Restaurant Reviews
- - Thursday is tri-tip day
- - Get there before the noon rush
The Jones Brothers
Reviewed by jamescollier on Mar 14, 2011
What's it like?
I've been thinking a lot about barbecue lately. Maybe it's the weather (and the weekly downtown picnics the sunshine has inspired); then again, maybe it's all the talk about the tri-tip cook-off coming up on April 2. Whatever the inspiration, I found myself standing in line for a tri-tip sandwich from The Jones Brothers last Thursday.
I actually ordered two sandwiches: one for me, and one for Kim - I added BBQ sauce to Kim's for the sake of comparing flavors. With a bottled water, the total came to an even $10. That still seems pretty cheap.
In front of me in line was a group of attorneys, most from out of the area. They were tri-tip virgins. And after trying the sandwich, I'm glad that this is where they tried it first - the meat was cooked perfectly, with a subtle smokey flavor. Anthony said he cooks them in his backyard—he had already been through 16 tri-tips by the time I ordered my sandwich at 12:20.
Judging meat only, this is some of the best-cooked tri-tip I've had. I think there's a missed opportunity with the bread, though; it had good texture, but it absorbed too much of the smoke flavor. Still, I can't wait for the next picnic.
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Comments
Kim C. (not verified) | Mon, 2011-03-14 13:11
Soooooo #yummers!
TOPS BBQ | Thu, 2011-03-17 22:33
Let me start by saying I have heard good things about Jone's Brother's. Unfortunately, I have never taken the opportunity to eat there. My reason, the Tri-tip smelled like smoke. That is not a good thing. Any type of food that is smoked should not smell like smoke. Only the flavor of the wood should impart a subtle flavor into the meat. Smoke flavor is not a good thing.
I am not saying the meat was not tender or appeared over cooked. But you stated that the smoke flavor is actually getting into the bread. That's bad.
If you have the opportunity, eat the Tri-tip plain without the sauce or bread. If you get a smokey flavor taste in your mouth after you take a drink of water, it's not smoked properly.
Another thing that can cause that smokey flavor is BBQ sauce that has liquid smoke as a main ingredient. That can ruin my lunch any day.
jamescollier | Fri, 2011-03-18 08:21
Great points about smoke flavor. I'm not sure that I described my issue with the bread very clearly.
I didn't like the bread because it *muted* out the subtle smokiness - not a tinny smoke flavor. I really liked the meat by itself, and the bread just wasn't the right combo, for me.
Also, there's no sauce on the tri-tip, unless it's added by the patron. I put some on Kim's sandwich, but I didn't taste liquid smoke - I'm not a fan of the stuff, either.
Jenne (not verified) | Wed, 2011-07-06 11:28
smoke flavor is a "bad" thing? no honey, smoke flavor is a GOOD thing..and something I seek out in bbq...because REAL BBQ is smoked..for a long time.. otherwise its just grilling... you must be from California..because the rest of the country knows what BBQ is supposed to be.. and if the Jones Brother's meat tastes and smells smoky... I want it!
TOPS BBQ | Thu, 2011-07-28 10:29
@Jenne - Smoke flavor is NOT a "bad" thing. But when it is so potent it gets into other foods and even sticks to your fingers after you eat said food is actually bad. I only know this because of my training by professional BBQ cooks from across the country.
Like a fine wine, you want to taste subtle flavors of the various ingredients used. You can taste a woody Oak flavor in wine, but you don't want to taste just the Oak wood. Same thing goes for smoke flavor.
Proud Californian that knows what REAL BBQ is ;-)