For me, barbecue is a no-brainer. I don’t have a smoker at home, so it is nearly impossible for me to do something at home that will rival a restaurant. Sure, having a water bath means I can cook meat low and slow, but it’s definitely not going to have that smoky flavor that you want with barbecue. So one day while we were wandering around Healdsburg doing a few wine tastings and someone recommended barbecue at KINsmoke, it was definitely at the top of my list for a lunch time visit (also to give me some time after the wine tastings to drive). It doesn’t hurt that it’s conveniently located right on Healdsburg Plaza.
It’s not a fancy venue with order at the counter service. It is somewhat different in that you don’t pay until the end of your meal, but I suppose that way it’s easier for them to add on more drinks if you so desire, instead of having to constantly be charging your credit card every time you go up to the counter to order something. Much of the menu is meat-centric with many smoked meats from brisket to ribs to chicken either in platter form or on a sandwich and there is a selection of burgers to order as well, all of which is accompanied by a plethora of sides to choose from. If you’re a vegetarian, there are a few salads on the menu so you won’t feel quite so left out (but honestly, I think you might be better off at a non-barbecue restaurant if that is the case). For us, it seemed obvious that the best choice is a meat platter in order to try a few different types of meat and a couple of different sides. However, the difference between two meats with two sides and three meats with three sides is a measly $4, so it really felt like we had no choice in upgrading so we could try a few more things.
Our platter consisted of brisket, pulled pork shoulder and pork ribs with baked beans, brussels sprouts and sweet potato tots accompanied by three cornbread muffins. And when it arrived, it did look fairly fantastic with piles of meat and sides bountiful on the tray. They also provide about six different sauces on the side including the infamous Alabama White sauce and Caronia Mustard sauce. Seeing such a fantastic plate really felt like we made the right choice to try a selection!
Foodwise, things were really tasty. All of the meat was incredibly tender and flavorful and the ribs fell right off the bone. There was some disagreement on the brisket, as I’m a huge fan, but my partner prefered the pork. (But honestly, they were both moist and delicious.) For the sides, my favorite was definitely the Brussels sprouts because they were slightly bitter and it help cut through some of the flavors in the rest of the food. Mostly because a lot of the other flavors were on the sweet side. The cornbread muffins were sweeter than I usually like to make mine, but they were crumbly and melted in the mouth. The baked beans were well cooked and head a bit of a smokiness, but they definitely were sweeter than I would make mine. The sweet potato tater tots had a great crunch, but again, ended up being on the sweet side. I was expecting them to be sweet, but I think because the barbecue sauces were also all very sweet (even the vinegar and the mustard ones), it left me feeling like I needed a bit of acid or spice to help balance out the flavors. The Alabama White sauce was a bit odd for me as it was incredibly reminiscent of ranch dressing, and as someone who isn’t a fan of the ranch flavor profile, it wasn’t a sauce I felt the need to return to. But that’s the joy of a multitude of sauces, you can stick to the ones you like the best (and for me that was the Carolina Mustard).
That being said, I was incredibly happy with KINsmoke for a fast, casual joint in Healdsburg. It will definitely stay on the list of places to grab a barbecue lunch, but knowing how things tend to sway on the sweet side, I think it’s just a matter of choosing more savory sides (perhaps fries, collard greens or vinegar slaw). For me, $33 dollars for a platter of barbecue is a pretty decent price, so it’s staying on the list. I might even give a burger or a sandwich a go the next time.
Score: 4/5
Recommendation: Ribs and sprouts (or just get them on the combo platter and try a whole lot more)
KINsmoke
304 Center Street
Healdsburg, CA 95448
