1469 NE Prescott St
Portland, OR
503-281-3700
As part of my five-year plan to inform the world that I really, really enjoy the cue, my editor and I headed out to Podnah’s Pit Barbecue in Portland, only to see a whole crowd of people massed around the doorway of the tiny Northeast joint. This was a problem; see, I’ve heard almost hyperbolically good things about Podnah’s (pronounced like an old Texan slurring “partner”) and had a deep fear that their famed pork short ribs would be sold out. Happy men that we are, we stepped inside to find a few tables available; the crowd was waiting for one massive group seating. Assholes that they were, they promptly ordered every single pork rib in the place. Honestly, we had not been sitting for three minutes when a server came to the specials chalkboard and scribbled “pork ribs” under the OUT section.
And Lord, was I angry, but righteously so. Podnah’s is the kind of place I love: it’s tiny and bright, with tables and newspaper lining the walls. The beer list is extensive, with bottled varieties that I’d never heard of and one Australian beer that my editor hadn’t had in 10 years and was overjoyed to find. As owner Rodney Muirhead specializes in Texas-style cue, each table had two bottles of sauce, one thin and sharply piquant and the other thick, red and sweet. All the meats are smoked with oak hardwood, no gas or charcoal by sacred barbecue promise. Also, they make only a single batch of cue a day, so if something’s out, you’re out of luck.
Which brings me back to my ire. Fortunately, we put our shame aside and begged a pair of pork ribs off the waiter. We did have to mention we were there to review the place, but still, you’re a good man, Podnah’s waiter. We appreciate what you do, because those were some damn good ribs. Juicy and tender. I literally gnawed the bones like a dog just for a bit more of the succulence. And I hadn’t even ordered my actual meal yet.
We both went for the Two-Meat platter, meaning beef brisket and Carolina-style pulled pork; I opted for coleslaw and potato salad, while my editor went for the pinto beans. After a wonderfully brief wait, our plates arrived stacked high. It was more meal that I could handle in two sittings, but that’s just one reason why I love barbecue; the savor and flavor was the rest. The brisket was rich and sliced properly against the grain, and I ate most of that with the sweet sauce, which served it well. The pork was even better, especially contrasted with the piquancy of the vinegar sauce; neither was quite on the level of the rib, but both were far and away the best examples of their sort that I’d had in ages. Each plate also came with a massive slab of cornbread, which was slightly dry, but nothing a little butter and honey couldn’t fix. Also worth mentioning: I had merely to ask the waiter for the latter and it was there in literally seconds. Good man.
The potato salad, liberally dusted with paprika, was also excellent, full of crisp celery and a refreshing creaminess, while the coleslaw and pinto beans were my only disappointments of the evening. I prefer my slaw creamy and smooth, while this had more a thin, vinegar-like base. The pinto beans were adequate, but were quite simply beans and little else. I can’t complain though, since they were only disappointing in contrast to the rest of the meal.
Podnah’s served me well that evening. The tab racked up to just over $20 each for the two of us, especially good considering that I got two meals out of a single serving. The restaurant has been hitting the national reviews pretty hard recently, which speaks for both itself and the rising star of the Portland restaurant scene. It might be even harder to get ribs in the future, so if you love the cue, get there now.
by Nathan Kamal
