mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog of randomness. Once again, Cathy is writing, because Kirk deserves some time off.
It's been more than two years since my first Ranchwood BBQ post. In the interim, there was a fire and the Ranchwood storefront was closed for more than a year (The fire occurred in April 2016…the restaurant reopened June 2017…but I read of some catering done in between). 
As you walk up, you can smell the smoke, if the wind is right.
The menu choices have remained the same (the prices have increased slightly).
The interior (and seating out front) is new, with a few more seats than the old picnic benches, still keeping the SDSU color scheme. 
The Tri-Tip sandwich ($7.99) is served on a lovely toasted sesame seed bun, topped with slaw and the red (there is a yellow) BBQ sauce. The flavors melded in a good way-the smoke plus sweet of the (catsup based?) red sauce plus the slaw (which has celery seed) with the toasty crunch of the roll. There is a small smoke ring on the Tri-Tip and the meat was tender and moist. It didn't need much of the sauce. 
The pulled pork plate ($10.99) comes with a choice of two sides as well as two slices of white bread. The Mister chose cole slaw and onion rings for the sides. Again, the slaw, with the celery seed, was just right (not overdressed, crispy and fresh) and the onion rings were whole, battered and fried perfectly. The plate was very heavy-it felt like more than a pound. The pork? A very nice smoke flavor, which I thought went better with the yellow (mustard based/tangy BBQ sauce). There's a tiny bit of 'bark' in that above photo-a crunchy edge of the pork; crispy and smokier.
Ranchwood BBQ & Catering 7229 El Cajon Blvd San Diego 92115 Website Open daily 11-9
That tri tip got me excited as it looked like it was being served on a sesame bagel! That would be a fun bagel sandwich to try out sometime. Is there parking here?
everything looks so good!
Good looking sandwich.
Bert and I will have to try this place. I remember it as the old Pubcakes (the cupcakes made with beer place). Cupcakes are pretty passe now.
I love bbq. Gonna have to try this place.
Street parking only, Faye; it’s a small space (used to be Pubcakes, a cupcake shop) and doesn’t have a parking lot.
There always seems to be parking available in the daytime (there is a bar next door, called Next Door, and once it is opened, people are parking over on the next block or across the street). The sesame bun, toasted, was just so good.
It is really good here, Kat. The owners started out just as catering and have the method and quality.
It was, Bill!
You need to, cc. One day when you are in La Mesa; it’s not near the downtown area, though. Closer to SDSU…I think it is one block from the border of San Diego and La Mesa on El Cajon Blvd.
Yes, you should, Soo. You will like it.