Bonnie B's Smokin' Barbeque Heaven

Has it really been 13 months since I wrote about my maiden trip to Bonnie B's? I know time goes faster and faster as the years go by, but this is getting ridiculous. It seems like maybe it was two months ago that my mom and I had lunch here one afternoon. But it wasn't - it was May of last year.

On Saturday, Elizabeth and I both felt like barbecue. We had been feeling that way since the previous weekend, when we stood around at Zeke's for several minutes and weren't acknowledged (and we went elsewhere for lunch). We considered going down to Long Beach, but we had several errands to run in town and we wanted to stay close. That certainly narrows the options; Perdue's and Barner Burner are closed, Gus's isn't real barbecue, Zeke's apparently doesn't want our business. Robin's is pretty good most of the time but we wanted something quicker. I suggested Bonnie B's.

It was pretty busy when we walked in. Several women were waiting for to-go orders and only one table was vacant. We looked at the menu briefly then Elizabeth sat down while I placed our order at the counter.

There are three bottles of sauce on the table at Bonnie B's: mild, medium and hot. As usually happens at places like this that serve three tomato-based sauces, all three taste mostly the same. The mild is too sweet and the medium and hot taste almost identical. None of the sauces were bad, but none stood out. I much prefer a place that offers a mustard and/or vinegar sauce in addition to the ketchup-tasting sauce.

Elizabeth had the brisket sandwich with a side of potato salad. She was really enjoying it and offered me a bite. I stabbed at a piece and ate it - it was way too fatty.

"I don't think this is fatty at all," she said. So I took another piece and it was very good. So I took a third, also very good. I guess that first bite was an aberration.

I had the hot link on a bun. It was great: dense, meaty and smokey. I easily could have eaten two of these. I added some spicy sauce to my last few bites and it was an okay complement, but really the link needed nothing else.

The potato salad was awesome. It wasn't overloaded with dressing; the taste of potatoes was dominant. I sprinkled several shakes of pepper over my portion just to add some spice, and I ate every bite of mine and finished off Elizabeth's.

I wish they offered some pulled pork at Bonnie B's, as well as slaw and a different kind of barbecue sauce, but those are small complaints. Overall I like the place. They are very friendly and the 'cue is good.

Tootie's Texas Barbeque

Tootie's Texas Barbeque
68703 Perez Rd
Cathedral City, CA 92234

Wow it's been a while since I've updated this blog. In the fall and winter, barbecue just doesn't come to mind very often when I'm thinking about what to eat. Every once in a while I want some, but overall I associate barbecue with the spring and summer. If I can't watch a baseball game while eating some 'cue, something is lost. I suppose that makes me a contextualist, one of those annoying people who claim you can't eat barbecue unless you're sitting in a roadside shack in the South. The same people who have always bothered me. So I'm a hypocrite. Whatever. It's a free blog.

My friend Tim was in Palm Springs for three days this week for a work event, one that involved attending banquets at night and playing golf during the day. But Tim decided he would rather explore the area's bars and restaurants during the day than play golf. This is one of many reasons why I like him. I emailed him a link to Tootie's website, explaining that I'd heard it was very good but that I'd never been. 

Thursday, Tim sent me all of the above pictures from his phone, explaining that he was about to test the place out. I was particularly hungry and he kept sending pictures. What an asshole.

Three hours later he sent a text asking if I was at home. I responded yes. "I'll be there soon with BBQ" he replied. Like I said, what a great guy.

I am not going to offer my opinion on the following items, just state what they are. How could I accurately describe food that sat in a styrofoam container for three hours before it was eaten? I will say, however, that the barbecue sauce was spicy. I love spicy, but if I ever visit the restaurant I will not be using this sauce on my food, it is distracting. 

Sausage, brisket and pork. 

The "homemade cajun hot link sausage." This was the spiciest of all things I tried. Since all of them had sauce, I imagine this is normally hotter than the other items.

Pulled pork.

Brisket.

Maybe some day I'll make it out to Cathedral City and do a real review of the place. I mean, I'll have to find out where Cathedral City is first (I literally have no idea without looking at a map), but maybe one day I will.