by Claudia Kwan
FoodConnect Vancouver
claudia@foodconnect.com

I'm no barbeque connoisseur compared to the grill and smoker fanatics out there who spend hours fiddling with their magical formulas, but I've chowed down on my fair share of drool-inducing savoury tidbits.

Still, I was surprised by the differences between Texas-style barbeque and the Tennessee stuff I'm used to, after a recent visit to Rocklands Barbeque in Arlington, Virginia. (There are four locations around the greater Washington DC area.)

After tromping around to view museums and memorials galore, I was hungry for something that would really stick to my ribs. Thankfully I had a transplanted Texan to guide me to Rocklands, where they only use red oak and hickory to cook their meats—no gas or electricity allowed.

It’s a no-nonsense place: line up to order at the counter, grab a beer at the bar, and huck your peanut shells down on the floor as you wait for your order to come up. Red beans and rice come in a clear plastic container, as does a pound of beef brisket. A sampler ‘platter’ of beef ribs, a half chicken, and more brisket is plunked down on paper-lined foil, and a pulled pork sandwich is in a plain old white bread bun in plain old white paper. A roll of paper towels is right on the table in case you make a mess.

The brisket is grilled and a little tougher than the smoked stuff I’m used to, and the beef ribs are a little drier, but I am so in love with the hit of spice delivered in every bite coated in Texas-style barbeque sauce. The sauce is also decidedly less sweet than what I’m used to eating.

I’m liable to become a real barbeque devotee if I keep finding all of these little variations to savour. All I need to do now is find a local place to satisfy my addiction to how they do things in Texas.

Rocklands Barbeque
3471 Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703.528.9663
Open 363 days a year, closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas