Salinas City BBQ
700 W. Market St., Salinas (831) 758-2227, salinascitybbq.com
There’s smoke spilling from weathered smokers out back. There’s oak stacked up and a patina to the building that seems to say: Southern barbecue. And there’s that menu of sandwiches and platters – tri-tip, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, hot links and the king of all barbecue meats, the brisket. And how do they manage to turn this stern, tough cut into something kinder and gentler? The pitmasters go low and slow, cooking the wood and letting the smoke ease over and into the meat. They have a slogan: “When you’re eating breakfast, we’re cooking dinner.” But if you are planning on dinner at Salinas City BBQ, maybe it’s best to skip breakfast.