The demise of the Hoggy’s empire left lots of space for new restaurants in its wake. One of the first to set up camp was Gallo’s Pit BBQ (GBQ, for short) up on Dublin-Granville Road.
In viewing the online diner reviews, it looks like it got off to a rocky start in 2012. Sure, some diners were impressed… and some diners were depressed that GBQ wasn’t Hoggy’s.
Well, GBQ is not Hoggy’s. It doesn’t use the same recipes. GBQ is also not a cafeteria, and it’s not a food truck. Diners who want those things, should probably go to those places.
Diners who want a rustic spot to lounge around and pig out on some good meat-centric eats, however, should come sit next to me. GBQ belongs on their short list of local barbecue hotspots.
There’s a thing in the appetizer department that demands stomach space, every visit to GBQ, forever and ever: GBQ Nachos ($9).
The nachos come out looking vaguely like a sundae, with billows of sour cream crowning the oversized masterpiece. It’s big chips, loaded with cheese sauce and barbecue sauce and meat (lots and lots of meat, smoked chicken is the best), jalapeno slices, tomatoes…. a magical tower of savory goodness, heavy with all that wonder.
Traditionalists who fear the intense joy of nachos have other appetizer choices, the 3 Slider Sampler ($9.50) certainly isn’t a bad choice. It gives you the chance to try all the meats: chicken, brisket and pork. The brisket does really well here, as it’s heavily smoked and teams nicely with a little sauce.
But really, it’s all about the ribs, isn’t it? You can score a rack of ribs for $26. It’s dry-rubbed, so no whining from the “it’s not wet and drippy” crowd. It’s not supposed to be wet and drippy. It’d be like complaining that your bagel doesn’t taste like a donut.
The meat on the big rack is tender and meaty (no mystery stuff), with a committed smoke flavor.
While a big ol’ smoked half-chicken (popular at Hoggy’s -popular lots of places) was not seen on the menu, the Fried Chicken Platter ($14) is great consolation. Crunchy-coated, cracklin’ bird is teamed with a couple of sides; the kitchen does a great job making soft, savory Collard Greens. Get those.
Speaking of vegetables, GBQ happens to make a really nice Mixed Veggie Sandwich ($9). In truth, it’s difficult to think of an eatery with a better one. The veggies are grilled AND quality stuff: red pepper, zucchini, sauteed portabella. Plus, there’s a generous heap of melted provolone and red pepper aioli holding it all together.
There’s an additional bonus for those who visit on Sunday nights: children eat free with the purchase of adult entrees, and there’s an acoustic guitar player with a deep voice and a fantastic way with old favorites (you know, James Taylor, Beatles) he will make you want to stay and eat, all night long.
You can find Gallo’s Pit BBQ at 2234 W. Dublin-Granville Rd. It’s open daily for lunch and dinner.
More information can be found online at www.gallosbbq.com.
Photos by Mollie Lyman of www.fornixphotography.com.
