CLOSED: All mouths on deck: Capt. Len’s City bbq proves see-worthy
Five baby back ribs and an order of the onion rings smothered in Creole rub runs for twelve dollars at Capt Lens City Barbeque in Alpine on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. JIM MCAULEY/Daily Herald
Pork sliders and potato salad with a drink runs for six dollars at Capt Lens City Barbeque in Alpine on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. JIM MCAULEY/Daily Herald
The inside of Capt Lens City Barbeque in Alpine on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. JIM MCAULEY/Daily Herald
EDITOR’S NOTE: This restaurant is closed, but has announced they’ll be bringing their food back in trailer format.
We had been hearing some good things about a fairly new barbecue joint in Alpine, so we ventured out there on Saturday night to check it out.
Capt. Len’s City Barbecue is located on the Alpine Highway, just before you would hit the roundabout as you’re driving into town. It took over the space near the Junction gas station that used to house Dimitri’s Pizzeria and is close to the extremely popular Snoasis flavored ice shack. Capt. Len’s has been open since February.
We were worried we might be hitting the restaurant right in the heat of the dinner rush, but it was very laid-back for much of our visit. However, things began to really pick up closer to 9 p.m. as we were getting ready to leave. We’re not sure if this is typical, but perhaps Capt. Len’s just naturally caters to a late-arriving clientele.
One of the first things we noticed upon entering the restaurant was that a lot of the frames on the wall featured large black and white photos of blues artists. There was one color photo and it was of the Smokin’ Blues Band, a local band which, we understand, plays many shows at Capt. Len’s. This was actually one aspect of Capt. Len’s we hoped to experience, as the restaurant often hosts musical concerts — Alpine resident Marvin Payne, for example, is a frequent performer. Unfortunately, no one was scheduled to appear the evening of our visit.
Orders are placed at the counter, and the group of young employees we encountered was extremely friendly and helpful. They were eager to explain the menu and the specials available. One employee misstated the price of a special, which we were reading on a blackboard in front of the counter, quoting us a price $1 less than was written. When we mentioned the correct price, the manager on duty said they would go ahead and give us the discount since that is what they had stated. The buck, apparently, really does stop there.
Capt. Len’s is not a large restaurant, but it didn’t feel small either. There were seven tables in the main dining room, seating six each, and another two tables in a skinny offshoot near the front window with four seats on one side of each table only. The tables were all covered in matching picnic-style tablecloths. Meals were served on disposable plates and utensils were plastic. Drinks were of the typical fountain variety, with the option of bottled Apple Beer or Huckleberry soda.
Each table contained squeeze bottles of three house BBQ sauces — labeled Original, Texas Jack and Rocky Mountain. The Original is probably the standard BBQ sauce. The Texas Jack is made with Jack Daniels Whiskey and is a bit spicy. Our favorite was the Rocky Mountain, which features the use of cranberries and was touted as a local favorite. We could see why.
The meat flowed freely during our visit. We made sure to order Capt. Len’s Combo Meal so we could sample several items in one batch. The combo offered two choices of meat, two sides and a drink for $16.95. With the combo we mixed one rib order (2 babybacks and 1 spare) and smoked chicken (which was one-half a chicken). We preferred the abundance of flavor with the babybacks, but the spare contained a lot more meat, so it was a bit of a tradeoff. The smoked chicken was delightful, and, if possible, we enjoyed this even more than the ribs.
We also tried the pulled pork (excellent) and the brisket (divine). Normally, we are not the biggest fans of brisket — but at Capt. Len’s, this was the unanimous highlight of the meal for our party of three. It was extremely tender and the taste was near BBQ perfection. We loved it.
We tried a handful of sides, which, if ordered in addition to those that come with your meal, are $2.95. We liked all of them. Our favorite were the onion rings, made fresh as we were still finalizing our order at the counter. The rings came out as big, puffy circles of goodness. We highly approve. The BBQ beans were pretty good, and contained bits of bacon as well. The fruit bowl included blackberries, blueberries, watermelon and cantaloupe — and all the pieces were fresh and flavorful. The Fresh Cut Fries were thick and seasoned, and made a great combo when dipped in the house fry sauce (a combination of Rocky Mountain sauce and ranch dressing). The Cajun Corn featured a somewhat spicy, bold taste, drawing mixed reviews at our table.
We couldn’t call it a night without trying some desserts. The Texas Sheet Cake earned great reviews from our group, as did the Boston Cream Pie cupcake with raspberry frosting.
Capt. Len himself may not have been onboard during our enjoyable visit, but his menu and crew certainly make his restaurant see-worthy.
Capt. Len’s City Barbecue
Where: 412 S. Alpine Highway, Alpine
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Saturday
Prices: $1-$22.95; specials include Ribs for Two $24.95 and Family Special $45.95
Info: (801) 492-4444, www.facebook.com/captlensbbq