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07/21/2015 12:00 AMContrary to popular belief, barbeque was not invented in the South—or even in America. BBQ, as we refer to it, has been traced by anthropologists back a million years to our homo erectus ancestors, the first human species to eat meat cooked over an open flame.
Maybe this ancient form of cooking has remained in our DNA, since it’s is hotter now than ever. Here on the shoreline, due to increasing demand for this casual, country cuisine, a bunch of new BBQ restaurants have recently opened—many are family ventures—in every imaginable venue, each with its own take on the traditionally Southern fare.
CT’s Roadside BBQ 1187 Boston Post Rd., Madison www.facebook.com/ctsroadsidebbq 203-889-7447
Craig Talmadge and his daughter Elizabeth Talmadge operate CT’s Roadside BBQ at Madison’s Beach Tree Cottages, featuring authentic, smoked barbecue: beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and ribs.
“My father used to own an inn in New Hampshire, but he was originally from the shoreline,” Elizabeth Talmadge explains. “He really got into barbeque—there are such great places in the South and he thought the shoreline was missing it.”
So Craig Talmadge moved back to the area and purchased the Beach Tree cottages as a location for a roadside BBQ. Elizabeth had studied restaurant food and beverage management at Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts in Rhode Island. And together they made a great team for this new venture.
“It’s a mix between a roadside stand and a food truck,” Elizabeth Talmadge says. We [operate out of] a ‘65 Fleetside Chevy pickup truck, We had a smoker made for us and then my father restored the truck and retrofitted the smoker to fit in back of the pickup bed.”
CT’s Roadside BBQ is opened seasonally, Friday-Sunday, May to October.
“Besides the basics, we offer some custom creations, like our BBQ Bowl—beans, choice of meat, and triangle of cornbread on top,” she says. “It’s super popular because you get the sides and meat all in one bowl.”
Another customer favorite is the Smoky Dog: Nathan’s hot dogs that they smoke themselves. The Dirty Dog is loaded with baked beans, a hot dog, beef brisket, and cole slaw on top, all stuffed into a potato roll.
“It’s filling and messy, but delicious,” she notes.
The Stand 196 South Montowese St., Branford www.thestandbranford.com 203-208-0945
The Stand, which opened six weeks ago at the old Indian Neck Garage site, is the newest BBQ restaurant on the shoreline, and the only one of its kind in Branford or Guilford. It’s owned by Greg Nobile, a Branford native and Broadway theater producer, and Eamon Roche, a Guilford chef and restaurateur.
So how did a theater producer come to own a BBQ joint?
Nobile’s company, Seaview Productions, is based in both New York City and Branford, and he’s also managing director of the local Legacy Theater, and so he spends a lot of time in his hometown. When he found out the Indian Neck Garage property was up for sale, he immediately wanted to purchase it.
“It’s the most charming iconic site, originally a 1938 Mobil gas station, so it has some history,” he says. “Eamon was selling BBQ out of food truck [on the property]—it was excellent, people loved it. I knew he was looking to expand his food truck business to something more substantial and I asked him if he wanted to do a collaboration.”
Although Nobile didn’t have his partner’s food business acumen, he says, “I brought the local factor, knowing the community intrinsically. And, it’s like producing a New York show—it’s about creating an extraordinary human experience, whether we’re doing it in a 1938 Mobil gas station or 2,000 seat Broadway theater, it’s really the same principal.”
The Stand is currently operating out of a food truck with an outdoor pit where the meat is slow cooked for 18 hours before it’s served.
What makes The Stand’s BBQ stand out from the crowd is that they only use locally sourced meat and produce, and they cook lighter fare.
“Barbecue has a connotation of rich, saucy, messy meat and we use lighter, homemade sauces,” Nobile says.
“Sides change daily, based on what we’re making fresh. They’re mostly vegetarian, using locally sourced produce, mainly from our own garden and other local farms.”
Another novelty is barbecue for breakfast, which Nobile says is very popular—especially the breakfast sandwich featuring fresh local eggs, chives from their garden, cheese, and bacon smoked with applewood in their pit.
