I had to make a quick run to Siesel's last week. At that time finding parking was just horrible and I managed to find a spot several blocks away from the shop. While walking back to the car I noticed a huge set-up in back of the Poseidon Project.
I went in and chatted with the nice folks at Poseidon and they told me that they were starting BBQ on weekends starting on the 5th of August, running from Fridays to Sundays.
Sure enough, I drove past the place yesterday and saw the signs up.
The BBQ is being done by the folks from Smokin' Joe's BBQ. If I recall, these were the folks doing BBQ in at Iowa Meat Farms a while back.
Since I'm all for more variety in our area, I decided to drop on in and get some takeout.
The drill is; you order from the friendly folks here, get a receipt, pay inside Poseidon, and return back with a ticket and pick up your order.
Before ordering, I asked what style of BBQ this was…especially since the menu had Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Tri-Tip, Sausage, and Brisket on it. Having worked and travelled thru some of the south during an earlier life, I was quickly educated on the BBQ of different regions. The guys working looked surprised when I asked, but quickly replied, "Mississippi style".
So, at least for me, unless it's Mississippi Smoked Pot Roast (it's really good, try it if you have a chance) it's basically pork products. I was tempted with pulled pork, but really was craving some ribs and rib tips, which is what I got. Speaking of what I got; the meal also gets you three sides…..aaah, the good 'ole "meat n' three" in spirit.
And also some (rather mediocre) corn bread.
The rib and tips both had a very nice, deep, distinctive smoke ring and a decent, almost "crisp" if uneven bark.
The amount of run used on the baby backs made it really salty, though strangely, the amount on the rib tips were perfect.
The rib tips were very tender, moist, with the porky flavor shining thru and was my favorite. If the baby backs weren't as salty; they would have been quite good as the meat came off the bone perfectly.
The sauce was on the sweeter side; though the spicy version had a good amount of spice. I really didn't use any of it for my ribs/tips.
As for the sides. Well, I had wanted Black Eyed Peas but they were out.
My favorite item was usually one of my least favorite' the Breen Beans. Can you tell why?
Yep, that's fatty pork parts in the beans. It added some good flavor. Also, as you can tell, unlike many versions the beans aren't overcooked and are tender, but still somewhat firm. I'm not a fan of mushy green beans….mushy peas maybe, but not green beans.
I thought the texture of the collard greens, usually one of my favorite items was good.
But this was much too salty and acidic. I also like a nice touch of smokiness in my collards which this lacked; perhaps it was shrouded by all that salt?
The Mac and Cheese was like one giant lump and not my favorite.
Still, not a bad start. And I'll try them out a again in a couple of weeks. It's a nice addition to the neighborhood and I hope they stick around. I enjoyed the BBQ from Joe's much more than other places that had opened (then closed in the area). It might be a good option if you're grabbing a cold one from Harland or Poseidon; or just looking for a picnic at Mission Bay across the freeway.
And sometimes, because I'm getting and such….these type of posts bring back blogging memories.
And also is a reminder that I need to start using the 'ol smoker again.
Anyway, if you check out Smokin' Joe's, let me know what you think.
Smokin' Joe's Soul Food Weekends at The Poseidon Project
4126 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110
Every other weekend (Fri – Sun) starting on August 5th
This was quite lovely and came with bread and butter. The egg was nice and perfectly done; still oozing with goodness, the rustic bacon was also quite good. The roasted tomatoes adding acidity and tangy touches. The red chili based "sauce" was rich but not overly spicy and we enjoyed the earthy mushrooms in the dish.
This sprawling market is quite large with everything from jewelry to shawls to produce.
So, first off, let me say that the former "weak link" in the combo, the miso soup, while still being kind of weak overall, was much better, less watery. The rice however was hard and very dry. So, perhaps it's not worth the extra three bucks for that? I can probably do better with what I have at home.
Man, the tonkatsu is the best I've had in a while, even better than on 
I'm sure you've noticed all the signage and artwork with ostriches in the University Heights area.
The shrimp was rubbery, the tortilla didn't hold up and fell to pieces after my second bite, even with a protective layer of cheese. This was just so very bland, I didn't expect the sweet-richness of wild caught shrimp, but this just had so little "shrimpiness"….take a look at what the shrimp taco 
was dry…..though the crema and the avocado sauce helped things out a bit; the sliver of fish made this more a cabbage taco with a garnish of fish.
A wonderful green space, which is fairly peaceful in the morning, but gets more lively as the days passes and is really buzzing at night.
Which was quite striking in its own right.
This came with some really tasty black beans. Surprisingly, at least for us, we really enjoyed the parsley rub more! It had nice garlic tones; some cumin, and you could really taste the mild, almost sweet flavor of the snapper, which was grilled perfectly! Don't get me wrong; that adobo rub had some nice smokiness and spice; but you really couldn't enjoy the great quality of the fish as much.
Panadería Almuerzos
While some of the pieces of zucchini were under cooked and too hard for my taste, there were a couple that were nice and creamy. These were nicely seasoned and not overly salty.
As we strolled on over to our car, the Missus and I remarked about how much we enjoyed the vibe of Los Olivos. We just wished there were better accommodations (like under $400/night) and perhaps a nice destination restaurant.
Each of the buildings has an underground "Guest parking" area before their respective security gates. 
There is usually a soup of the day, always Mom's Chicken Soup and always Mom's Beef & Bean Chili. Here's the chili ($5.75). An excellent, from scratch chili -not too spicy and very flavorful- the coarse ground beef and fresh cooked kidney beans make the texture of the chili very pleasant. 
At the bottom corner of the menu board are Monday-Friday daily specials. 
We also were here on Meatball Monday ($10.75) Mom's from scratch meatballs (five) covered in a from scratch marinara, melted Provolone and served on a toasted French roll. Excellent. The large meatballs were light, meaty and flavorful with basil, garlic and parsley. 
