Like tacos, ask ten people their opinion on BBQ and you’ll get fifteen answers. There’s Carolina, both east which is peppery and vinegar-based, and west which is Bavarian-based. You have Kansas City with its beef ribs and sauce which is sweeter and tomato-based, and Memphis with its pork. Texas likes its meat cooked low and slow over hickory wood. Many cooking styles. Many spices.
At The Barn House, Lemon Grove’s newest BBQ restaurant, co-owner Alberto Vasquez, is not immune from the controversy. His partners have their own slightly different opinions. Alberto has a Texas background, and his partners have a Kansas City approach.
Having worked his way up through many culinary traditions, Alberto brings his take to BBQ “Our barbecue is a fusion of Kansas City and Texas BBQ. One sauce has 32 ingredients. It took us months to fine-tune our ingredients,” Vasquez said.
When it comes to the rubs, the chefs keep it simple with a mere three ingredients for one rub and four for another (You’ll have to ask them what the secret ingredient is.)
“I want to taste the meat. We cook with mild woods; almond, apple, and oak, so as not to overpower the taste of the meat,” Vasquez said.
The wide-ranging menu includes smoked Salmon Burgers, Pastrami Sandwiches, Pulled Pork or Smoked Turkey Sandwiches, and a trio of tacos comprised of pulled pork, beef ribs, and pulled chicken. They cut their own meat in-house, so their beef ribs are huge! Want something different, how about a BBQ House pizza with a choice of pulled pork, pulled chicken, or pork belly, and drizzled with aioli and BBQ sauce.
The side dishes are as tasty as the main dishes. A must-try is the trio of beans: Pinto, Black and Red beans, Pork Belly, and seven spices. And a hint of jalapeno. Truly a favorite. The sweet potato fries are crisp as are the onion rings and French fries.
Fun for the whole family, The Barn House has a game room with classic arcade games, foosball, and pool tables. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Perfect for a small or large gathering.
Executive Chef Yovani Palacios said, “I cook everything from my heart.” And he does.
Located at 8099 Broadway in Lemon Grove, their hours are Sunday-Thursday from 11:30 am -8:30 pm and Friday-Saturday from 11:30 am -9:30 pm. Check out their menu at www.thebarnhousebbq.com