Dinner is Served: Bailey’s Smokehouse

BY DR. ANDREW J. SMITH

I had been thinking that I should revisit the southern part of the county for a review so I decided on Bailey’s Smokehouse on Erie St. in Blauvelt. I do enjoy barbecue and I had been hearing good things about it so I tried it out.

The moment you walk in the door you are greeted by the smoky aroma which always gets one’s appetite going. The waitress was right there as soon as I sat down and I perused the menu which was plentiful and all good things which I enjoyed. I saw pulled pork which is about my favorite barbecue fare so I ordered it along with onion rings and seasoned French fries and my usual seltzer with a lemon wedge.

I was noticing that they had all the right condiments for such a place; Tabasco, a light barbecue sauce and a sweet one. Before I knew it my order arrived and it was a nice-sized stack. I tried each of the three aforementioned sauces and I completely fell in love with the sweet barbecue sauce. It is apparently proprietary and outrageously delicious. I told the waitress that if I had only that and some bread I could make a meal out of just that. The rings were large and crispy and I think they were breaded like chicken legs would be. The fries were dusted with a nice smoky seasoning.

As I was smacking my lips on my way to barbecue Nirvana I imparted a bit of my philosophy about food. I said for her benefit and anyone within earshot, that I have long believed that if more women acquired a taste for mustard and barbecue sauce to the level that most men do, then there would be fewer divorces.

I finished my meal and declined dessert as the plate was a filling portion. I thanked the waitress for a nice meal and bid adieu to the other diners in my corner. I learned that their branch formerly located in Haverstraw was closed and is now across the street from here and serves as a take-out location. The entire meal came to only $18.91 and was well worth it. If you like barbecue, Bailey’s is the place to go!