All Fired Up 444 South Main St. (Rte. 154), Deep River www.allfiredupct.com 860-304-9380
John Ciaglo left a 35-year corporate career to open a traveling barbecue kitchen in 2013 with his wife Tadria, and they can hardly keep up with both their roadside and catering business.
The Deep River residents had a house in Pawleys Island, South Carolina where they vacationed with their three daughters. While they were there, they would travel around the South, eating at off-the-beaten-path family BBQ joints.
“They were more than willing to talk about what they do and how they do it,” Ciaglo says. “I wanted something to do later in life. When you start your own business, at least you develop a legacy.”
After their daughters left for college, the Ciaglos sold their South Carolina house and set about opening their own BBQ kitchen up north.
“It was a place for the kids,” Ciaglo says of the vacation house. “I don’t really like the beach or playing golf.”
After doing a lot of research, he designed his unique mobile BBQ cooker and found a company in Texas to build it.
The novel design features a six-level propane-fired convection oven, a steak grill that rolls out, a full kitchen on the back, smoking ovens, and more.
“It started as ‘let’s just try something and see how it works,’” Ciaglo says. “My wife and I were still working at the time. The demand was immediate.”
What distinguishes All Fired Up from other BBQ spots, Ciaglo says, is that in traditional Southern style, they don’t put the sauce on the meat.
“I have spice rubs that compliment the meat that I put on and slow cook it in the rig for 12 to 14 hours,” he says.
Ciaglo is amazed by what a huge following the roadside BBQ has developed over the last couple years. And, the couple’s three daughters—who are all entering or in the food business and help out when they can—were also stunned by the response to their parents’ new venture.
In addition to regulars from Deep River, Chester, and Essex, people are traveling from as far as Providence, Hartford, Springfield, and Boston.
Porky Pete’s Bar-B-Que 90 Plains Road, Essex www.porkypetesbbq.com/ 860-767-1021
Peter and Selene Sweck offer both Tennessee- and Texas-style at their authentic southern Bar-B-Que joint in Essex. Beloved standards on their take-out menu include hickory smoked pulled pork sandwiches, chicken BBQ, and a beef brisket BBQ sandwich. Keely’s Cole Slaw, Mother Selene’s Potato Salad, Emily’s Pasta Salad, and Chad’s Baked Beans are offered as sides. Other offerings include buttermilk bisquits and Tennessee Corn Light Bread. Pulled pork, and pulled beef brisket are also sold by the pound, and catering is available.
Hog Wild Smokin’ Cue at Westbrook Beach Seaside Avenue, Westbrook www.hogwildsmokingcue.com www.facebook.com/ HogWildSmokinCue 860-662-3081
Hog Wild Smokin’ Cue is a smoke shack run by pit master and owner John Annello, who has been smoking meat for more than 23 years. The restaurant is famous for its large portions. The smoke shack’s outdoor kitchen consists of two custom built smokers, one custom built grill, a 10-burner dual oven gas stove, deep fryers, sinks, commercial refrigeration, and granite counter tops. Hog Wild has recently expanded into catering, private parties, charity events, motorcycle rallies, and BBQ competitions.
The Meat Hut 15 West Main St., Clinton www.facebook.com/TheMeatHut 203-859-0053
The Meat Hut food stand is Clinton’s original slow smoked BBQ. It is a family-owned and operated seasonal restaurant in its third season. In its first two years it was recognized as one of the top authentic BBQ spots on the shoreline. Menu includes ribs, brisket, chicken, pulled pork, Mac and cheese, baked beans, and more. Customers rave about the burnt ends sandwich with pineapple chipotle sauce and the size of portions for the price.
Chester’s Barbeque 10 West Main St., Clinton www.chestersbbq.com 860-669-6868
Chester’s is a full service restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. After active duty in the Marines, the owner moved to Kansas City where he fell in love with the local cuisine. He returned home to Connecticut to open Chester’s BBQ in Groton, and recently opened his second restaurant in Clinton, across the street from the Meat Hut, making Clinton quite the BBQ destination. Because BBQ varies by region, Chester’s tries to cover the gamut from Texas beef brisket to mid-Atlantic pulled pork.
Note: call or visit the restaurants’ websites/Facebook pages for hours of operation and menus.