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| BBQ ON BEACH WITHOUT THE SAND |
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| Vintage Venue on Ventura Place, Mission Beach, San Diego |
Beer in great abundance has been a mainstay of this Ventura
Place venue.
Early on, its suds-saturation was a bit gimmicky, driving patrons to check out a variety of microbrews and imports a la The Yard House, but in recent years, former co-owner Darren Renna went all-in with draft craft offerings, reaching out to local breweries to showcase their wares.
Under CRG, San Diego craft remains at the forefront,
including a number of independent operations intermingled with macro-owned
brands and a few American-adjunct offerings for the non-artisanal minded.
Though some tourists order one of the latter for their first drink, after
having the lore of local brewing shared with them, they tend to switch over to
a pint or flight of something from San Diego.
New beverage manager Sabrina Nowatnick sees having a variety
of offerings—everything from kettle-sours and blondes to IPAs, ambers and brown
ales—as a key to conversion. Expecting craft beer first-timers to latch on to a
hometown hop-bomb is a bit far-fetched, so gateway beers play a big role. And
so does those beers’ compatibility with down-home barbecue, which is the name
of the game at CRG’s reimagined version of the Coaster.
The Food
CRG Executive chef Tim Eylens presents a menu stocked to the
gills with slow-smoked meats like classic Texas beef brisket, pulled pork, or
baby back ribs (and sides of spare ribs at a discount on Thursday nights). Some
of those succulent proteins find their way onto appetizers like garbage fries
with pulled pork, pickled veg, and barbecue sauce, or sandwiches like the “Big
O’” with brisket, caramelized onions, whole-grain mustard aioli, Havarti and
Swiss cheese on thick, golden-brown Texas toast.
With the savory meatiness of the above offerings, coupled
with earthy spices, chilis, and barbecue-sauce sweetness, red ales like Karl
Strauss’ time-tested Red Trolley Ale, or roasty selections like New English’s
Brewer’s Special Brown Ale are couplings you can count on. For those looking to
counter the fatty, sugary aspects of those dishes or amplify their spiciness, a
dry, heavily-hopped West Coast IPA is the way to go.
And like any BBQ joint worth its salt (or custom dry-rub
blend), Coaster Saloon features a host of diverse yet equally decadent sides,
from bacon-studded potato salad to creamy macaroni and cheese with a crispy
Panko crust, coleslaw, baked beans, and some of the best stewed collard greens
on this side of the Mississippi.
The Recipes
Chef Eylens has shared the recipe for two of these
supporting cast members, as well as his smoked baby back ribs, but also invites
you to save some work by coming straight to the source where you can ride the
Giant Dipper or take a dip in the Pacific before dipping some slow-smoked meats
in a cup of his special barbecue sauce.
Baby Back Ribs
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Paired with Karl Strauss Red Trolley Ale
½ lb brown sugar
2 oz chili powder
2 oz granulated garlic
2 oz paprika
1 oz black pepper
1 oz cumin
1 oz onion powder
1 oz salt
½ oz cayenne pepper
2 racks baby back pork ribs, membrane removed from backside
Bacon Potato Salad (recipe follows)
Collard Greens (recipe follows)
Combine the spices and coat the ribs with the spice rub.
Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Prepare an outdoor
or stovetop smoker per manufacturer’s specifications and smoke using your
favorite wood or pellets until the meat begins to pull back from the rib bones,
4½-5 hours. Place on a platter with potato salad and collard greens, and serve
immediately.
Bacon Potato Salad
Paired with New English Brewing Brewers Special Brown Ale
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
½ lb bacon, cooked until crispy
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, finely diced
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Place the potatoes in a medium-sized pot and cover with
water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and
let cool to room temperature. Cut into 1-inch pieces and place in a large
mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and combine until thoroughly
incorporated. Serve or set aside.
Collard Greens
Paired with Societe Brewing The Apprentice IPA
½ lb bacon
1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
2 qts low-sodium beef broth
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp black pepper
4 bunches collard greens, stems removed and chopped
salt to taste
In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until
it is crispy, about 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook for two minutes. Add the
broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and pepper, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the collard greens, then simmer until they are tender, about 1 hour. Season
with salt as needed. Serve immediately.
—Recipes courtesy Tim
Eylens, Executive Chef, Coaster Saloon, Mission Beach, San Diego California.
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