Popular Texas BBQ restaurant chosen for the Expo
- Source: Global Times
- [11:04 April 30 2010]
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By Chris Chagnon
Shanghai American-food favorite, Bubba's Texas BBQ, has opened up a new location in the Expo Village. Now, before all you BBQ loving Pudongers get too excited, you can't get in… yet. This is because the Expo Village, in case you didn't know, is where all the Expo workers and foreign dignitaries who are coming to visit will be staying, and security is naturally very high. "I can't even get in there!" Ken Walker, the warm-hearted Texan owner/pit boss of Bubba's, jokingly told the Global Times.
Being selected to have a restaurant in the Expo Village is a big deal, because only a handful of the myriad restaurants in the city were selected; one representing a particular type of cuisine and atmosphere. "Apparently they secretly sent some people around to various sports bars/restaurants around town and selected us. They asked us to put together a good sports bar for the area, and we were honored to accept… the new location is huge, about 550 square meters, double the size of the Hongqiao location and has a pool table and dart boards," said Mr Walker.
The new location reflects the more inherently international nature of the clientele - it has more flags from other countries and internationally famous sports clubs. They're also in the process of internationalizing their menu. Aside from their full menu of BBQ, Tex-Mex, burgers, and pizza from the original, they're currently in the process of adding items like fish 'n chips, crab cakes, butterfly prawns, Texas-style shepherd's pie, and shrimp po' boys. They'll eventually make it to the original Bubba's, but not for until they've perfected their recipes. "When we do something new, we make sure we do it right," Mr Walker told the Global Times.
Until those are perfected though, this reporter can make the following recommendations to have a true taste of the US.
The Black and Tan enchiladas (80 yuan), consisting of one beef and once chicken enchilada on a skillet, are smothered in sauces and beans.
The Dixie Chicken sandwich (75 yuan) combines authentic Southern (US) style fried chicken and the most authentic coleslaw this reporter has had outside of the US.
Of course, the ribs are what Bubba's is famous for; easily the best in town. They're imported pork ribs dry rubbed with a secret blend of herbs and spices, done up in the traditional Texas way — with the house BBQ sauce on the side (100 yuan for a half-rack).
