bbq does not mean baked in an oven, then drenched in bbq sauce. maybe in california, but not in texas!!! try a dry rub, and meat and sweet may rhyme, but that doeesnt mean they go together. dry rub, hours of smoking, ribs maybe 4-6 hours, brisket up to 10(mesquite, or pecan wood smoke preferred) and THATS BARBECUE!!!!! why is it that texas has the best bbq? maybe because it was developed here? hmmmmmm……… i have not eaten here, nor would i. i guess im just a damn bbq snob. inquire within, come to austin, and ill hook ya up with GREAT bbq.

I always seem to tell this same story, but when it’s true I just have to go with it. It starts with me saying “I’ve been driving by this place for years and finally decided to check it.” Sometimes that statement changes to “I’ve known about this place for a while and finally decided to eat there.” For this posting, the place in question is Hungry Al’s BBQ in West Covina.

It’s a small place and not much in the way of ambiance, and yes, I’ve driven by it many a time, but always always wondered about the food. The clincher for me was when I was at a local concert and heard the people seated in front of me talking about how Hungry Al’s has a smoker in the back of the restaurant. A BBQ restaurant that has its own smoker is definitely worth checking out plus I heard nothing but praise from all my eavesdropping.

After finishing up with errands one evening, I decided that it was finally time to stop driving by, pull into the parking lot and find out what Hungry Al’s BBQ is all about. I walked in and ordered the Beef Rib Dinner and you get a choice of either a regular or spicy bbq sauce. Spicy was definitely my choice. With the dinner, you also get to choose 2 from 3 side dish options. I went for the bbq beans and potato salad.

Taking that first bite out of that beef rib had me almost kicking myself. What in the heck took me so long? The meat was tender with a smoky-sweet-heat. It was just really delicious.

When it came to the bbq beans and the potato salad, I thought that both were tasty, if not spectacular. I also ordered a side of collard greens that was cooked well, but needed just a bit more seasoning.

Overall, Hungry Al’s BBQ may be small, but so far, their BBQ Beef Ribs are mighty in flavor. I’m definitely looking forward to tasting more of their meaty menu.