Year of the Pig

M Shanghai had a gig at Cafe Lena in Saratoga Springs this past weekend and on my way into town I smelled the tell-tale smell of woodsmoke as I passed PJ’s BAR-B-Q. After the gig, I headed straight back to check out PJ’s. I may not be able to say it’s the best barbecue in the world, but that’s fine, this place is a real gem, and worth the stop anytime you are in Saratoga.

PJ’s is a seasonal restaurant open only during the summers in a former A&W Drive-in Restaurant. The Davis family (John PJ, Carolyn and their 2 Kids) opened PJ’s Bar-B-Q in 1984, and the restaurant is a sprawling group of buildings decked out with oddball signs and 1950′s memoribilia, and surrounded by picnic tables. The front area is the kitchen, where the menu board is posted over a window, and you place your order.

Out back, behind the kitchen, are two 20′ charcoal pits where PJ prepares all of the barbecue over charcoal. He says he used 40 tons of briquets in a season! To the right of the kitchen is a funky little dining room plastered with fifties music paraphernalia.

Then, behind the dining room is a spacious yard area with more picnic tables and even a dance floor which was in use by an in-love baby booming couple dancing to the fifties tunes broadcast on the WBBQ airwaves as we sat down to eat our “trifecta” combo platters. That’s right, and I love this part, PJ operates a low power (1-mile radius) AM radio station out of an outbuilding back behind the yard. Looking over the picnic tables we could see doors covered with 1940′s and 50′s radio charts swung open to reveal PJ standing in the small WBBQ studio looking like a king in his castle, queing up some records, and having a fine time of it.

That put me over the edge and all I could think say was, “Wow, this place is awesome!” Looking at the PJs website and his seasonal newsletter the Bar-B-Q Times reveals even more about PJ’s obsession with the 1950′s, check out his “fifties house” shown on HGTV. Also new in 2007, PJ’s is sponsoring Bar-B-Cruise-Ins. If you have a pre-1969 classic car (and as long as you aren’t a burnout) you can call in and reserve a parking space in the lot, and you even get a free BBQ dinner. That rules.

So enough of singing the praises of PJ, how was the Q? We split 2 of the Trifecta combo platters, which had PJ’s “award winning” spare ribs, some beef brisket, and bar-b-q chicken, (served with Cole slaw, curly-Q fries, and a cornbread muffin).

The ribs themselves were good and tasty, but not great and earth shattering. They had nice texture, a little spice, and a charred but flavorful exterior. And yes, I know it isn’t pig, but the chicken was good and respectable too, moist and tasty. Lastly was the brisket, which was not like any brisket I have ever had. It was dry thin slices more akin to jerky than to what I think of as brisket. It was ok, and would probably make a good sandwich, but isn’t really what I think of as barbecue brisket. I wouldn’t say that this was top notch barbecue, being somewhere between barbecue and grilled meat, but it was still good simple enjoyable fare in a very fun, friendly and pleasant atmosphere, that I would come back to visit many times.

Also, while I am not usually much of a soda person (except when I fall victim to a really good ginger ale) I would like to mention that PJ’s has their own loganberry flavored soda, called Crystal Beach which was pretty good, or at least very enjoyable while I was sitting at my picnic table taking PJ’s in.

PJ’s is a great place, make sure to visit if you are in Saratoga in the summer!

**Oh yeah, and I had 2 ribs at PJ’s bringing up the Ribulation for the Year of the Pig to 88 (2 pig, 28…so close to 3!!).

Comments(2)