BUZ & NED'S BBQ in RICHMOND, VA

quote:

Originally posted by BBQjoe

Anyone know about a double T's in Carytown section and also Strawberry St. Cafe?

BBQjoe,

I've only been to Double T's (across from the Byrd Theater in the Carytown area) once, about 2 years ago. It seemed to me that they smothered all of the pork in way too much sticky, sweet sauce. My preference is to be able to add any sauce myself, at the table. That's my only recollection. Have you been there?

Of course, the Strawberry St. Cafe, on Strawberry St. in the Fan District near VCU, is one of the longest standing nice restaurants in that area. It's a popular neighborhood place with lots of made from scratch, fresh dishes. Because of the location, you will see a lot of the young university hip artsy folks there.

Frank

quote:

Originally posted by tybeeguy

Any of you Richmond Roadfooders ever get down to Kings BBQ in Petersburg?

I haven't been to King's Barbecue in Petersburg in many years. But that's only because I just haven't taken the opportunity to drive the short 35-40 miles down to Petersburg from Richmond. If anyone else has been there in recent times, I'd love to hear about it. It has always enjoyed a good reputation in the past.

Frank

quote:

Originally posted by fcbaldwin

Hey i95, that was me asking about how they cook the pork at Bill's. Anyway, I've gone there for years (at least 50), and I'm pretty sure they cook it in an oven, or maybe even boil it! But all that aside, it's the delicate and not vinegary, not smokey flavor that I wonder how they achieve. It's probably not worth experimenting with since I can just stop by any of their locations and buy it by the pound.
Frank

What manner of debauchery is this where the BBQ is not smoked over real wood? It is not BBQ then, merely yankee pot roast.

I happened upon Buz & Ned's today quite by accident. It just happened to be where I was and so I decided to check it out. It's a very unassuming place in the middle of a busy neighborhood. I had the chopped oversize pork sandwich and beans. That was all I could eat, but was the real deal and everybit as neat as I95 described in the original post. A good roadfood joint.

Hey y'all
I'm going with friends tonight to check this place out. I already looked at the menu - fried squid?! Bison BBQ? Whooeee!
I'm having a hard time deciding what to try. What do people like here?

Thanks. Will report back
Cathy

As a follow up to the above post -

I went to Buzz and Ned's Saturday evening. I was there first and as I waited for my friends I perused the paper menus (there are also items posted on a chalkboard)scattered about the small dining room. That makes it sound swankier than it is but I don't know what else to call it. It's about 20 x 20 filled with 4 booths, one large low table and 4 bar tables. The music was a little loud, but great blues.

My friends arrived and slowly so did 4 other staff members from the library where I work. No of *them* had ever been there before either!
Weird!

I got a pulled pork plate, fries and cinnamon bourbon apples.
Wow! that's good eats! The pork was smokey and lightly mixed with a sweet & tangy sauce. My friend who ordered the chicken also like hers - sauce was a little different - thicker, less sweet - but my friend who ordered the brisket was under whelmed. I agree. I'm not really familiar with brisket, but this was just not what I think you guys have described or what I've seen on the Food Channel. I don't really know how to describe it. "Crumbly" is the only word that comes to mind. He swears there is a place further west in town that serves good brisket, so I think we'll be checking it out next time.

Sides - both tasty. Liked the lightly spiced fries especially. I like crunchy fries and these were not really that crunchy, but they weren't limp (blegh!). Coke products at the self serve fountain (refills), but old fashion bottle drinks available also - Rt.11 root beer (including diet!), Nehi peach and grape and Boylean's (?) cream
soda.

Want to go back and try the calamari and the sweet potato fries

Gotta tell ya. If you want good Southern Style food, Klara's Kitchun, Rt. 10 Chester is the place. From the brewed sweet tea w/lemon to the meatloaf and real mashed potatoes and gravy, its good eatin. And the home made chocolate pie was creamy, smooth and a delight! As it relates to BBQ, I've tried Buzz & Ned's and Brocks, no comparison. Buzz & Ned's was real BBQ, Brocks on the other hand...too pureed for me. I've got my teeth.

