Thursday, November 11, 2010

Pig versus dinosaur; let the BBQ games begin!





COHOES -- A big pig wearing sunglasses delivers a beatdown. 
The banner that has been up for a while along 787 in Cohoes spells it out: Pig Pit versus dinosaurs, bring it on.
The owner of Pig Pit has been selling barbecue in the Capital Region since 1992.
"So far so good for me and I think Dinosaur's opening is going to make people more aware of barbecue and I actually think my business is going to do better because they opened," said Dave Frazier, the owner of Pig Pit BBQ.
Frazier's barbecue business has been in Schenectady, on Colvin Avenue in Albany, and this is his second place in Cohoes.  He has loyal customers.
"And I was talking to a friend of mine and I told him I'd been to Capital Q's, PJ's, Rubbin' Butts, and he says well, you should stop over at the Pig Pit," said customer Jim Imbody of Schenectady.
In Troy, there were long lines as Dinosaur BBQ held its grand opening.  The restaurant has been getting a lot of press.

But the Pig Pit, with its Texas-style slowly smoked meats, plans to keep serving up.
"Hopefully they come try me.  That's the best I can ask.  Just come in and try my product," said Frazier.
Jim Imbody says he'll keep coming back, especially for the beef brisket.

Fans say when you get a taste for barbecue,  there is no use fighting it.
"You get a craving and it doesn't matter how far away it is," said Imbody.  "I live in Schenectady and here I am in Cohoes, so that tells it all."
Frazier says anything that makes people think about BBQ is going to help his business.

And this pig looks pretty tough to beat.
  
Dinosaur has four New York locations: Syracuse, Rochester, Harlem and now Troy.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Justin Timberlake: Owner of Southern Hospitality BBQ restaurant or not?

Is Justin Timberlake the owner of Southern Hospitality BBQ restaurant in NYC or not? When it first opened he was a partner with two other friends. In February of 2009 it was reported that he was  NOT  an owner of the joint : http://ny.eater.com/archives/2009/02/celeb_watch_justin_timberlake_distances_himself_from_southern_hospitality.php  
"Approximately three years ago, Justin and his close friends, Eytan Sugarman and Trace Ayala, discussed the idea of bringing Memphis-style BBQ and ribs to the New York City marketplace...But that's where the connection ends.Sugarman now operates and primarily owns the restaurant himself...they are not investors, owners or partners, nor do they have any knowledge of or involvement in the operations of the restaurant."


The other day an announcement was made that they are opening a second outpost and all of the sudden he owns its again. Is this just a case of a reporter not checking his facts?Was it released by SH publiscist to garner more attention with JT's name on it? 


Here is the article from the post the other day:
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/southern_hospitality_to_open_second_RN0pZqtWjh3uECQYWsYTtM#ixzz14jLpcDgc


Justin Timberlake and restaurant partners Trace Ayala and Eytan Sugarman will open the second outpost of their Memphis-style barbecue joint, Southern Hospitality, at Ninth Avenue and 45th Street in Hell's Kitchen. The two-level eatery and lounge will be twice the size of the original on Second Avenue at 76th. Investors in the new location include MTV founding father Bob Pittman and OneRepublic lead singer Ryan Tedder. Online oenophile Gary Vaynerchuk will preside over the wine list.




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Friday, November 5, 2010

BBQ Toting Biker Charged



New Zealander Michael Wiles, has been fined for riding his motorcycle along Melbourne Australia's Eastern freeway while ensconced in a barbecue. A passing motorist snapped a photo of Wiles aboard his motorcycle looking through the grill of a barbecue he'd found abandoned on the side of the road.  Needing an outdoor grill at home, Wiles was reluctant to leave the barbecue behind and decided to figure out a way to transport it on his motorcycle. Not only was Wiles charged with careless driving after the aforementioned photo was published in the media, but it turns out the grill was a dud—perhaps the reason it was abandoned to begin with.
If you've ever travelled to a developing nation, you may have noticed all manner of things being carried on single track-vehicles—including families of four on 50 cc scooters—but the last time we checked Australia is considered by most to be a first world nation; certainly the court magistrate who handled Wiles' case thinks so. He was not impressed by the New Zealander's third world motorcycling argument and handed him a $800 AUD ($748 CAD) fine—enough to buy a premium quality outdoor grill. 
Afterwards Wiles was asked to shill for retail chain Barbecues Galore. He declined the offer.