A worth while stop on our journey from NYC to SF. Carl makes some mean barbecue and he doesn't hesitate to tell you all about it. We put ourselves at Mr. Roper's mercy and ordered two helpings of the baby back and shrimp combo--the ""cat's meow"" as he aptly put it. The tender meat fell off the bone with just enough bite to give you something to chew on. The smoky sauce was well balanced with notes of sweetness contrasting with heat and acid. And the pile of bones we left behind were licked clean. That said, it was the shrimp that I saved for my last bite. Perfectly cooked shrimp encased in a crispy-crunchy shell dipped in his house-made mayo, it rivals the best fried foods I've encountered. Carl's been scientifically tweaking his new shrimp recipe for three years and when it makes its debut I want to be there.
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