3 July 2014 Down to the Bone Lives Again

Down to the Bone Lives Again

July 3, 2014 By

Wild Bills and DecorWhen Jeff Feldstein opted not to renew his Down to the Bone (DTTB) lease in Stanhope, I was crushed. I’d been a huge fan of what Jeff was doing (see previous post) on Lake Lackawanna and was devastated to see the only solid barbecue restaurant in our neck of the woods close down. Would I miss the some of the riffraff that frequented and worked at the popular restaurant? No. Would I miss good barbecue and Jeff’s enthusiasm for guest service? Absolutely.

A few weeks ago, what do I see being added to The Clubhouse Gold Center sign? A DTTB sign!!! Jeff’s back and even closer to my home (dangerous). He’s got a top notch crew and a prime location on Route 10 in Randolph.

Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork

I caught up with Jeff when I visited for lunch over the weekend and learned he has a new cook who puts a new spin on DTTB’s menu offering with southeast barbecue flavors. We ordered two lunch sandwiches, the Pulled Pork PULL-WICH ($10) and the Jersey Burger ($9). To say the portions are generous would be an understatement. The pulled pork is lightly drizzled with DTTB’s Sweet Heat barbecue sauce then topped with a hefty portion of sweet and tangy coleslaw. The sandwich is served on a perfectly-soft Hawaiian roll with handmade seasoned chips. When I asked Jeff if the chips were housemade, he told me “why buy when you can make them in-house way better?” – I agree completely. The burger was also sizeable and since it was the Jersey version, the lean ground beef was topped with Taylor ham and served on a pretzel roll. The burger is juicy and flavorful, a winner.

On our next lunch visit, we’ll be sampling the Morning After Burger topped with a sunny side up egg, bacon and potatoes. At Jeff’s recommendation, we’ll also try the brisket sandwich.

Jersey Burger

Jersey Burger

While DTTB is a BYO and guests are welcomed to bring beer or wine, I was introduced to the Wild Bill’s Ole Fashioned Soda Pop line of handcrafted sodas while ordering. I opted for the Sarsaparilla flavor and it was outstanding.

I’m looking forward to stopping in for dinner soon to get reacquainted with DTTB’s outstanding ribs and barbecue chicken…and yes, the Italian specialties Jeff tells me I must try. I might actually have DTTB deliver to my home as it now offers delivery service.

DTTB offers catering services also, so if you planned a 4th of July party and need grub, give Jeff a ring.

If you’re in northern New Jersey, make a point to visit Jeff and the team at DTTB.

Down to the Bone – 1594 Route 10, Randolph, NJ. 973-252-4BBQ.

Cheers,

Veronique

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27 July 2013 Down to the Bone Barbecue

Down to the Bone Barbecue

July 27, 2013 By

UPDATE – THIS RESTAURANT IN NOW CLOSED.

Down to the Bone Barbecue

Wedge Salad

Down to the Bone Barbecue is located on scenic Lake Lackawanna in Stanhope, NJ. The restaurant is Owner/Chief Smoker Jeff Feldstein’s newest project born after years of barbecuing at street fairs and markets. Feldstein entered his life of barbecuing after working in Corporate America as the General Manager of a large New York-based court reporting company. After leaving his Wall Street career behind, Feldstein enrolled in recreational barbecue classes and more serious courses at the French Culinary Institute. With that experience and years of building a loyal following at various fairs, Feldstein recently opened Down to the Bone Barbecue & Co., a Texas-style barbecue restaurant with gorgeous lakeviews.

Unlike most barbecue restaurants, Down to the Bone uses applewood in its smoker. This guarantees the flavor of the meat isn’t masked with heavier mesquite or hickory. Brilliant!

Down to the Bone Barbecue

Mini Feast

“Barbecue Fusion” cuisine is what Jeff is after at Down to the Bone. What that really means is that even the most unlikely menu items get a dose of barbecue. During our visit, we sat on the outdoor patio and enjoyed a wedge salad ($9). You might ask why I’d opt for a wedge salad at a BBQ restaurant, but this isn’t just any wedge – it’s crisp iceberg lettuce with sliced tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, frizzled pulled pork and crispy onions. In case you haven’t had “frizzled pulled pork”, you’re missing out. The bits of pulled pork are fried to crunchy perfection. That salad is a must-try.

For our entrées, we picked the Mini Feast ($28) and the half rack of baby back ribs ($14). The menu says the “mini” feast serves one but I just can’t imagine who that one person could be. It’s huge! The plate offers four St. Louis-style ribs, a quarter chicken, pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked sausage. That mountain of meats is also served with sides of coleslaw and baked beans. Our waiter, who was delightful and personable, told us they’d need to replace the St. Louis ribs with baby back ribs as the former were unavailable that evening. The ribs are hand-rubbed with a dry rub and smoked for over 6 hours. We love baby back ribs so we didn’t miss the meatier St. Louis ribs. The chicken is rubbed with a blend of house spices and smoked for several hours. It might be the moistest, most flavorful smoked chicken we’ve had. The brisket is served in the manner of burned ends, the fattiest part of the brisket with a charred bark – they’re beefy deliciousness. I’m not usually drawn to barbecued sausage, but the version served at Down to the Bone is juicy, flavorful and was a favorite at our table.

LakeviewOn our next visit, we’ll order the Brisket-Wrapped Smoked Scallops ($24). Described as “Surf & Turf”, this dish showcases jumbo scallops smoked then wrapped in beef brisket and topped with tangy spicy aioli.

For those who come to Down to the Bone looking for a dare, there’s the “Down to the Bone Challenge”. There are two versions of the challenge and if a guest finishes all the food presented, he/she receives a complimentary Down to the Bone t-shirt and some significant bragging rights. The two “challenges” are:

THE BEAST ($20) – A two-foot hot dog served on a bun, topped with chili, Cheddar-Jack, Pepper-Jack cheeses, red onions, bacon, fried onion straws, jalapeno peppers and pickles and served with an oversized bowl of fries topped with brown gravy and mozzarella cheese.

THE BONE ($24) – Two one-pound burgers topped with five pieces of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss cheeses and five pieces of thick-cut bacon. The whole thing is topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and fried onion straws and served with an oversized bowl of chili cheese fries and coleslaw.

Down to the Bone Barbecue’s sauces, Mild Madness and Sweet Heat, are available for purchase throughout the tri-state area and at the restaurant. Both versions are quite good.

Down to the Bone Barbecue & Co. offers breathtaking lakeside views from its two patios and barbecue worthy of a trip to northwestern New Jersey’s Sussex County.

172 Lackawanna Drive, Stanhope, NJ

973-347-BONE

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