story about how Night and Day was an unsustainable business, but their latest chef is the former owner/chef of Biscuit, and it looks like they've collaborated on the re-launch. Looks very good.... Half rack for $16, Full rack for $24, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, sandwiches, and their "statement" (an odd piece of writing which seems to assuage all of our fears that the chef might be Jewish... WTF?!?!?) seems to indicate that live music will continue on. Good news seems to be the liquor license stays intact, so good tap beers remain. The place needs to get a little grit and some character on the interior (its a little too sterile), but I'll be headed there asap.

Edited November 2, 2006 by twhalliii (log)

[twhalliii]

Went here Saturday night at 8:00pm with a party of seven people and there was a one hour wait for a table. After putting our names on the list, we went to Union Hall for a drink and some conversation, the time flew by, and we arrived back at Biscuit about 2 minutes early and were seated after about 5 minutes. The decor is still pretty much in the vein of Night and Day; wood tables, the star patterned wallpaper, with a few pieces of kitsch thrown in here and there and paper towel napkins on the table to emulate the 'road house' feel of a BBQ joint. The result is a mish-mash of tone, and I think the place needs more time to get its design together.

The food was miserable. Every person in my party received cold food that came out of the kitchen very quickly. The food and presentation felt like arriving at a BBQ three hours after the party had started and slopping together a plate of whatever happened to be left on the picnic table. Mashed potatoes? Cold. Corn bread? pulled from the fridge and not heated. Greens? Good flavor but luke warm. 1/4 chicken? No sauce, no seasoning, luke warm. In a neighborhood that features several delicious South American spit roasted chicken joints, which are always heavily seasoned and delicious, this was a let down and nowhere near acceptable. 1/4 Rack of ribs? I had read reports online that they are served 'dry', but when I asked the server he said 'no, cant get them dry.' I ordered them anyway. They came with dry rub that had turned into a cold gummy mixture. I added the "vinegar sauce" to one bite; flavorless and cold. The next, I added the "sweet sauce". Indistinguishable from just a plain rib and cold.

A huge disappointment.

I understand that we were effectively seated at the tail end of the first Saturday rush this place had ever seen, but I have to say, almost all of my dining companions and I are not snobs. We don't mind waiting for hot, delicious food. We ordered beers, we like loud music, and we often eat BBQ in NYC without complaint. None of us are from BBQ hotbeds, all of us were probably raised with sauce from the jar and dad grilling out back. That said, since I have been an adult, I have tasted some very good BBQ in Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, even in Brooklyn and NYC... and I have to say, my dad's Open Pit sauced ribs included, this was the worst plate of BBQ food I've ever had. And I think everyone at my seven top agreed. Flavorless, cold, poorly executed.

In a note to the chef and owners, who I do hope read this post; You really have no reason to charge $4 for a side order of biscuits OR (not and, OR) corn bread in a place called BISCUIT. On the list of side dishes, corn bread, biscuits are listed as an item along side mac and cheese, baked beans etc. and a $16 plate comes with a choice of two sides. So, instead of being able to get two sides, you get one side and biscuits or two real sides and no bread, unless you want to pay for the bread and increase the cost of your entree by 25%. At that price point, especially for this food, you should be serving generous portions of WARM, freshly baked breads (biscuits and cornbread) to the tables gratis and allow people to pick real side dishes. Ridiculous.

I feel bad for the place because the neighborhood would love a top-notch BBQ place, casual, open to kids and families, using delicious recipes and local ingredients, executed well in an environment that was set-up to accomodate the sensibility and style of the restaurant's mission. Instead, we have a good idea executed by seemingly desperate people who have lost money with their previous venture in this space who quickly tranformed their business to accommodate a new idea and it was executed with desperation, poor recipes, and a kitchen staff seemingly unprepared to deliver consistency and quality to a larger number of diners than the place is used to seeing. Maybe Biscuit will grow into a special place, but as it stands now, my friends and I will be watching that growth from afar.

Edited November 6, 2006 by twhalliii (log)

[Sneakeater]

Why Josh Cohn Makes Such A Big Deal About Not Being Jewish

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2006/11/barbec...osher_food.html

Edited November 15, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Habeas Brulee]

I was there for lunch on January 2nd and thought the ribs were actually very good. Flavor was nice, meat was properly melting off the bones, and service was excellent - of course, it was lunchtime and shortly after NYE, so we were the only ones there.

[Chris Amirault]

Any other diners at Biscuit lately?

