Smokin' Mo's BBQ-Closed

Smokin' Mo's BBQ
301 Main St. #107
Huntington Beach, California
(714) 374-3033

I went to Smokin' Mo's BBQ in Huntington Beach today, Saturday July 9th. They claim to be a combination BBQ. Santa Maria style (tri tip and beef ribs cooked over oak wood) and Memphis style BBQ.

I order the half slab rib combo. Six ribs, two each of Mo's Memphis, Philthy's Phil's and Sweet Carolina, pork ribs for $15.03, tax included. Baked beans, corn muffin, potato salad and coleslaw were included.

The ribs did not have any smoke flavor at all. The were baked in an oven and finished over a gril. But I was impressed with all three sauces and Iusually hate that mustard based sauce. I really liked Mo's BBQ sauce. Nice flavor, not too spicy and not too sweet. In another surprise, I liked the sweet BBQ sauce. I'm not sure why I liked them. But they weren't too sweet, some sweet BBQ sauces are as sweet as jelly. This sauce was thick and had just the right amount of sweetness. e sides were typical sides. Nothing special. They claim they copied the recipe for their coleslaw from The Counter in LA.

Overall Mo's was good but not great. Prices are on the high side. I was expecting more of an real BBQ. Slowly smoked not slowly cooked in an oven. But I didn't see one smoke ring on any of the ribs. If I'm in the area, I would go back again. I wouldn't make a special trip.

Update Jan 10, 2009.



I went back to Smokin Mo's and got the tri tip sandwich, $8.45. The sandwich was on a French roll. The meat was a bit salty and lacked smoked flavor. It was tender, very tender matter of fact. But then again it's tri tip, a sirloin cut. I thought there was a pretty good portion of tri tip on the sandwich, but I still thought the $8.45 price was a bit high. The menu says BBQ sauce and salsa come on the side but as you can see they put the BBQ sauce on the meat. I wasn't too impressed with the sandwich.

Service was good and quick. Nice people.

I know it unusual to see me review anything other than ribs but since I've already been to Smokin Mo's and didn't care for their ribs, I didn't want to waste, $15.99, for their ribs. I wasn't impressed with their tri tip sandwich.

During January and Febuary, Smokin Mo's is having a special on Mondays. An all you can eat BBQ special, ribs, chicken and pulled pork for about $16. Not a bad deal but don't expect great ribs. Even with that, I won't go back to Smokin Mo's.

Benny's Bar B Q-Closed

Benny's BBQ
4077 Lincoln Blvd (just South of Washington Blvd)
Marina del Ray, CA 90292
310 821 6939

For me, BBQ is only one thing: PORK SPARE RIBS!!!!!!!! None of this pulled pork, choped pork, beef ribs or sliced beef stuff. Give me a rack of pork spare ribs, a good BBQ sauce, on the side, that isn't too sweet or too hot, and I'm a happy man. I love authentic BBQ, where the meat is coated in a nice rub then cooked with the smoke of hardwood like hickory, mesquite, or apple and cherry wood.

Most people prefer having their ribs "fall off the bone" but to me that is too well done. I prefer the meat to have some resistance when I'm tearing the meat from the bone. I do not like the St. Louis style rib. I like the entire long end ribs.

But I do not consider myself a BBQ snob. I can enjoy ribs from Tony Roma's and Lucille's BBQ which are cooked in an oven at high heat and "finished" on the grill and brushed with BBQ sauce.

Most BBQ places offer two sides, like mac or potato salad, beans, mac and cheese or cole slaw. I sure as hell don't go to BBQ for the sides and I usually only think of sides as icing on the cake, so to speak. If a BBQ place has great ribs and the two sides are terrible, I still will go back just for the ribs.

Tonight, Saturday July 2nd, I went to Benny's Bar B Q in Marina del Rey.

I had been there about six weeks before but in a very rare instance I ordered the beef brisket on a bun. The sandwich is pretty darn good. The sauce was on the sweet side but I liked it. The service was very good and the girl behind the counter was one hell of a good looking woman.

Tonight I order the Long End pork ribs for $10.77 tax included. You get 6 ribs and cornbread. The ribs lacked the rub and worse, they did not take off the membrane that allows for the spices and the smoke to pentrate the meat. But the overall the ribs were good. They weren't falling off the bone, which to me is a huge plus. The ribs were meaty and well worth the money. I was full after three ribs.

The hottie from my other visit wasn't there but a pretty friendly girl was helpful and service was good. Though she was wondering why the hell I was taking pictures of the food and restaurant.

Benny's in mostly take out but they have about 5 tables. There is plenty of street parking and there is a side lot. Remember that Lincoln Blvd is a very busy street.

If you're going or coming from the LA airport (LAX) Benny's is about 7 miles away. I will review another BBQ that is about two miles from LAX later.