Dinosaur BBQ
Have you ever craved barbeque ribs, dreamed of smokey, mouth-watering, succulent handfuls of juicy meat? Wandering around Syracuse, New York last spring we caught a whiff of that memory jerking, summertime smoke in the air, someones barbecuing aroma. We followed our noses and discovered a place called Dinosaur Bar B Que, in the heart of downtown Syracuse. Our daughter was revisiting Syracuse University, having not made up her mind on a college yet. Knowing how much she loves to eat (and the fact that she was turned down from her first choice, NYU) I think this place is what sold her on the city.
We took a cab from our hotel to the inner part of Syracuse. All cities have their little idiosyncrasies, as we wandered around without any real destination in mind we quickly realized an odd characteristic of this particular one. We were the only ones walking the streets. Having grown up and worked for a short while in Detroit, I started worrying that if this city was anything like Detroit there may be a good reason for the abandoned streets.
Turns out Syracuse only appears to be sleeping. The city is on its’ way to an exciting comeback. Definitely the culinary stream is flowing .
Only an occasional Harley whizzed by us, headed in the direction of the aroma. We finally found the restaurant, sitting on a nondescript corner, surrounded by motorcycles. Wooden picnic tables sat outside the restaurant, and a steady line of people snaked their way towards what appeared to be the front door. The wait was an hour, but if the crowd was any indication, the meal would be well worth it. We grabbed ourselves some drinks from the bar and found an unoccupied table along the street. Most of the people waiting were dressed in their finest biker garb, lounging on the tables drinking cold beer or walking around admiring each others motorcycles.
Turns out the Dinosaur was started by three bikers with a common obsession, motorcycles and barbecued ribs. They opened the restaurant in 1988 as a take out, then a full-fledged sitdown eatery in 1990. They now have restaurants in Rochester and NYC. The atmosphere is rough and loud. Blues music blasts from the speakers, rickety wooden tables and chairs placed in ever free spot and some of the best ribs I have ever had. Their motto, ” if you leave here hungry it’s your own fault”.
They marinade the meat for 24 hours, then slowly pit smoke it. There is a whole line of their sauces that are available on their website http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com . Wango Tango Habanero Hot Sauce is one of my favorites, though Sensuous Slathering Sauce and the Garlic Honey Sauce are to die for. If you enjoy Blues, they have live music every day, check out the event schedule on their website.
Don’t miss this spot for a genuine finger licking, chin slobbering good meal. Syracuse has many hidden gems that we have found since then. Stay tuned for our trip to L’Adour, described as the only french restaurant in the city, as well as Gentile’s an eclectic italian eatery.
Soooo many choices!
Address:
246 W. Willow Street
Syracuse, NY. 13202
315-476-4937
Recent Comments