Enjoying Barbecue in an Unusual Setting

Given the extent to which barbecue restaurants are often associated with hole-in-the-wall and out-of-the-ordinary settings, I don’t generally expect to be surprised by the appearance when trying one for the first time. But it happened last week when I ventured over to Sid’s BBQ & Jerky in Claymont, Delaware, which is off I-95  just across the state border from Pennsylvania. 

It sits in the middle of a business park that looks like three very long sheds that are subdivided between the various businesses that occupy them. It’s the last place I’d expect to find a restaurant of any kind, let alone a barbecue joint. 

While Sid’s is only about 20 minutes from me in light traffic, I was unfamiliar with them until my friend and fellow food-blogger, John Tanner, mentioned that he was heading up from D.C. to try the place and invited me to join him. John specializes in writing about barbecue, so he is more on top of the various establishments in the Mid-Atlantic region than I am. He also has a personal connection to Sid’s owner, John Sidoriak, who makes the meat he serves on a smoker at his home.

There is no room for one at Sid’s, which has a tiny interior. They appeared to do mostly takeout business with the only option for dining-in being a small counter with a few stools. Thankfully they were unoccupied when John and I arrived and we were able to enjoy our meal in relative comfort. 

When it was time to order, I took advantage of visiting Sid’s on a Friday, which is one of the days of the week when they serve baby-back ribs, by ordering a half-rack of them along with a side of mac-and-cheese. John opted for a two-meat platter and chose brisket and pulled pork along with a side of pepper-cabbage, a new dish to him – and me. 

While we were waiting, owner John very kindly gave us a dish of brisket burnt ends to sample. 

They were almost shockingly tender and had a very nice, smokey flavor. 

The rest of our food was out before long and it was a sight for sore eyes, as it had been a while since I’d eaten barbecue.

The rib meat was as tender as one could hope for and very flavorful. The only issue with it was aesthetic. The six ribs were separated into three pairs, and it was impossible to separate each pair without the meat falling apart to some extent, making for photos that aren’t completely satisfying.

Of course, that takes a back seat to flavor and texture, and these ribs were winners on those scores.

There were several sauce options and I chose Kansas City style, which is on the sweet side – just how I like it.

I tried John’s pulled pork and it was also very tender and just slightly smokey. Sid’s meat is smoked with oak, which imparts a mild flavor compared to some other popular barbecue woods – most notably hickory. He hit it with eastern Carolina style vinegar-based sauce which added to the meat’s moisture. 

The burnt ends aside, I didn’t try the brisket. Some of it looked a little dry, but John commented on how soft the meat was.

He also enjoyed his pepper-cabbage, while I was happy with my mac-and-cheese. 

My thanks to John Tanner for turning me on to Sid’s. It’s always good to have another quality barbecue option in the area. I’ll likely be back.

Be sure to check out John’s blog, which will include his report on our meal in the coming days. It’s also a great resource for anyone who lives or will be travelling south of the Philly region – all the way down to Florida, but with an emphasis on Maryland, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina.