After opening in Monticello a few years ago, Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon expanded to State Street this year. However, the new location doesn’t have the full menu, full bar, ample dining space and charm of a historic building as the original does.
To expand on that point, the Madison location doesn’t serve ribs, prime rib, potato pancakes or even French fries, and “saloon” should not be taken literally, as there are only a few alcoholic beverages, including canned cocktails.
Fortunately, what remains is worth a visit. The three meats on the menu are brisket, pulled pork and chicken (smoked and pulled).
- The brisket ($24.95 for a platter) was seasoned well and had just enough fat on it to enhance the flavor. My only complaint was the small portion size for the price.
- The pulled pork ($16.95 for a platter) was decent but a bit dry, and it depended heavily on some sauce. Speaking of sauces, Pink Heifer has three: a standard BBQ sauce with the right amount of sweetness, a horseradish sauce that had a good bite and a Carolina mustard sauce that was slightly spicy.
- The smoked chicken ($18.95 for a platter) quarter was tender and moist, with a hint of hickory wood flavor. No sauce needed here.
The platters come with two sides, and you also can get the meats in sandwich form. For the sides, I liked the cowboy beans, which had a nice smokiness to them, the mac and cheese, and the seasoned potato wedges. Meanwhile, the coleslaw could have been creamier, the onions in the cowboy caviar had an off-putting taste and the cornbread was dry and tasted like eating straight cornmeal.
I’m probably burying the lede here, but by far the best item on the menu was the wagon rolls ($6.95 for two, $12.95 for four). The crispy shell was stuffed with juicy, shredded brisket and melty cheddar, and the egg roll paired well with the horseradish sauce.
Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday and late-night meals Thursday through Saturday.
