Blackened Blues

Groupon and Living Social are wonderful services, and no, I don’t get paid to say that (I wish I could). I use them all the time for everything from unique experiences, club memberships, and of course, restaurant discounts. I used one such Groupon last night at Black Eyed Salley’s in downtown Hartford.

I was originally introduced to Salley’s on a Wednesday night, after a dance lesson (which also happened to be a Groupon) when the instructor invited me to go blues dancing with some of his friends. That instructor became a friend of mine, and the group of people that night went on to grow and introduce me to the wonderful dancing circle of friends I have today. We went on a Wednesday night because Salley’s hosts open mic blues. Starting around 8:30, tables and chairs are pushed back to make an impromptu dance floor as local musicians wail, pluck, and belt out blues music. The band director at Salley’s plays the bass, and also quality assurance. I have seen everyone from middle school students to gray, old grandpa’s get up on stage, and it is always a good show. Oh yeah, and they have food too.

The menu is staple southern cooking. Gumbo, jambalaya, grits, and fried catfish all make their requisite appearances. However, I can make all of that at home. What takes more skill, and especially, more time, is barbeque. We got the sampler platter, trying as much of what they had to offer as we could. We started with the St. Louis style ribs. While often not considered one of the main regional styles of barbeque in the US, St Louis style usually refers to meat that has been grilled, then sauced, rather than smoked. Because of the higher heat cooking method, the ribs were not as “fall off the bone,” as other styles. However, what they lacked in softness, they made up for in smokey, crispy, charred exterior. We also sampled the pulled pork and beef brisket. The pork was leaner and came un-sauced. Tender and succulent, I only needed a little of Salley’s table sauce, which is a little on the sweet side. The brisket was juicy and needed no additional sauce, falling apart in your mouth, not even needing to chew.

The sides are classic partners to their southern fare. We got the cole slaw, which was more vinegar based than mayonnaise, collard greens, which were stewed, dark green, slightly bitter, and had a light porky flavoring, garlicky green beans, bright, crunchy, fresh, and herbaceous, and cheese grits, buttery, rich, and sticky. Of course, all meals come with corn bread and whipped honey butter. I especially like the corner pieces, with just a little more crunch and sweetness for my favorite flavor enhancer, the mallard reaction.