House of Blues Rocks BBQ

 by Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 10, 2021

 

It had been several years since I ate at the House of Blues, and given the delicious meals my party enjoyed recently, it was far too long away.

I not only like the vibe at the House of Blues – from the décor to the music – but also the fact that Dan Aykroyd was a co-founder, with its beginnings rooted in The Blues Brothers movie. That’s a movie that not only served up some fun moments and quotes – “We’re on a mission from God” – but awesome music. A wide array of blues, rock and jazz greats appeared in the movie, and John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd proved to have some real musical talent as Jake and Elwood Blues – the Blues Brothers!

 

On the night we had dinner at the Disney Springs establishment, a group was cranking out some nice tunes on the restaurant’s front porch. As for the food, one word fits the House of Blues Smokehouse platters ordered by each diner – “Wow!”

 

The Smokehouse platters can be ordered with one, two or three “proteins,” and the choices are pulled pork, chicken, brisket, baby back ribs and andouille sausage. Between three diners, we sampled the pulled pork, baby back ribs, brisket and sausage.

The ribs were tender, yet not a fall-off-the-bone kind of ribs, and the sauce was delicious, with just enough of a bite to make your lips tingle without being too spicy. The sauce complemented the smoky flavor of the ribs.

 

The sausage was barbecued to near-perfection, and the spicy bite made its presence known, but not to the point of spoiling the taste of the sausage.

 

The BBQ coating on the brisket was good, but the meat itself was succulent. No knives were needed. The fork was more than able to break off portions. Indeed, the brisket was the true star on the Smokehouse platters.

Accompanying the delectable meats on each platter were assorted sides, including beans, southern street corn, dill pickle chips, jalapeño-cheese cornbread, slaw, and three house-made BBQ sauces. The small cuts of corn on the cob came with a herby butter spread on the cob and just a hint of lime and cilantro, making it a unique side dish. The slaw was on the onion-y side, with a distinct vinegar flavor. Indeed, the only item that disappointed this diner during the night were the beans, as the tomato flavor came through too strong.

 

But there was still more gastronomic good news. We ordered the Voodoo Shrimp appetizer. Yes, the shrimp was fresh, but it was made even more outstanding with what it came in and with on the plate, in particular, a truly awesome sauce. A soft fluffy cornbread in the appetizer bowl was a welcome accompaniment, as it was a great canvas to soak up that amazing Voodoo Shrimp sauce.  Let me be clear: The sauce was so good that one of our diner’s said they wanted a spoon so they could scoop up the sauce left in the bowl! The bread itself was not particularly grainy (as is often the case with corn bread), but it was airy and not overly sweet, so it did not detract from the sauce. What an appetizer!

So, go to the House of Blues for dinner and some music. Consider it to be a mission from God.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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