There exists a well-worn mantra that states “you just don’t find good BBQ up north.” For whatever reason and I have a couple opinions, BBQ never caught on with same fire in the northeast as it did down south of the Mason/Dixon. BBQ is the stuff of legend in the south and southwest. A religion. In the northeast a good BBQ spot is often seen as an oasis. Well, I’m here to tell you times are a changing’. Having recently returned from a BBQ safari in North Carolina where we visited many BBQ joints several of which are very renowned, I can safely say Great Northern can hang.
The Great Northern BBQ Co.at 9 Parade St. on the West side in providence RI has been on the food scene for approx. 7 yrs now and in that time has established itself as a destination for good BBQ. From the outdoor seating near the smokers to the unique “Twin Peaks” motif inside and the fine selection of smoked meat, Great Northern appears to check all the boxes. After hearing many good things from friends, I knew it was time to sample the goods. On a fine slightly cloudy but warm Saturday afternoon I dragged sons 1 and 2 off to find out for ourselves.
At first glance Great Northern appears to be a rather small establishment sharing the first floor of a 2-story house with another eatery. However, upon further exploration you wander out the back and find 10 to 12 tables in an expansive sitting area abutting the row of custom-built smokers and grills that provide the BBQ goodness. The aroma is intoxicating. Should you choose to remain inside there is a distinct speakeasy vibe that is somewhat dark and quite comfortable. On the walls you will see the homage to the Twin Peaks television show of the early 90s. What happened to Laura Palmer anyway?
I have always preferred eating BBQ outdoors where you can smell the burning wood and the smoke used to flavor pork shoulder, ribs and brisket. The fresh spring air and the beautiful day created a great environment for lunch. Tables and chairs are metal and no frills but that just makes it better. Only a few other tables were occupied so we got a lot of attention from our hostess.
The Grub
Ok let me get to the grub. The menu (both food and drink) contains a lot of tempting options. It being our first visit we wanted to sample as many BBQ staples as possible so we homed in on the HUGE platter. Let me get this out of the way: The Huge Platter.
Like John Holme’s wife said:
“It’s a lot of meat”
The three of us are all 200lbs. and up (in my case way up) and the Huge Platter fed us comfortably without stuffing us to the brim.
The presentation of the platter is nicely organized with pulled pork, brisket, smoked wings and sausage each occupying their spot on the tray. One end of the platter contains your traditional sides of corn bread, pickles and coleslaw. A medium ramekin of sauce sits between meat and sides.
The generous portion of ribs were fall of the bone tender with an almost candied bark on them. Juicy and delicious, son one proclaimed them as good as he’s had. They were special I had to agree.
My favorite though was the pulled pork. Wow. On more than one occasion I have found establishments where the pulled pork is good but a bit dry. Great Northern is right up my alley. The pork shoulder was juicy and flavorful with bits of bark throughout. Excellent no sauce needed. I asked for a couple rolls and made sandwiches to go. The next day they were fine eating. Ok that’s a lie. Later that night they were fine eating.
The brisket was fine, lean and fork tender but not as smoky as I expected. This a personal taste for sure but I like a fattier cut of meat for my brisket. Thumbs up to the wings which were smoky and perfectly cooked not dried out at all. The sausage I prefer a little more heat spice wise but I ate it all as it was excellent dipping for the BBQ sauce.
We went with whatever sides came with the platter but there were other options. The ones we had did not appear to be an afterthought. Kudos. The corn bread side is three cornbread muffins with honey drizzled over them for a nice little twist. Actual corn kernels appear in each muffin which is my favorite way to make them. A solid slaw and some tasty pickles that were crunchy and a neon yellow filled out the sides. Very good.
The Huge platter runs $65. Total bill for three hangry bulls $74 with one drink and tax. Damn reasonable in my book. Checkout their food and drink menu at gnbbqco.com
I’ve heard from many that Great Northern can get BUSY for dinner but there is a reservations tab on the website for planning or just come by on a nice afternoon relax and enjoy.
LOCATION
9 Parade Street
Providence, RI 02909
HOURS
Wed – Thurs = 4PM – 10PM
Fri -Sat = NOON- 11PM
Sun = NOON – 9PM, Brunch available until 5
Closed Mon/Tues