Buzz has the real deal folks. I am from Richmond, only Pierces Pitt in Williamsburg 50 miles east comes close.

Ask to speak with Buzz himself (there is no Ned)he is a great "character". Make sure you have some time, he loves to talk BBQ.

As for breakfast go out Broad St. and take a left from Buzz and Neds and a couple blocks on the rt. is Karens City Diner...THE BEST. Real grits, people cooking real food. The waitresses call you swetie. The best two spots in Richmond

quote:

Originally posted by Bigmagoo


Ask to speak with Buzz himself (there is no Ned)he is a great "character". Make sure you have some time, he loves to talk BBQ.

Actually, Ned was Buz's mentor. Alas, he's no longer with us.
Cathy

I recently planned a company trip for 30 people from Baltimore, MD to Charlotte, NC. We wanted to stop for lunch in Richmond and I came across these reviews of Buz and Ned's so I decided to give them a shot. I called ahead and spoke with Holly, who coordinated for us to have a spread with BBQ pork, chicken, beef brisket, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans and rolls. She reserved 3 picnic tables for us and had everything ready when we arrived. It was a gorgeous day and everyone really enjoyed themselves. The food and service were both excellent. Buz even came out and introduced himself to my bosses. Our company is in the restaurant industry so we really appreciate the hospitality that Buz and Ned's gave us. They are the best and I would highly recommend stopping here!!!

Hey Wildcranberry (was goibg to shotern that to WC, but nevermind...)

I'm glad you enjoyed Buz and Ned's. I hope you will write them and let them know how great the experience was.

Not affliated with B&N, just a fan.

Cathy, eagerly awaiting Buz's Thowdown with Flay

I was in Buz and Neds the other day and they had one of their shorts hanging up with the words 'Flay Slayer" on the front.

I'm not surprized, I think that Bobby Flay is a jerk!!! And Buz and Neds Rules!!!!!!!!!!

Qaholic

Don't go knocking Bobby Flay,he's da man!!!!!!

Just an update here that Buz & Ned's has recently enclosed its outside seating by erecting a huge, semi-permanent, commercial tent in front of its Boulevard location thereby likely doubling their "under roof" capacity.

I passed by such today and would've taken a photo of it but we all know how that goes, right, Traveling Man?

I am in Richmond on business this week. I came with no Roadfood plans, but have been extremely fortunate so far. This isn't meant to be a trip report, but Richmond is a GREAT Roadfood city.

It turns out that my business colleagues are natural Roadfooders, and don't even know it.

Monday for lunch I was expecting cafeteria or fast food, instead we start walking in The Fan District and ended up at Starlight Dining & Lounge, which the senior member of our group kept calling "Soble's." Using that as my guide, I ordered the Soble Burger. It turned out to be a half-pound bacon cheeseburger, topped by lettuce and tomato. I normally remove the tomato from my burger, but this huge slice looked straight from someones backyard so I left it on the burger. A wonderful burger, it had a charred beefy flavor I haven't have in decades.

http://www.starlitediningandlounge.com/default.htm

Today we made a short drive to Joe's Inn. It was a classic diner. I ordered one of the lunch specials, the pulled pork sandwich. It was good and was huge, but not smokey and wasn't topped with slaw. The onion rings I chose as a side were unique, with a thick coat of light breading. Another great lunch spot.

http://www.joesinn.com/Fan/

Driving back from the office, I decided to run by the minor league ballpark where we are having a get-together tomorrow night.

I did miss this sign on the drive to The Diamond.



Fortunately, I couldn't miss this sign. That made my dinner choice simple tonight. i95's permanent tent is shown in the lower right of this photo.



I had my mind set on Buz & Ned's pulled pork sandwich and was not disappointed. Truly in the Southern style, a tasty vinegary sauce, but not as much vinegar bite as Carolina barbecue. I tasted the smoke in this sandwich.

