Restaurant Review #267: Horse Thief BBQ, Downtown LA

Authentic Texas-style barbecued brisket in Downtown LA? Believe it. Located in a sleek edifice just outside Grand Central Market, Horse Thief BBQ serves beef brisket (pictured, 1/2 lb., $12), pulled pork, spare ribs, chicken, and rib tips. Some of the sides are more upscale takes on down-home classics: jicama cabbage slaw, blue cheese and bacon potato salad, aged white cheddar macaroni and cheese. There are also braised greens and black beans, and a sole dessert: banana pudding. The drink menu consists of lemonade, iced tea and water.

Everything is essentially to go, but you can enjoy your food on the premises (they even serve it on butcher paper!) at one of the many outdoor, shaded, bench-style wooden tables if you can't wait to get it home. If you're a homesick Texan, or anyone else who likes good barbecue, don't miss Horse Thief. (Then go across the street and work off your meal on the stairs alongside the Angels Flight.) If you're making a special trip, go early, because they do sell out.

Horse Thief BBQ
324 S. Hill St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-625-0341
Hours: 11:00am to 4:00pm daily
Horse Thief BBQ menu
Horse Thief BBQ website

Restaurant Review #255: Smokin' Steve's BBQ Joint, Simi Valley

Divine combo: Mac and cheese, pulled pork, and tri-tip, $15.95

As a native Texan, my standards for barbecue are high. Smokin Steve's is not a Texas barbecue joint--it calls itself a Southern-style barbecue, California and Cajun cuisine restaurant. I had to try to judge the food on its own merits instead of comparing it to what I'm used to.

The two meats I tried were outstanding for their rich, smoky flavor and moist tenderness. Another standout at Smokin Steve's is the barbecue sauce. They have five different flavors: sweet and bold, raspberry, chipotle, mustard, and vinegar. The meat stands firmly on its own without sauce, however.

Divine combo: Mac and cheese, baked beans, pulled pork, brisket, $15.95

I do have two complaints that, for me, overshadow the high quality of the meat. The prices seem very high for the amount of meat you get, but maybe I have misconceptions about the amount of work that goes into good smoked barbecue. Also, the side dishes are mediocre. At a true Southern restaurant, the side dishes are an essential part of the meal, but at Smokin' Steves, they seem like cheap fillers that are trying to justify the high prices.

The mac and cheese was bland--at a minimum, it needed salt, but what it really needed was more flavorful cheese. The dinner roll was also lackluster--it seemed like something I could get out of a plastic package from the grocery store. The beans, typically my favorite barbecue side dish, were the best of the sides I tried, but still nothing special.

If I go back to Smokin' Steves, I'll stick to the meat. In fact, I might buy it in bulk--if you order a larger quantity of meat, like 5 lbs. or more, the price per pound drops significantly for takeout orders.

Smokin Steve's BBQ Joint 
1407 East Los Angeles Avenue
 Simi Valley, CA 93065
(805) 520-0601
Smokin Steve's website
Smokin Steve's menu
Hours:

Tuesday through Thursday; Sunday, 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed Mondays