Slows Bar B Que

»Slow down and try again

I've only had sandwiches at Slows and so far The Reason is my favorite. Piled high with slow roasted pulled pork, crowned with pickles on a Kaiser bun, The Reason only needs your choice of 5 BBQ sauces to complete it. If you're not in to the pig then The Yardbird is an outstanding alternative consisting of chicken smothered in honey BBQ sauce, mushrooms, and two strips of smoked bacon. My mouth...+READ I've only had sandwiches at Slows and so far The Reason is my favorite. Piled high with slow roasted pulled pork, crowned with pickles on a Kaiser bun, The Reason only needs your choice of 5 BBQ sauces to complete it. If you're not in to the pig then The Yardbird is an outstanding alternative consisting of chicken smothered in honey BBQ sauce, mushrooms, and two strips of smoked bacon. My mouth is watering just typing these words. If you're not hungry but have a dry throat be sure to check out the dynamic beer selection of regional and seasonal favorites. Parking and seating is a challenge given their popularity so be sure to get there early during rush.-COLLAPSE (by spoonyfork, created September 28, 2010)

»A recent review of Slow's Bar-B-Q, Detroit MI

Full review with pictures in context: http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2010/04/slows-bar-b-q-detroit-mi.html Text as below.

Okay – I’ll admit it, I’m not the person best qualified to judge barbeque food; I rarely eat it and my experience with barbeque outside of things we made on the grill at home is limited to a few specific occasions – few of which are memorable for good reasons. With that said,...+READ Full review with pictures in context: http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2010/04/slows-bar-b-q-detroit-mi.html Text as below.

Okay – I’ll admit it, I’m not the person best qualified to judge barbeque food; I rarely eat it and my experience with barbeque outside of things we made on the grill at home is limited to a few specific occasions – few of which are memorable for good reasons. With that said, I do like to think I know something about dining out, good food, great service, and a nice setting – all of which I was told I’d find at Slow’s, a relatively new school bar-b-q (est. 2005) joint largely removed from the downtown business sector of Detroit. Arriving at the Corktown establishment in the midst of a torrential downpour shortly after opening to find the restaurant absolutely packed I luckily nabbed a table in the main dining room near a window where I’d sit and be amused by myriad patrons running from their car to pick up an innumerable number of takeout orders - obviously others had heard the good word about Slows, as well.

Greeted promptly by a friendly young man named Jarvis who appeared to be working the whole main room I asked a couple of questions (specifically whether a substitution on the Big Three – Catfish instead of Brisket) and placed my order. A moment or two passed while my server made sure the substitution could be allowed (a $2 surcharge) and my water was filled – it remained filled and I was checked in on frequently both before and after my food arrived. Sitting back and listening to the overhead speakers as they poured forth jazz and blues ranging from Robert Johnston to Charlie Parker to BB King I have to say I loved the vibe of Slows and the table spacing was more than adequate to prevent feeling crowded or hearing all but the loudest of speakers (thankfully “that guy” was seated across the room near the bathrooms.)

Approximately 20 minutes passed before my meal arrived – and what a meal it was. Beginning with the sides – 2 were included with the entrée and the third ordered because I couldn’t settle on just two – my first taste at Slow’s was their much celebrated Macaroni and Cheese. Featuring a crunchy (and just short of burnt – in a good way) cheddar crust and shell noodles that were much akin to dumplings in texture I must say that the dish lived up to the hype – while not “gourmet” by any means, the manner in which the creamy yet sharp cheddar was brought to a peak by hefty notes of black pepper and paprika was fantastic.

My second side, the cornbread, was the only “miss” at Slow’s – and a pretty substantial miss, unfortunately. Dry, flavorless, and even with the packet-butter the cornbread was grainy at best. Using the cornbread largely to soak up the juices from the proteins on my plate and to taste the various barbeque sauces I will admit it was slightly better with added hydration, but certainly not good enough to warrant the $2.25 pricetag for such a meager slice.

The final side dish was my personal favorite of the three – the sweet potato mash. Featuring heavy notes of cinnamon, maple, butter, and cream the potatoes had a pleasant heterogeneous quality indicating hand mashing and they worked great on their own – but even moreso with the proteins.

Moving on to the main course my first taste was Slow’s interpretation of Carolina Style Pulled Pork. Featuring Neiman Ranch Pork butt, slow cooked until falling off the bone, and a multitude of spices I won’t even attempt to venture a guess at I have to say the meat was much less fatty than I anticipated – it was also much less “wet” than pulled pork I’ve tasted in the past – both of which were very agreeable to the palate. Tasting the pork on its own I loved the manner in which the smoky tones accented the savory meat and these flavors were only heightened by the addition of the multiple sauces, my favorite of which was certainly the apple as it tasted like the very essence of green apple, hickory, and cinnamon – sweet, but not overpowering, and perfect with the pork.

