Big Apple BBQ Block Party 2006

Big Apple BBQ Block Party
Madison Square Park

5 things to mention...

1) It was better organized this year - and I like how and where they had the beer garden/live music set up this year. It actually was a beer garden of sorts. Though this is nothing new and despite the fact that you couldn't leave the beer garden with your beers, I think it worked out well.

2) The food was very good as well...at least from what I had:

Salt Lick

Salt Lick continues to be the best overall vendor at the Block Party. Not only do they have great food, they have enough to last the entire weekend and they also offer more than one option. They, technically, offer three options. A (huge) plate of brisket, a plate of sausage or a combo in which you get two pieces of sausage and a stack of brisket.

I wish other vendors would take this approach. I got the combo and couldn't be happier. The apple cider vinegar flavor in the sauce was delicious. The bread underneath all of it was a bonus. It was sloppy and had specks of meat and slathered in sauce by the time I got to it. Bonus! Big

Bob Gibson's

Again, his food reigns supreme at this event. The pulled pork is just perfect. It really is. I'm not sure what else to say about it. It's no wonder that this had (same as last year) the longest lines and, fairly understandable, ran out of meat at 3:30pm on Sunday.

The cole slaw that came with this was incredible. One of my favorite versions of slaw EVER. Continues to be excellent and a favorite of mine. When I think of BBQ, I think of BBG.

Mitchell's BBQ

I only had a little bite of the whole hog, but it tasted really, really good. A friend was on line as they were bringing out a new pig and said that once past the hard-to-stomach slaughter of the freshly arrived pig, you couldn't help but find the meat to be delicious.

3) The Bubba Fast Pass is the way to go. This is the first year we got one (didn't get one the previous two years) and will certainly do it again next year. We had roughly ten friends using it...which worked out great because different people would show up at different times. $200 went a long way and everyone was sated.

4) The weather. The park was PERFECT. For some reason outside of the park (east side) was really windy and cooler, but the center of the park was perfect...even better was the beer garden area. What a great day it turned out to be.

5) Bring friends. The more the merrier. I was lucky to spend such a great day with several different circles of friends, including Danna's coworkers, a colleague of mine and her boyfriend, our regular dining partners Sue Anne and Doug, some of their friends and some ol' high school buds of mine. Good times.