By Adam Wenkoff ’18
Many Westport residents were disappointed when the Bobby Q’s restaurant on Main Street closed in March of 2016. It was a hot-spot for barbecue-craving families looking for a great time.
However, a new and improved Bobby Q’s recently opened in the Block at Waypointe in Norwalk, which also hosts restaurants like Colony Grill and Barcelona. This new location still offers the classic barbecue that made it a hit in Westport, while adding new a-la-carte options to their menu.
When I walked into the new Bobby Q’s, I immediately took note of the lively ambiance. There were multiple families eating and laughing, my waiter was friendly and energetic and sports games were playing on the TVs in the background. It was brighter, cleaner and spaced better than the old Westport location.
I ordered the Bobby Q’s Classic BBQ Nachos to start and then a quarter pound of both the brisket and the pulled pork. Simply put, everything was awesome.
The BBQ Nachos were piled high with “pulled pork from the pit” as well as a balanced mix of jack and cheddar cheeses. They came out of the kitchen quickly, and they were piping hot. The $11 appetizer was more than enough for my group of four.
Next came the brisket and pulled pork, served a-la-carte instead of the old-fashioned platters. The first thing that I was impressed by was the presentation. The dishes came out on a Bartaco-like mini-tray, served with a colorful combination of forest green pickles and hot pink pickled onions.
Most importantly, however, the brisket and pork tasted fantastic. The brisket had the perfect combination of smoky and salty flavors, and it wasn’t too fatty. The pork was amazing by itself, but when paired with the famous Bobby Q’s barbeque sauce, it was easily the best part of the meal. The brisket and pork dishes were $8 and $6, respectively.
I finished my dinner about 5 minutes after it came out, with no trace of any leftovers.
Food-wise, Norwalk’s Bobby Q’s was nearly identical to the old one in Westport, which is saying a lot. There was no part of the meal that I didn’t absolutely love, and I came away with no complaints.
Atmosphere-wise, the new location isn’t quite as lively as the old location, but I’m going to attribute that to its novelty. It has everything it needs to become just as popular as the old location, people just need to know that it’s there.
All-in-all, I give the new-and-improved Bobby Q’s a 9/10. The food was great, the location is a big improvement over the previous one and once the word gets out, it will be one of the best places to gather and eat in Fairfield county.
