Dining In: Sneaky's BBQ

Here's a new alternative to takeout: Sneaky's BBQ, a delivery-only barbecue non-joint. The limited menu currently includes:

• 1 pint of "Carolina-style" pulled pork (which Carolina not specified), $9
  
• 1 rack of baby back pork ribs, $19 (1/2 rack $10)
• 1 pint macaroni and cheese, $5
• 1/2 pint cole slaw, $3
• 1/2 pint collard greens, $4

I ordered one of each, for a total of $40 delivered. The order also came with a small tub of sauce on the side and two supermarket-type burger buns, presumably for the pulled pork. With a good loaf of bread (I like Acme levain with my barbecue), this much food would easily feed four.

All the food comes cold, as shown above. If you're not going to eat it right away, it's probably best to take the ribs out of the foam clamshell and store them in plastic wrap or a zipper freezer bag. Sneaky's recommends reheating it in the microwave, which I did.

The ribs were slightly smoky, had a nice secret-mix spice rub (some bites seemed to have a hint of habanero / Scotch bonnet flavor ), a good chile bite, and the meat was almost falling off the bone. To my taste, the sauce, vinegary and fruity with a very slight sweetness, overpowered the meat, though it was good with some very dark, crispy, crunchy end pieces. But since the sauce came on the side, this was no problem.

The pulled pork had a smoky, vinegary aroma, a nice juicy, gamy flavor (though they tasted less smoky than they smelled), and like the ribs was quite lean compared with most of the 'que I eat. Again, I preferred the pork as it came, so mostly left the sauce on the side.

The mac and cheese tasted fine, though the texture got a little weird from being nuked. A gratin dish in a toaster oven or a covered saucepan over low heat might work better. Personally I'd make my own instead.

Both vegetable dishes were fresh and healthy-tasting. The collards were expertly prepared, soft but not overcooked the way BBQ-joint greens often are. They were short on seasoning, but a splash of the sauce corrected that. The cole slaw was classic, crunchy, with only the barest hint of sweetness in the dressing, making a nice foil to the rich pork.

Sneaky's smokes every Thursday, and takes orders by email for delivery on Friday and Saturday. This Saturday, April 15, from 3:00 p.m. on, they'll also be catering an afternoon show at El Rio (3158 Mission). (Thanks to Chowhound smit567 for the tip.)