[H. du Bois]

I live quite near, and did takeout from them once - a chicken and rib combo. Thought they were just okay, nothing more. But it was the biscuits that really gave me pause - they charge you extra for them, tout them as being quite famous, and mine were seriously underbaked (gummy in the middle). That's a baking 101 error, and it shouldn't have happened. Not with something they're selling to customers.

Can't speak for what they serve when you dine in.

[mjr_inthegardens]

It was a little while ago, but when I had brunch at biscuit everything that was placed on the table was awful, eggs, pork, and the biscuits.

[fendi_pilot]

I live quite near, and did takeout from them once - a chicken and rib combo.  Thought they were just okay, nothing more.  But it was the biscuits that really gave me pause - they charge you extra for them, tout them as being quite famous, and mine were seriously underbaked (gummy in the middle).  That's a baking 101 error, and it shouldn't have happened.  Not with something they're selling to customers. 

Can't speak for what they serve when you dine in.

←

Very surprised by the negative Biscuit comments - I must say as a NYC transport with family from the Carolinas and Tennesee I am very sensitive to bbq and I have not found very many places up to snuff in nyc.

That said, I moved to Prospect Heights just as the old Biscuit (which I enjoyed) closed down, paper plates and all. I was a little annoyed.

I've now been to the new and I think mostly improved Biscuit twice in the past two weeks and loved it. I think it's one of my fav joints - no BS, just good food. Exactly what you want in homestyle food.

One big difference is the smoke factor - you can taste the beautiful essence of a low and slow smoke style in a big way - very important to me.

I'd loved the pulled pork, grits, fries, shrimp and most of the time I've been there (including one Saturday night) there was little wait and great service.

The one thing I will say is that despite their name - the biscuit is a little pitiful ! not bad by any degree, never been undercooked or anything but it's small and does not look like the big white fluffy buttermilk style I associate and regardless prefer.

j

p.s. on a sidenote was a little disappointed by Momofuku Ssam. After reading how the chef does pork so well, I expected a great meal. After trying the pork buns and the pork ssam I enjoyed it but thought it was pretty basic w/ maybe one or two twists.

[fendi_pilot]

I forgot to mention I think the comparrsion to dinosaur bbq is fairly evident - i like them both - but one thing in which bisquit clearly wins is the sauces. it's great that they give you a wide range of choices (none of which suck) - not a claim i would make about dinosaur.

i love the north carloina style hot vinegar sauce ! (to the guy who didn't - you're insane)

j

Edited March 7, 2007 by fendi_pilot (log)

[H. du Bois]

I live quite near, and did takeout from them once - a chicken and rib combo.   Thought they were just okay, nothing more.  But it was the biscuits that really gave me pause - they charge you extra for them, tout them as being quite famous, and mine were seriously underbaked (gummy in the middle).  That's a baking 101 error, and it shouldn't have happened.  Not with something they're selling to customers. 

The one thing I will say is that despite their name - the biscuit is a little pitiful ! not bad by any degree, never been undercooked or anything but it's small and does not look like the big white fluffy buttermilk style I associate and regardless prefer.

j

Trust me, mine was raw in the middle. And given that they charged me a chunk of change extra for it, I was peeved.

Maybe I'll give them one last shot. But you know, they didn't give me any sauces on the side, either. I have no idea if they're any good or not.

[Jesikka]

p.s. on a sidenote was a little disappointed by Momofuku Ssam. After reading how the chef does pork so well, I expected a great meal. After trying the pork buns and the pork ssam I enjoyed it but thought it was pretty basic w/ maybe one or two twists.

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[Sneakeater]

fendi, I'm not from the South and have never had "real" barbecue, but go to Biscuit one night and Smoke Joint the next and then tell me Smoke Joint isn't better.

H. -- the sauces are kept in bottles along the walls (or used to be). You get (or got) them yourself.

[brooklyncook]

I forgot to mention I think the comparrsion to dinosaur bbq is fairly evident - i like them both - but one thing in which bisquit clearly wins is the sauces.  it's great that they give you a wide range of choices (none of which suck) - not a claim i would make about dinosaur. 

i love the north carloina style hot vinegar sauce  !  (to the guy who didn't - you're insane)

j

←

I'm surprised you didn't have a variety of sauces at Dinosaur. Each time I've been there, I've had a small caddy of about four or five different kinds at the table.

[jon777]

Did take out from Biscuit (they don't deliver apparently) a month or so ago while visiting friends in Park Slope. Overall, pretty dissapointing. Nothing was "bad", but nothing was outstanding either.