Moving on to the chicken, another slow smoked option but featuring a clearly different blend – more savory and less spicy – than the pork, my first bite was a revelation in that this was some of the best non-fried skinless chicken I’ve ever tasted. Moist and tender, meaty without being chewy, and although lacking the textural contrast of the crispy skin featuring a through-and-through juiciness that was plenty succulent without the addition of any sauce at all. While I personally would have loved a bit more contrast, it is hard to argue that something done so well could be done better.

My final taste of the meal was the Alabama Farm Raised Catfish in Cornmeal tempura with creole remoulade and aside from the remoulade (which tasted like fire mixed with vinegar) this dish was another beauty. Clean and flavorful the mild catfish was complimented nicely by the hefty sweetened cornmeal crust forming what can best be described as a haute-fishstick. Wonderful on its own I found that the fish paired very nicely with the “spicy” sauce, the thicker of the various sauces at Slow’s, featuring mild “heat” but more-so notes of cumin, paprika, and cayenne.

Upon wiping my plate clean with the rest of my cornbread Jarvis stopped by yet again to check up on me and ask if I’d like dessert or anything else. Already with plans for a dessert stop I declined, mostly because the options on Slow’s online menu didn’t seem all that appealing and the only item I saw delivered to a table, presumably the Chuck Norris, was entirely too big for one person after so much food. Settling the tab I was bid farewell by no less than four servers and upon making my way to the street a quick jog across Michigan Avenue led me to my car (free parking aplenty in Corktown.) At $29 (tax and a good tip included) Slow’s certainly isn’t bargain basement barbeque – but then again, with high quality preparations and names like Neiman Ranch on the menu you shouldn’t expect bargain basement bar-b-q – Slow’s is a whole lot better than that.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (20 Replies) (by uhockey, created April 12, 2010)

»Not Impressed

I've heard a lot of good things about Slows so I finally took the time to pay them a visit. I was eager to give them a try but was sadly disappointed. They didn't live up to their reputation in my opinion. The first thing that sucked was the lack of parking, they don't have a lot so you have to park on the street. The closest space that I found was two blocks away after circling the block a few...+READ I've heard a lot of good things about Slows so I finally took the time to pay them a visit. I was eager to give them a try but was sadly disappointed. They didn't live up to their reputation in my opinion. The first thing that sucked was the lack of parking, they don't have a lot so you have to park on the street. The closest space that I found was two blocks away after circling the block a few times. I went alone so I was able to be seated quickly at the bar. I had already looked at the menu and knew what I wanted but the bar tender ignored me for a good five to ten minutes. He didn't offer me a menu or take my drink order. I asked another patron to pass a menu down and I think that having the closed menu in front of me must have gotten the bartender's attention. I ordered "The Big Three" with an Atwater Pilsner, black eyed peas, and cornbread and let me say, I did enjoy the beer. The pulled pork was tough and stringy with no smokey flavor. It may not have been smoked long enough. The black eyed peas were undercooked as well to the point of being crunchy. I love black eyed peas with some good cornbread but this mess just pissed me off. The cornbread was the sweet variety, not the type that goes well with beans. The pulled chicken was okay, tender and juicy but again, no smokey flavor. The brisket was a complete inedible mess. I've never had smoked brisket that greasy. Again, no smokey flavor. The sauces were runny and weak. They would have been better if they hadn't been so watered down. The "spicy" wasn't but the water labeled "NC" had a little flavor to it. I would consider going back and trying their ribs but if they're as undercooked as everything else seems to be I don't think I'll waste my time. At least I did enjoy the beer.-COLLAPSE (by almoore, created March 10, 2010)

I went to Slows yesterday for the first time. I went with 2 friends, one of whom has been before. It was a Monday afternoon after lunch and before dinner so it was not very busy. The atmosphere was impressive as I felt like I was in a southern bbq restaurant with a modern twist. The venue is all wooded and dimly lit. As for the food...we ordered a Ranch Brisket Enchilada as an appetizer - it was...+READ I went to Slows yesterday for the first time. I went with 2 friends, one of whom has been before. It was a Monday afternoon after lunch and before dinner so it was not very busy. The atmosphere was impressive as I felt like I was in a southern bbq restaurant with a modern twist. The venue is all wooded and dimly lit. As for the food...we ordered a Ranch Brisket Enchilada as an appetizer - it was delicious and just the perfect size for the three of us. Now usually I scan the menu for healthier options so if you are on a diet this is NOT the place to go. We all ordered "The Special Purpose" I had it on a kaiser bun with waffle fries. The meat literally melted in my mouth and the waffle fries were hot and crispy. I tried my boyfriends mac n cheese which isn't a favourite of mine but it was very good. The waitress was attentive, the washrooms were clean (which is very important to me) and our bill was very reasonable. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (34 Replies) (by Marie Sutton, created January 26, 2010)

(by RedTop, created July 3, 2011)