The BNH crew recently hit the road for a little field trip to Northern California for some Golden State fun, San Francisco style. Along the way, we took a little detour to check out the Gorilla Barbecue, which caught our eye as a featured story on Guy Fieri’s fabulous Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network).
Koo-koo-ka-choo-choo. We hit the jackpot of barbecue bonanzas at this distinctive joint, housed in a bright orange boxcar just off of Coast Highway 1, in the postcard-perfect community of Pacifica. The first thing you notice when you drive up is…the line. Oh wait; excuse us…The LINE. Demand for this grub is often so intense that the diner’s website (www.gorillabbq.com) makes a special note to tell people to arrive way earlier than their posted closing time of 8 pm, as they often run out of food far before demand.
We soon found out exactly why. The menu, which features just a handful of barbecued meats and their appropriate side dishes, seems purposely designed by co-owners Rich Bacchi and Jeff Greathouse on the classic “Less is More”. Oh wait, excuse us…Less is MORE. Much, much more!
We were served our selections (the Beef Brisket and the Pulled Pork) by Mr. Bacchi himself (who is clearly bucking for the “Nicest Guy on the Planet” trophy) in a hefty container fit to hold a small picnic: which is about what we got in terms of food portion! But we weren’t about to share our feast with the ants. The meat, nearly dripping off the fork with tenderness, was a delicious representation of Rich’s famous multi-spice rub (affectionately referred to as the “Mixxy-Mix”), in which all of Gorilla’s meats are smoked in for 16 hours before they’re served. But don’t go ignoring the sides, either! Macaroni & cheese with a goldfish cracker topping, anyone? Other choices are corn-on-the-cob, beans and rice, potato salad and cole slaw—nothing pre-bought; nothing frozen overnight; everything made fresh from scratch.
So let’s see… Sweeping Pacific Ocean views? Check. A dining venue that makes a Kodak moment in and of itself? Check. Some of the best barbecue you’re going to get west of Texas? Double check! And if you’re looking for any other reason to make the special trip to visit Rich and Jeff in their little orange boxcar, consider this: what other diner made Guy Fieri declare, “Now I gotta go wash my goatee” after eating just half of their cheesesteak sandwich?
An added thumbs-up for the Gorilla Barbecue: portions of Rich and Jeff’s profits are donated every year to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. (www.gorillafund.org).
Gorilla BBQ official website: http://www.gorillabbq.com/