Blues Bar-B-Q

Blues Bar-B-Q
1, rue Sedaine, in the 11th Arrondissement.
01 48 06 79 53. Mon–Thurs, noon–10 p.m.
Fri–Sat, noon–11 p.m. Sun, 1–8 p.m.
Sometimes I just need to step away from the foie gras served at most Paris bistros and give my taste buds a trip down memory lane, American style. Recently I stumbled upon the one and only barbecue restaurant in Paris, Blues Bar-B-Q.
This is a true-blue little diner, complete with vinyl chairs, booths, Formica tables and a Texas flag hanging in the corner. The owner is a Texan herself, and she managed to bring the first barbecue smoker to Paris about a year and a half ago, which is a dream come true for expats missing a bit of home.

I made my first visit with a Texan, and we went with a few “Bar-B-Q” plates so we could try it all. The meat is cooked for several hours over hickory wood, low and slow. The St. Louis–style ribs were so tender I could actually eat them like the French do—with a fork and knife. The Texas beef brisket was a little on the dry side, but with the addition of some extra sauce all was forgotten. The sauce is, of course, made from scratch with tomatoes and spices to give it that sweetness with a kick. We also tried the sausage, which was also smoky and nice, but perhaps not such a novelty in pork-laden Paris.
I could have made a meal of the homemade sides, including the small but powerful macaroni and cheese, whose large noodles were served in a small ramekin that I wished was a little bit bigger after I quickly inhaled its contents. The cornbread was light and sweet, and I toggled between eating it plain with butter and dipping it in the leftover barbecue sauce. Rounding out the menu of sides were Texas beans, coleslaw, fries, southwest corn salad, gumbo and corn on the cob.
There is also a Carolina pulled-pork sandwich that I will be returning for the next time I picnic along the Canal St. Martin. You can also get any meat in a sandwich, in addition to a smokin’ chili dog, for carryout.
They do offer red, white and rosé wine, but everyone knows you have to drink beer with barbecue, so we had Grolsch on tap, though there were also Corona and Bud in the bottle. Another treat: Coke and root-beer floats, along with milkshakes and cherry sodas. 

For dessert, Blues Bar-B-Q offers homemade treats ranging from brownies to cheesecake, but we had to get the peach cobbler à la mode—which was indeed the perfect finale for my trip down memory lane.
In a nutshell: If you’re missing a taste of Texas or just craving some southern hospitality, stop in or take out at Blues Bar-B-Q for some finger-licking ribs or pulled-pork sandwiches.
Price check: Barbecue sandwiches are 7.50 euros, and plates are 15–22 euros.
If you’re craving more US delicacies like Blues Bar-B-Q, try the burger truck, Camion Qui Fume, from an LA native now living in Paris. Read the review.
Le Camion Qui Fume
Locations all over Paris. 06 23 19 74 92.
See Le Camion’s Twitter feed for locations and times.
Related Link
Blues Bar-B-Q
Editor’s note: Heading to Paris? Don’t forget to browse our handpicked hotels, classes and trips. Join the Travel Club.