Sneak Peek and Opening Menu from Hi Lo BBQ, debuting Monday

There's charred wood inside and out at the new Hi Lo BBQ

By Meesha Halm

Lo and behold, the long awaited Mission smokehouse and bar from Scott Youkilis (Hogs & Rocks, Maverick) featuring former Broken Record’s Ryan Ostler on the smoker and cocktail guru Scott Beattie and Michael Laza (author of Left Coast Libations) on the ‘cue-friendly drinks, is opening to the public for real next Monday night. As we’ve telling you for over a year, the corner haunt (located just kitty corner to Hogs & Rocks; look for the charred cedar siding) is billing itself as purveyors of elevated Northern California-style BBQ, which means a rotating slate of smoked and grilled meats, fish and vegetables cooked either on the restaurant’s 1,5000-pound smoker or wood-fired grill. Today, we got our hands on a copy of the opening menu.

The menu (see here) includes some very delicious and very Cali-sounding starters such as coal-roasted beets, warm kale and sweet potato salad, seasonal pickles and Bourbon-Sriracha glazed duck wings. As for the BBQ, we’re talking St. Louis-cut spare ribs, smoked and sake-glazed pork belly, a half smoked chicken with charmoula, beef brisket with Texas red sauce, grilled beef short ribs with kimchi and grilled whole trout. Sides are a riff on the typical meat and three, with choices such as BBQ baked beans, collard greens, shaved Brussels sprouts and potato bravas. And yes, there will be Whoopie Pie. Refreshments run the gamut from draft beer, Hi Lo Buck, seasonal Collins, Micheladas and a Bajan rum punch to zero-proof drinks such as Abita root beer and Bundaberg ginger beer.

Frankly, we’re not sure we can wait until Monday to sink our teeth into all this goodness.

Hi Lo BBQ: 3416 19^th St; 415-874-9211, opening Monday February 4th for dinner only, lunch to follow in March