Baby Blues B.B.Q.

It’s easy to see how this little hole-in-the-wall joint is so popular. We shared the “Blue Devil,” a feast of four different meats with three sides: chicken, baby back ribs, Memphis ribs and pulled pork with a side of collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed okra. The meat was moist and delicious, the BBQ sauce tangy and tight. Loved the cornbread, too. Cornbread is usually too dry for me, but this cornbread was like melted butter. The sweet potato was definitely my favorite side, though. Such comfort food. Collard greens tasted a bit too smoky, almost burnt, and the okra was drowning in garlic. Was it the best BBQ I’ve ever had? Sorry, I’ve lived in the south, so no.

Friendly Service at Baby Blues

Baby Blues B.B.Q: 444 Lincoln Blvd., Venice. 310-396-8023

When I think of Coast, the chichi oceanfront restaurant at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, BBQ is not the first thing that comes to mind. But Thursday is Blues & BBQ night, and for $25, you can gorge on an appetizer of spicy chilled “peel ‘n eat” shrimp with cocktail sauce and an entree of ribs, chicken leg and thigh, brisket and sausage, with a side of coleslaw and cornbread — all accompanied by live music (albeit a rather sedate form of background blues).

This is hardly your typical down-home BBQ. When I was there on a recent Thursday, Cindy Crawford sat at a table nearby with her husband and kids. We had a view of the ocean. It was lovely. And messy, too. Initially, I felt uncomfortable peeling the shrimp with my hands and tried doing it with a knife and fork. After several minutes of struggling with a single shrimp, I grew resigned to the fact that I’d have to get over myself and get my hands dirty to enjoy this little meat fest. And, I actually did enjoy it. The ribs were moist and tender, the brisket nice and smoky. I definitely like my sauce to crank up the heat more, but overall, it wasn’t half bad, especially for the price. You’ll probably drop more dough at the hipster dive Baby Blues BBQ in Venice, which just opened its second outpost in WeHo.

Call it recession chic. Even at upscale joints, bargains are in. Extravagance is out. At least, expensive extravagance is out. Shutters is still pouring champagne, but you won’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy. The hotel is offering Champagne Wednesdays in the lobby lounge every week from 5 p.m. until midnight. You can sample a selection of luxury champagnes — a flight of five, in fact — and hors d’oeuvres for $30. It’s $25 for just champagne without the hors d’oeurves, but for that price, why would you skip the food part of these sample pairings: Canard-Duchene Brut paired with Duck Prosciutto and Fig Marmalade topped with Black Pepper; Henroit Blanc Souvrain paired with Charentais Melon, Blue Vein Cheese and Pickled Cherry; or Villa Sandi DOC Valdobbiandene Cuvee complimented by White Anchovies with basil and cured lemons? Now that sounds more like Shutters. Typically pricey spots are obviously doing whatever it takes to lure customers back. It seems to be working, and I suspect these deals won’t last long. So take advantage while you can. – Jenny