Hog Heaven

The rub for ribs, a tad reminiscent of Jamaican jerk seasoning and building a nice slow heat on the tongue, is but one of the standout tastes delivered by Nancy Krohngold at her superb new casual restaurant, Nancy’s Bar-B-Q in the Burns Court district.

On our first visit, the line for placing orders was out the door, but when we reached the goal we understood why so many hungry Q fans would spend a good part of a Friday evening chatting with fellow standees, reading and rereading the take-home paper menus and inhaling the heavenly smoky scent emanating from the serving line.

Let’s start with the way the place looks, which is just right and tells you the pig meat and other goodies proffered by Krohngold and her hard-working, congenial staff are going to be the real deal. First, there’s that big black smoker out back, hard by the kitchen door. The landscaping carries the rustic theme forward, complete with an antique tractor parked near some picnic tables. The main seating areas are divided among long indoor trestle tables near the serving area, a screened porch and an open patio, both of the latter with shareable picnic tables. We like the outdoor tables best.

As at Owen’s Fish Camp a stone’s throw away under the big banyan tree on Burns Court, the trappings breathe old Florida in such an understated way that the feeling is organic, as if both places had been there forever instead of being carefully created for our pleasure. That’s no coincidence, since Krohngold’s business partners include Sarasota’s Caragiulo brothers, the entrepreneurial restaurateurs responsible for Owen’s as well as for the Palm Avenue restaurant that bears the family name.

All well and good, but what about the food? Here’s where Krohngold shines. Meat is the star of the menu but, as at Owen’s, the sides are anything but afterthoughts. We were gobsmacked when the woman ahead of us in line said she wanted no meat, just a variety of veggie sides. In a barbecue joint? Turns out she knew what she was doing.

Like the barbecued meats, sides are available either as portions intended for immediate consumption or in bulk (pints and half pints) to go. The cole slaw (a must with pulled pork) is zingy and rich, the edamame succotash a beautifully balanced wonder, the roasted Brussels sprouts a delightful surprise, and the “box” potatoes a superior version of scalloped potatoes. Also tempting are the hoppin’ John salad, sweet potato mash and mac-n-cheese.

Here’s the drill: Meals are served on trays, doing away with the need for plates. First stop in the serving line is the staffer with a carving knife portioning out the main event. Sides are on display as you move along, and so are desserts. When you get to the cashier, either order your drink or pull a longneck out of the ice. (Among the beers on offer is Sarasota’s own Jalehouse Lockdown Lager, a superb choice with barbecue.) Finally, find a table and dig in.

The menu of meats reads like a Q lover’s dream: pulled pork on a bun or naked, even in a taco shell; pork ribs “St. Louis style”; Texas hot links and beef brisket; slow-cooked chicken. There’s even a combo tray with brisket and smoked salmon.

Even our appetites weren’t up to the Tractor Pull combo tray featuring a full slab of ribs, half a chicken, a half pound each of pulled pork and brisket, four hot links and four sides! Wow! This monster could easily feed four for a mere $54.95.

I went for the naked pulled pork tray ($8.95 with two sides) and was as happy as a hog in mud with my choice. The mound of pork was tender and carried the full savor of the smoker. On the tables you’ll find two sauces, one hot and the other sweet. The meat needs no sauce, but we had to sample in the name of science. The hot is just fine, but the sweet is a marvel, perfectly balanced and a perfect complement to the just-right meats. Both Colette and I were converted on the spot.

Colette chose a combo tray called the Nudnik (!), which offers pulled pork or pulled chicken and ribs or brisket ($12.95 with two sides). She had the chicken, which proved to be amazingly moist and succulent, and the ribs, which are some of the best we’ve ever tasted anywhere.

We were hoping to sample the pecan, chocolate and bourbon Derby pie and the Real Deal banana pudding (both $3.95) for dessert, but the Q fiends ahead of us had cleaned them out. We settled for a shared maple and pumpkin cupcake with a maple butter cream frosting ($2.95) that made us swoon.