I have been to Home Plate several times now and feel I should update my review.
I am a southerner, and I am proudly snobbish about American style BBQ. When I read about Home Plate I assumed no restaurant in Beijing could provide true southern BBQ. I am glad to say I was proven wrong. The atmosphere of Home Plate is low key and welcoming. No fancy decorations or thematic elements, just the way a BBQ joint should be.
The food is fantastic. All of the appetizers I have tried (chili cheese fries, fried okra, buffalo wings, fried pickles) are really good, but the real stand-out is the fried pickles. They are crunchy and salty; we ordered two baskets and they were gone in a hurry.
As for the BBQ. The ribs are great. They have a smokey flavor that reminds me of eating ribs in a smokey shack back in Alabama. The meat is cooked very slowly and with a true passion. My buddy talks about how good the pulled pork is although I have not tried it personally. The first time I went I didn't care for the BBQ sauce, but upon subsequent trips I have changed my mind. I don't know if the recipe changed or if my tastebuds changed, but Home Plate's sauce is just the right mixture of sweet and tangy.
A few negatives with the food:
My only complaint is about the cherry pie. It arrived before the meal and was cold. The filling tasted, to me, oddly reminiscent of a Pop-tart. Next time I go I will order the red velvet cupcake which looked fantastic.
The service is good, friendly but not overbearing. Food is delivered swiftly, even when the place is packed, and the portions are generous (a whole rack of ribs could feed 3 hungry people). Prices are reasonable and the selection is nice. I will definitely be going back and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of soul food. One of my favorite spots in Beijing.
- 625 reads
- 0 comments