Black Bark BBQ

photo - blackbarkbbq.com

Black Bark BBQ, Fillmore, Dinner
March 19, 2016

P:
Pulled Pork Sandwich, served on a roll & topped with slaw
Baked Beans
Sweet Potato Fries
Southern Sweet Tea

J:
2 Meat Plate: Beef Brisket & Pulled Pork
Potato Salad
Coleslaw
Fresh Lemonade


Notes:

This place popped up recently on a "Best BBQ in SF"-list or some such thing.  I'm from Texas (pretty much), and Patrick is from Arkansas (kinda), and both of those states are no stranger to BBQ, but I think it's safe to say that California is (somewhat), not to mention San Francisco, so it was odd to me that there even exists a "Best BBQ in SF"-list in the first place.

Barbecue is one of those things - it's very personal.  You can't convince someone that just any barbecue is as good as their favorite barbecue.  And if you're into barbecue, you without a doubt have a favorite.  Back when barbecue was much less talked about around here, one of my faves was the now-shuttered B-Side BBQ in Oakland.  I confidently brought Patrick to B-Side when we were first dating, attempting to prove that you could actually find great barbecue in the Bay Area.  He was hesitant, but relented, a tiny bit - the beans were almost right, at least.

The scene has changed quite a bit since then, and Black Bark is the latest addition.  Modern and clean, it doesn't have that smoked-to-the-core aroma I've come to expect from barbecue joints.  I wonder if this will change over time; in a way, I hope it does.

I went for the brisket, because that's what I do.  And, because I can never stop at one (MORE!), I got the pulled pork, which I almost never do but wasn't in the mood for my usual second choice, ribs.  I was not disappointed.  First, the brisket was HAY-MAZING.  The bark was SO flavorful, and that flavor deeply penetrated the uber-moist brisket.  I almost didn't want to share (but I did - take it easy).  The pulled pork was succulent and delicious - if it was always this good, perhaps I wouldn't have such an aversion.  The meats here are not sauced, but sauces are offered on the side, which I do appreciate.  (I think it's a slippery slope when a restaurant tries dictate just how guests are allowed to enjoy their food.)  That said, the meat didn't need it, which was almost unfortunate because the sauces were delicious - the mustard sauce in particular won me over.  The potato salad was well-seasoned and dressed with a good mix of mashy and chunky texture.  The coleslaw was good, mayonnaise-based but not heavy and not sweet.  I don't have many food-biases (What the heck am I saying?  I have SO many!), but I just can't abide by sweet coleslaw.

Patrick didn't say much.  It could have been the basketball game on the tube (Go Warriors!), or it could have been the simple distraction of one delicious pulled pork sandwich.  A soft, but toasted, (brioche?) bun held together a mountain of moist, shredded pork, topped off with a little coleslaw.  Again, not sauced, but a little dip into their barbecue sauce here and there solved that.  He also thought the beans were good (and I would agree), which is important.

This place is definitely worth another go.  Question is, do I just get a half pound of brisket and call it a night, or..?