I've judged KCBS barbecue in the Midwest and this style scores poorly there. The KC-style sweet & sticky sauces rule. I disagree with the judges there. This is what pulled pork should taste-like, maybe add more vinegar to your liking.



While waiting in the line, I asked the gentleman in front of me what he was going to order. "Ribs," was his one word reply. We had a nice talk during our wait and I had no choice but to add a half-slab of spares to my order. I am so glad that I did.



I haven't had ribs this good in a long time. Smokey with a rich, molasses based sauce. Sweet, but not too much. What really set these ribs apart for me was that they had a deep charred flavor to them. I need to do this when I make ribs.

Scores for Buz & Ned's pork and ribs: Nines across the card from this KCBS judge.

Did I eat all this food? I can't keep up with some of the members here, but none of my food went in the trash.

http://www.buzandneds.com/

Wow...that sure is one pretty picture!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by JRPfeff

i95's permanent tent is shown in the lower right of this photo.

Apparently no one told him that after 4 hours he's supposed to see a doctor.

Bring back some sauce, please.

Brad

I just added Buz and Neds to the list of restaurants that take all the cool menu items off the menu....

They used to have Spoon Bread on the menu and now they don't- I can't imagine why they would remove only that one item from the menu and keep everything else.

quote:

Originally posted by Brad_Olson

quote:

Originally posted by JRPfeff

i95's permanent tent is shown in the lower right of this photo.

Apparently no one told him that after 4 hours he's supposed to see a doctor.

Alright, just saw this. Now THAT's funny.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

I just added Buz and Neds to the list of restaurants that take all the cool menu items off the menu....

They used to have Spoon Bread on the menu and now they don't- I can't imagine why they would remove only that one item from the menu and keep everything else.

I emailed them and asked about the spoon bread.

I actually got a very nice and quick response from Buz.

They still make it for their catering events, and do sell it in the stores if they have extra available.

Buz did say they are trying to open a new place 15 miles north on
I-95, they may be offerning the spoon bread there.

Hopefully (fingers crossed)

quote:

Originally posted by CajunKing

Buz did say they are trying to open a new place 15 miles north on I-95...

Look-out,[url='http://www.thesmokeypig.com/']Smokey Pig[/url]!

I never realized that even four years ago, that i95 was a genius.

We stayed in Richmond on Saturday evening and decided to go to Buz and Ned's BBQ................one word sums the place up........"Terrific"! The food was great and the people who took our orders were so nice. We plan on making this a regular stop and skipping the high priced place that my son just loves in Richmond.

Thanks 1-95!

quote:

Originally posted by Greymo

I never realized that even four years ago, that i95 was a genius.

I couldn't agree more. (Well, I could, but as you all know, I'm far too modest for that. )

quote:

Originally posted by Greymo

I never realized that even four years ago, that i95 was a genius.

We stayed in Richmond on Saturday evening and decided to go to Buz and Ned's BBQ................one word sums the place up........"Terrific"! The food was great and the people who took our orders were so nice. We plan on making this a regular stop and skipping the high priced place that my son just loves in Richmond.

Thanks 1-95!

So, what's the high priced place?

Me thinketh here:




(Or The Berkeley.)

 

I just revisited this Richmond, Virginia barbecue

stalwart and for lunch yesterday. This place is still

so very worthy of the slightest of detours off of I-95

and as it meanders through the former Capital of

the Confederacy (Exit 78 then less than a mile south

on Boulevard to restaurant on left).

 

Not a sermon, just a thought.

I should visit the east coast just to eat!

You weren't taking pictures of the food, were you? 

The Travelin Man


You weren't taking pictures of the food, were you? 

 

Yeah. How could you tell?

Buz and Ned's is good.  IMO their ribs are better than their Q. 

Unfortunately for me, they don't do much takeout anymore.  At least not during lunch and  not on weekends at all. So if you go,  plan to eat it there if you can get in the door.


Edited to add  - I really love their beef ribs too.  And I am not a big beef rib fan normally.