Meat On Bone

Ok. I didn't mean to, but apparently I am not alone in my search for good ribs.

I will say that what is good for me may not be good for you. There are so many different flavors, spices and sauces out there to cater to each and every set of taste buds.

Having said that, dive into the BBQ sauce with me!

I will not speak of ribs from "family restaurants" like Chili's, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's and others of their ilk. It isn't that their ribs are terrible -- it is just that they don't really barbecue with smoke and flame in their own establishment. If they do, then they really are pathetic.

In the Baltimore-Washington area, there are four legitimate restaurants that call themselves rib places where I have partaken of charred meat on bone. Each has its own quality, but there is delineation between each.

The Corner Stable in Cockeysville only gets 1 "bone" out of 4 from me. The ribs lack a certain uniqueness in their flavor. They aren't bad -- they just don't fill me with longing to come back for more. I visited a couple of times and there was no continuity of flavor with the meat or their sauces. Call me weird (and many do), but I like knowing what I'm going to get when I go to a specialty restaurant.

Red, Hot and Blue in Laurel gets 2 1/2 "bones" in a fine effort. The meat is good, flavorful and abundant. I like the spices they use on the rack and they do a fairly good job of charring up the meat on the bone. My biggest gripe with them is the sauces. None of them really light up my taste buds and they all taste about the same. Am I a "sauce snob?" Probably.

Famous Dave's is new to my culinary party. I've been there twice and will probably go back for more. I'm going to give them 3 "bones," but they are conditional because the sample is small. The baby back ribs were okay, but the full ribs were so much better. Good char on the meat and lots of spice in the rub. And the sauces -- wow! Five different sauces and each had their own characteristic flavor. My favorite was the Devil's Spit sauce -- a nice spicy sauce with just a bit of heat. If you like "side dishes with your frozen waffles" (sorry, South Park reference), the baked beans were very tasty, but the cornbread lacked sweetness that I prefer in my cornbread.

My winner with 3 1/2 "bones" is Andy Nelson's in Hunt Valley. It looks like a little shack along the side of York Road, but it actually is housed in two separate buildings -- just follow your nose. The meat is plentiful and just falls off the bone -- a good test for a rib place. The sauce is very flavorful, but they just put too much on sometimes (my only drawback). And the ribs are fresh, because you can smell them constantly as the turnover is quick. The service is great and the atmosphere is what you expect from rib place. I can polish off a full rack and feel quite satisfied for several hours. A real winner in my opinion (your mileage may vary).

Two other quick mentions: Wayne's Bar-B-Que had the best cornbread -- other than my mom's -- that I've ever had. Wayne sold his place and quit the business. There is also a place in Georgetown (I can't think of the name -- help me!) that specialized in meat on bone. I went there once and it was pretty good. They had, I think, 8 or 9 different sauces, so the selection was good. But like I said, I only went there once. ROAD TRIP!!!

These are my choices. They are based solely on my impressions and taste buds. It is not my intention to diss anyone's favorite restaurant, but I would love to hear who you think makes the best ribs in the area. Not only will we pass along our favs, but hopefully, we'll all find new places to eat.

And if by chance we do come to a consensus, we should all get together for a rib feast. Who can bring the wet-naps?

Food is the great divider, but also brings people together. Ribs are like chili -- everyone has an opinion and everyone's opinion varies. There is plenty to go around, so don't hog (bad pun) all the good ribs for yourself. And if you find another "specialty" restaurant -- one that emphasizes a certain food or style -- be sure to share with your TEA friends. "Turn your insides out to the outside/Turn the outside in to the inside/Trade your outside in for the inside."

Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Add a comment below and tell me what you think or write to me if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.