Check out Jen’s excellent Gothamist review of Daisy May’s BBQ USA restaurant in New York City.

Being domiciled, as I am, in the South, I’ve developed quite strong opinions on BBQ and the correct methods of preparation, the best restaurants, which place serves up the best sides and, in general, authenticity. Being a predominately Southern thing, Barbeque is probably one of the most misunderstood nationally and highly regionalized food types in America. People in Atlanta like it in a certain way that people in North Carolina find downright bizarre. And Texans have developed a whole world of BBQ styles that people in Tennessee have never even tasted. It goes on forever, town-by-town, throughout the South and even up north via Kansas City and Oklahoma into Chicago. There’s even some good BBQ to be had out West, especially in Oakland and Los Angeles. But it’s all rooted in the South. It’s as close to “Italian food” as we have here in the United States: highly regionalized, local ingredients, family recipes and born, primarily, out of poverty.

But let’s return our focus back to the review and the restaurant. While Daisy May’s seems like it edges a little bit towards a theme park, the menu shows some soul and the products look fantastic. But what really floors me are the prices. I’m not sure about the portion sizes, but to pay $8.00 for BBQ is in-line with the prices one would expect to pay anywhere in the South, and the existence of such bargain prices confirms what I’m always spouting off to people who rarely believe me: New York City is one of the best places to eat well and on the cheap.

The review makes me want to check that place out next time I’m up in NYC. I know that sounds weird, but I’ve just got to see if New Yorkers are having even close to a good BBQ experience. I have a feeling they are. And even though I have a lot of items on my eating agenda for my next trip—all return trips, which is odd considering the innumerable options available in Gotham: Lebanese in Brooklyn, The Bones at Blue Ribbon in Soho, some Greek in Astoria, a visit to an Austrian restaurant, Nobu, maybe a bit of Mario Batali’s cooking at Esca, Lupa, Otto or Babbo and my wife wants to get some pizza from Two Boots (but no “Cajun” food, thank you). But I’m also thinking locally, and seeing the review of Daisy May’s made me remember Rockin’ Rob’s.

I’ve know people who have spent years studying barbeque, including a man named Rob who has made a documentary about BBQ and eaten in over 400 BBQ restaurants in the South. He went on to open a place a bit like Daisy May’s that featured what he believed to be the best application of the best styles of Barbeque cooking from around the nation: beef biscuit Texas-style, Memphis-style pork ribs, Georgia pulled pork sandwiches and on and on. The restaurant also featured his record collection and a turntable, on which one was welcome to play whichever record hit one’s fancy. It was heavenly food, although the sides lacked the passion that was presented in the meat.

Rob sold out or went out of business. Nobody is sure which. I’ve heard it both ways. We all mourn the passing of Rockin’ Rob’s, but do not mourn for long because Atlanta, and the South, have so many more barbeque experiences for us to experience. For two years now I’ve been wanting to stop at The Barbeque SuperStore on Memorial Drive. That’s AFTER I take a trip to Wyatt’s, also on Memorial. Who’s in?

Of course, having a vegetarian wife and generally trying not to spread to the full width of a Laz-E-Boy, I should probably limit my barbeque excursions to every other day or so.