Stewart’s Catering Services, Inc.

I was at Costco and they hadn’t started their samples and wasn’t in the mood for a hot dog. I did a search and found Stewarts BBQ located less than a few blocks away.
Initially, I was shocked by the location and even in doubt I had found the correct place. After navigating my way through the used tires I spotted a old school bus transformed into a food truck.
Stewart was sitting under an umbrella smoking a cigarette, I asked if he was open and he waved his hand to come on over.
There is no menu so I asked what he had. Pork, beef, chicken! Sides; Mac n cheese, greens, yams, beans. I ordered a half rack of pork ribs and greens.
The pork ribs were delish, smoked perfectly, tender and meaty. Sauce on the side was tangy and an added layer of flavor.
I’ve been to BBQ spots all over the city. Stewarts is the best yet. Nothing fancy just smoked to perfection.

I’m pretty good at keeping focus at whatever task is at hand. As a scientist, it’s necessary to pay attention to the finest details of a situation. There are, however, a few things that can cause me to lose my mind and forget about everything else… among them is hickory smoke.
So it was with great pride that I didn’t cause a traffic accident upon my smelling hickory smoke as I drove down South Dakota Ave one day. Especially considering the speed with which I swerved through cars to pull into the run-​down auto-​shop lot where Stewart’s BBQ trailer is stationed.
Walking up to Stewart’s BBQ trailer, it was difficult to decide what to order. Not that I’m indecisive, but because there was no sign or menu listing what they have. Accordingly, there were no prices listed either. Perfect. So after asking what was available I settled on ribs and chicken. A reasonable $ 19 (cash only, awesome!) later, I had two boxes with a half-​rack of ribs in one and a half-​chicken in the other, along with some cornbread. All for myself.
Both the ribs and chicken from Stewart’s had that unmistakable pink coloring from the smoke and the chicken skin was a dark brown but not crispy; it was almost like the skin got caramelized. The flavor of the meats were exceptional with deep smokiness and just a hint of seasoning; when you start with good wood (which Stewart’s has stacked against the fence) and quality meat, not much else is necessary. The ribs were some of the leanest and meatiest I’ve ever had. As far as the texture goes, neither were as moist and tender as I would have expected, probably due to their being kept warm in a hot box in the trailer, but they were far from unpalatable. I think next time I will ask or wait for whatever is fresh off the smoker. As I left Stewart’s, I saw them working on a brisket, my personal favorite of the BBQ meats, so I will have to try that soon. By default, Stewart’s does not put sauce on their meats – which is how it should be – but you can get some if you want. Their sauce is kinda North Carolina-​ish, being thin and vinegary and garlicky and spicy, which I much prefer over the thick, syrupy, sweet, tomato-​y stuff.
As I was planning on a return trip to Stewart’s, I wanted to know when would be a good time and I was told that they’re open «everyday, from lunch ’til dinner.» Alright, not real specific, but good enough for me.
So while it is not the best BBQ I’ve ever had, it really hit the spot and I am happy to have Stewart’s nearby.