Bodean’s BBQ Smokehouse 25 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JS
Telephone: 020 7257 2790
Bodean’s BBQ is currently enjoying expansion in the UK, and now has eight branches in London (including Fulham, Muswell Hill, Soho and Clapham), which has increased from four when we undertook our last review in 2012. This is not a great surprise considering the popularity of the barbecue concept here in the UK, and the beauty of a barbecue restaurant of course is that the pesky British weather cannot come along and spoil it! Having said all that, expansion such as this would not happen without first building up a solid reputation for consistently good food and Bodean’s seem to have this covered.
In my opinion, a meat feast is a great idea on most nights, but especially appealing on a chilly, wintry night in late autumn. It was on such an evening as this that we visited the Convent Garden Bodean’s. We entered for an early evening meal at 6pm to a buzzing atmosphere. The small bar at the entrance has the feel of a sports bar and is very welcoming, with most of the seating in comfortable banquettes. There was a mixture of groups, families and intimate diners, all enjoying the lively surroundings.
Bodean’s was opened in the UK in 2002 by an American, Andre Blais, who had a dream of bringing the taste, style, and soul of his beloved Kansas City barbecue to London. Andre is a keen ice hockey/sports follower, and his goal is to ensure that guests feel they are getting the ‘real deal’, as if they were sitting 3,775 miles away in KC, USA. Whilst I have never been to Kansas City itself, I have enjoyed visits to many parts of the States, and from my humble perspective it has an authentic US feel about the place.
After an afternoon that had included a rather dreary round of The London Eye, shrouded by fog and drizzle, a great way to commence proceedings, in our opinion, was with cocktails. The menu is comprised of many classic cocktails, but I really enjoyed my ‘Louisville Orchard’ as recommended by the waitress. My wife sipped on her ‘Pacific Cooler’ whilst the kids loved their Hawaiian Punches.
To start we ordered the Caroline Prawns – four flame-kissed Caroline Spiced Prawns with a Lime Wedge (£7.25). The Prawns were succulent with a slightly spicy kick, and complemented with the pleasant tang of the lime. Along with these we enjoyed the Mac & Cheese Balls- bread crumbed and fried with a creamy soft Monterey Jack Cheese centre (£5.45); indulgent and delicious. We couldn’t resist Bodean’s Nacho Supreme, and ordered this alongside, to create our own version of a ‘sharing platter’ of appetisers. This came topped with grilled cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and Jalapenos (£7.50).
If you are a fan of barbecue food then you will find the menu full of mouth-watering options ranging from Hot Deli Sandwiches, Burgers, Hot Dogs and Oak Smoked House Specialities to Classic Sharing Platters, Steaks, Salads and a variety of other Main Courses. If you are up for a challenge, and clearly my eldest son and I were, you could opt for the Boss Hog Platter for 2. At £49.90 this consisted of all the meat you could dream of - Spare and Baby Back Ribs, a Jacob’s Ladder Beef Rib, Burnt Ends, Pulled Pork, Chicken Thighs and Texas smoked Sausages - a huge platter served with Fries and Coleslaw. The varied meats provided a flavour of the many popular dishes Bodean’s BBQ is renowned for. All their meats are slow cooked at low temperatures, which keeps all the natural juices in the meat and enhances the flavour. This process also gives a wonderful smoky flavour to the meat. We found the meats to be tender and delicious, and enjoyed the variety of flavours and textures. The accompanying sauces complemented the meats well, and added an extra dimension of flavour. The challenge proved a little too great on this occasion and we were provided with a ‘doggy bag’ so we could take home the leftovers to enjoy the following day! My wife, being the representative healthy eater in our family ordered a Cobb Salad, with baby gem lettuce, beef tomato, egg, avocado and blue cheese dressing. This dish usually comes with pork burnt ends, but by her request these were replaced with grilled halloumi- a favourite salad accompaniment in our house at the moment.
A great benefit to visiting Bodean’s with the family is that kids eat free all week from noon till 7 (One child per adult only; £5 at all other times). The kids menu includes 4 boned Baby Back Ribs, BBQ Chicken Breast, 4oz Beef Burger with an ice cream for dessert. Again, the portions are generous, and my younger son really enjoyed his Beef Burger. There is also a varied range of sides available including such American classics as Corn bread, BBQ Beans and Mac and Cheese. The main courses range in price from £6.95 to £49.90 for our huge platter for 2, whilst sides are priced from £2.50. The wine menu offers a suitable range from £14.95 a bottle, and we chose a Malbec to accompany our meal. If you hail from the US and are longing for a taste of home they also serve a range of American beers.
We could probably have passed on dessert, given what had gone before, but who could not be tempted into ordering the Key Lime Pie (only £3.95), which my wife and I shared with some ice cream. This was comfort food at its best...homemade, sweet and tangy. The kids had just enough room for Honeycomb and Strawberry Milkshakes! Dessert choices include traditional American classics such as Pecan Pie and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and next time I have already decided that I will give Eli’s New York Cheesecake a whirl.
Bodean’s BBQ in Covent Garden is a fun, lively restaurant, with a great vibe. This marked my 5th Bodean’s restaurant, so I am becoming well versed in their offering ... for meat lovers, there is undoubtedly a fantastic range of meats, and possibly (and surprisingly!) more food than we could manage in one sitting. It is a great place to visit with your family or a group of friends or to catch a Game (they have screens all around the restaurant, screening everything from Premiership football to American football, and be sure to check out the Game Day specials). Do book in advance where possible, as they can be busy. There are some great promotions, take- away options, and even full catering for parties and events. You can also buy some of their signature sauces to take home with you - perfect for that Doggy bag. Arrive hungry!
