On the Market.

Blue 5 loses the chef that created much of its unusual menu, but a new chef has comfortably stepped into his predecessor’s old shoes. Read the full article over at The Fridge Magnet.

Sunday a balcony was installed on the Hartsook Building which sits at the corner of Market Square and Market Street. A balcony was part of the building’s original look in 1920’s. Currently Hartsook houses The Blues BBQ Co. and The Gift Niche. In September, the building also received a new, ten foot door.

Adam and I headed out to the new BBQ place, The Blues BBQ Company, Saturday night. We’d been hearing rave reviews, and while I’m not particularly a BBQ fan, my husband is. Lucky for me, there’s not just BBQ on the menu. They also offer starters like Grit Cakes, Fried Mac n Puppies, and Lemon Cajun Shrimp.

The atmosphere of Blues BBQ was really nice. It was very cozy and warm, and the staff was friendly. Adam and I sat at the bar, however, as all the tables were arranged for parties of four or more and I didn’t want to be a table hog as we’d planned on staying a while. The bar, while shiny and new, was apparently built a bit too tall and bar stools had to be special ordered to fit. My toes scraped the bar rail as a result and after a few drinks it seemed like quite a long trip down. But honestly that was the only flaw I really found with the place, and I thought it more humorous than troublesome.

For dinner Adam ordered The Blue’s Pulled Pork - a dry rubbed, slowly smoked pork shoulder using Apple & Mesquite woods, pulled and mixed with a special tangy BBQ sauce and stacked high on a Kaiser roll topped with slaw. The sandwiches are larger than average and Adam really enjoyed this one. BBQ is the specialty here and it only takes a taste to know they’ve hit the nail on the head. I ordered a half rack of Baby Back Ribs - which I don’t really consider BBQ, thank you very much - with a side of fries and collard greens. The ribs were tender, nicely smoked, and perfectly seasoned. The fries, well, they are probably bordering on best in town. They remind me a bit of Steak Escape’s fries as they have skins, but they’re seasoned differently. As for the collard greens - oh my God! - they are the best collard greens on the planet. They’re cooked in fat back and just too tasty to describe. I ordered an additional side of greens after I’d eaten the first side with my meal. That’s how good they were.
I should also mention that several couples had dinner at the table behind us over the course of the night. Two of those couples ordered the Brisket. Both of those couples could not say enough about how fabulous it was. The food rocks. Enough said.

After dinner and drinks we stayed a while to listen to the Jesse Ray Carter Trio. Jesse and his band play every Saturday night starting at 9pm and admission is free. I really enjoyed the tunes, and the rest of the crowd seemed to as well. There was much applause and lots of swaying and quite a bit of Bob Dylan. The restaurant produced a steady stream of business most of the night.

Open four weeks today, The Blues BBQ Company, looks to be a winner. Adam and I enjoyed it so much we ate there again on Sunday for lunch. I got the ribs again. And the collard greens. And the fries. What can say? I’m an addict. And Adam tried the Smoked Brisket Chili. The chili was a big hit, both with Adam and our friend Kyle who ordered it as well. Cheryl, who was also on the Market Sunday, had the Lemon Cajun Shrimp and was very pleased. And then there was the carrot cake. Don’t know how I could forget to mention the carrot cake. All handmade with thick, real, cream cheese icing, the carrot cake was to die for. A gargantuan slice was a mere five dollars and large enough to share. It was extremely moist and extremely edible.

The Blues BBQ Company is located at 107 Market Square and is open everyday from 11am to 2am. Sundays they’re open from 11am to 8pm. Patrick Maggi, the proprietor of Blues BBQ describes his restaurant as the coolest place in town with the best BBQ around. His staff boasts bright red t-shirts that tell you “It’s all about the love.” If you like BBQ, then you’ll love this BBQ. I hope to see you there. For more information on The Blues BBQ Company or for reservations call (540) 344-LOVE. Oh, and don’t forget to ask about the all inclusive, daily lunch specials.

Click here to check out their menu.