Q to U BBQ
The Rosol family knows award-winning barbecue. They have been winning awards for their slow cooked meats for years. Now with an updated location in the centralized North Valley area, they are looking to fill residents and visitors bellies. Open six days a week, they are closed on Monday, they have a few different style dishes available for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is situated in a corner unit of a non-descript shopping plaza, so be sure to keep an eye out for the sign. Situated on the Southwest corner of Carefree Highway and Black Mountain Parkway. Inside you will be guided through a clever line that allows you to review the menu as you head toward the counter to order. Once you have made your decisions you can pick any table that is free and wait for your smoked selection.
After reviewing some very intriguing items to start with, we picked the Fried Mac & Cheese ($10). These are handcrafted panko crusted balls of their in house made macaroni and cheese. They are formed and then deep-fried. They have a nice crunchy outside and once you bite into it, you get the soft and tender macaroni. The mixture of the cheese, macaroni, and the panko breadcrumbs make a delightful handheld starter. They come with a cup of the Q to U BBQ sauce if you are inclined to add some extra flavor as well. You can order them for the table to share or a personal 3 piece ($5).
We then ordered the Q to U BBQ Salad, which comes with your choice of meat. We chose to go with Smoked and Pulled Chicken ($10). It is a base of mixed greens that comes with cheese, tomatoes, and onions. Your choice of salad dressing is served on the side. The last component is your choice of meat, which is drizzled with their BBQ sauce. Some of the different meats have different price levels, so be aware when deciding. Regardless of the meat you select, you are going to have a lot of salad to eat. It is a large bowl and you get a lot of salad as well as your meat choice. The chicken was diced which made it very easily to eat with all the other parts of the salad.
The final item we ordered was the Combo Plate ($16). You get two side items that you can select from the list of sides, and then your choice of two meat options that are part of the combo menu. The meat options you can select are as follows: Ribs, a quarter leg of chicken, pulled pork or sliced beef brisket. We decided to select the ribs and the brisket on this visit. For our side items we decided to go with Cole slaw and French fries. The brisket was tender and had a great smoke flavor. It was elevated by the addition of the BBQ sauce, which is thankfully on the table. The order of ribs comes with three pork ribs, that are fall off the bone perfect. The flavor is at a perfect balance and the negative is that you want a whole rack. The Cole slaw is diced fine and very creamy. The French fries have a sprinkle of seasoning to enhance the flavor. The two-meat combo option may be a lot for everyone to handle solo, but we managed.
There are a lot of options on the menu without being overwhelming. They have menu packs for families as well. The one section that I took note of was the Kids or Kids at heart section. This would allow smaller meal eaters an option too. The staff was courteous and came out to the dining room to check on patrons, even though the bill is paid at time of ordering. It is nice to see that once you get your food, you are not forgotten. BBQ restaurants are definitely in resurgence in the Arizona area, and it is nice to have one that is doing it well in the North Valley of Phoenix. So stop in and order some meat that has been perfectly smoked. That is if all the accolades and trophies that this family has rightfully earned, doesn’t distract you first.
Location and Website – 4705 E Carefree Hwy #101 Cave Creek, AZ 85331 http://www.q-to-u-bbq.com