Decided to just do some BBQ research in Owasso.... so today I headed to Billy Sim's BBQ for lunch…read more
I ordered the 2 meat dinner with pulled pork and bologna, beans and potato salad, water to drink.
Ordering is simple and not at all confusing. Read from a simple menu, place your order and get in the line to the cash register. Honestly the dude behind the counter was less than congenial, but it didn't impact my lunch or my review.
Food was ready soon enough, given the 5 people ahead of me, so I count that as speedy enough.
Food, in tasting order....
The toast.... definitely not the star of the plate. Texas toast instead of regular sliced, so it was more dense and chewy, and only toasted on one side. Who does that? And it wasn't hot or fresh. You could tell it'd been toasted and held for a while. But, you don't go to a BBQ joint for the toast, so that is what it is.
The beans.... BS does what they call 'cowboy beans', and they're good, if not a little one-note. Basically they were canned pork and beans with some meat thrown in and a splash or two of BBQ sauce. I doubt they'd seen the inside of a smoker. They were fine, but they could have been oh so much more with just a little time and effort.
The potato salad.... tender, creamy and packing a subtle but noticeable tang. I wouldn't call it outstanding, but it was a definite addition to the plate.
The pulled pork... while having a moderate smoky flavor, it was also dry, lacking any of that fatty, juicy mouth feel that a good pulled pork should have. And, it got cold really quickly, so I suspect their holding process needs to be tweaked. You can hold pulled pork for a good long time without it drying out if you make the effort. The few bits of bark I got were outstanding, they were just few and far between.
The bologna... sliced sandwich thin, there were at least 2 slices. It was pretty well done.... good taste, texture and mouth feel. I felt a little miffed at how thin it was sliced, but I readily admit that's just me. When I do it at home, it's sliced nearly 1/2" thick so you get a good bite. Again, not a detraction here, just an observation.
The meats are 1/4lb each, clearly stated when you order, so you know what you're getting.
Personally, I think the portions were a bit light for the money, but I don't run a restaurant and I'm not privy to BS's P&L statements, so that will just remain an opinion and nothing more.
Cost ran to $19.51 for lunch, which is about a buck more than OJ's, but I also got a tad more food and it was a whole lot better, so I think value wise, BS nosed out a win on that score.