The Hot Spot BBQ - Pensacola, FL

The Hot Spot - Pensacola, FL.

Writing a review on BBQ is like talking about art: everyone has an opinion, is entitled to that opinion, and feels strongly about their opinion.  But since I’m the one with the food blog and 5 subscribers (love you, Mom) my opinion will be king.

The Hot Spot, at first smell, was promising.  They had a smoker out front and were burning real wood.  I couldn’t tell if it was hickory or mesquite.  I’m partial to mesquite but, again, art... When you walk in the establishment, you immediately feel at home.  Nothing pretentious about it.  There were no signs telling to be seated or to wait but one of the waitresses yelled to sit anywhere we like... I guess that’s sort of like signage.

My girlfriend and I sat down and that was when points began to fly off the ticker.  Each and every table has its own personal mirror.  Through the duration of the meal, I kept catching a glimpse of some fat guy staring at me and then I would realize it was me.  

The waitress brought our drink orders.  I got sweet tea. The GF didn’t.  I forgot to explain to her that sweet tea is to BBQ what wine is to communion.  You just can’t have one without the other.  The sweet tea was liquid diabeetus.  Probably 2 cups sugar to the gallon.  Normally, I’d count off for too much sugar but, y’all, it’s sweet tea.  If you don’t have a cavity by the end, it’s not sweet enough.

I always order brisket and turkey when I go to a new BBQ place.  Brisket is the standard and Turkey is so hard to cook well that if they can nail turkey, they get my salute.  Hot Spot only BBQ’s chicken... not turkey.  I just got the brisket and my two vegetables: potato salad and mac and cheese.  (Little known fact: at BBQ restaurants, mac and cheese turns into broccoli inside you.  It’s like transubstantiation only way less creepy) 

I think the decorations were ok.  I say “think” because every time I glanced up, I saw the mirror and felt the guilt.  I’ll hit the gym soon, I promised myself.

The food finally came.  

If you are from Texas, and know BBQ, I’d like to offer a trigger warning.  You will need to go to a safe space.

MY BRISKET HAD THE SAUCE ALREADY ON IT!

Who does that?

Brisket should be tender enough to cut with a fork and should still have liquified fat oozing from it.  The edges should have plenty of char on it and the rub should enhance the flavor of the meat.  The sauce, if you choose to use it, should technically bring out the smokiness, provide a little heat to light up the back of the tongue, and even add some sweet for the tip but never, and I repeat, NEVER should brisket be served with sauce on it.  That’s like giving an artist a canvas with a picture already painted.  It’s like giving an author a written book and just asking him to come up with names.  It’s like telling your kid that Old Yeller dies at the end of the movie.  You should have control over the quality of your experience.  To make matters worse, I tried to eat the brisket with my right eye closed so I wouldn’t see my reflections and I ended up shoving the brisket in my left nostril.  I guess my equilibrium is off.  

The mac and cheese was good.  Easily the best part of the main course.  The cheese was real and the roux base was not too gluey.  I would have preferred a stronger cheese or even the addition of nutmeg but that’s just my taste in art.  The potato salad was non-committal.  The salt level was good but the mustard base was lacking.  Potatoes are perfect vessels for carrying flavor.  A good potato salad will have a strong mustard flavor punctuated by the sour notes of vinegar either in pickles or relish. This one reminded me of leftover beef stew potatoes floating in yellow river silt.

The waitress asked if we wanted pie.  The man in the mirror said no but the man with the love handles said yes.  I ordered a lemon pie.

This was the star of the show.  

Homemade, flakey crust.  Creamy custard filling chilled to perfection.  Bright lemon flavor that made you salivate without making you pucker.  And whipped topping, not merengue.  I hate merengue.  I assured the man in the mirror that this was worth cheating for.  I even punctuated my point with some foodgasm noises.

The GF rolled her eyes, asked me to stop talking to my reflection, and said the pie was very tasty.  *sigh.  I guess the Mona Lisa is nice.

Sauce aside, the brisket was sufficiently tender and juicy.  I would have preferred more char.  I give The Hot Spot a 6 out of 10.  Leave the sauce on the side, sharper cheese, and use real mustard (not the fake yellow stuff).

Bonus point: you get a free cookie on your first visit.  

Happy eating, y’all.