| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010 7:19 am |
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Entertainment 
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Everett's Wicked Rack a wickedly good BBQ joint EVERETT — James Sanders says he’s no relation to a certain fried-chicken chain’s “colonel.”“No, but that was my nickname in high school,” Sanders said. Relation or not, expect to lick your fingers at his Wicked Rack Bar-Be-Que restaurant in south Everett. Sanders has had his barbecue joint at a strip mall at the intersection of Evergreen Way and Everett Mall Way for nearly a year, since moving from a drive-up shack in Lake Stevens. Losing his lease on the property where he had his shack provided him the excuse to expand and let folks sit down while they enjoyed his pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken, hot links and more. And by “more,” that means live blues music on Wednesday nights, open-mike blues on Friday nights and starting Tuesday, comedy nights on Tuesdays. Sanders punched a hole through the wall to the next storefront in the strip mall for a banquets and to make room for the entertainment. But let’s talk barbecue. Sanders, over the past nine years, has developed his own dry spice rubs and sauce recipes, finding inspiration in Carolina-style barbecue. The meat is rubbed with dry spice mixtures and smoked over low heat, cherry wood for the chicken, alder for the rest. Sanders waits to add the vinegar-based sauces until after the meat is cooked and goes heavy on the vinegar. “I love that vinegar,” Sanders said. No argument here. My wife and I got a good sample of what Wicked Rack offers by ordering his three-meat and three-sides combo plate ($15.95 or $28.95), offering a choice among the smoked meats of beef brisket, Boston butt pulled pork, chicken, pork spare ribs or hot links. Meals of each of the above are available with two small sides and corn bread for $8.95 for a small meal and $12.95 for large. We chose the brisket, ribs and chicken, then sides of baked beans, corn bread and sweet potato fries. Each of the meats tasted of smoke and spice, with neither flavor stepping on the other. Given a choice between “sweet” and “spicy” sauce, we went with the spicy; a sauce hot and tangy without making you wish you had a glass of Freon to wash it down with. The brisket and chicken were plenty moist, but nothing like the pork ribs, which pulled from the bone easier than peeling a banana. My wife’s favorite was the pork ribs, though I had a harder time marking a preference. I’d rather take another bite than argue about it. I returned the next day to fetch lunch, ordering a pulled pork sandwich ($6.95) and a hot link ($6.95), with sides of beans and potato salad. The pulled pork was just as tasty on a hoagie roll, this time topped with sweet sauce. And the Louisiana hot link was smoky and spicy. This time the heat was paired with sweet sauce and a vinegar-dressed coleslaw on top that provide a cool, tangy crunch. We know you’re here for the meat, but the sides deserve mention. The baked beans, Sanders’ own recipe like nearly everything on the menu, tasted of molasses and brown sugar with minced onion and hunks of the pulled pork for good measure. The sweet potato fries were a nice change from regular fries. And the house-made corn bread was sweet and moist without being too much like a cakey yellow-tinged muffin. Other sides, ($2.50 to $3 for small, $4.25 to $5.25 for large), include French fries, hush puppies, fried mac and cheese, fried okra (go ask your cousin from the South), potato salad, corn salad, macaroni salad, a vinegar-dressed coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob. Wicked Rack also serves up sandwiches with beef brisket or smoked chicken and smoked burgers, including a buffalo burger ($8.95), a turkey burger and veggie burger (both $7.95), and the Wicked Classic ($8.95), a cheeseburger topped with pork, beef brisket or chicken. If you’ve left room for dessert, and if others haven’t beaten you to it, you can order Sanders’ sweet potato pie or the “Sock it to Me” cake, a yellow bundt cake with a ribbon of cinnamon sauce running through it. Wicked Rack is applying for its full liquor license but does offer wine and beer, including microbrews and Bud Light on tap. Sanders is planning a special Halloween party for Oct. 31. One of two house bands, Blues Union, will play, and a prime rib dinner will be served. Arrive in costume and you’ll get a happy-hour break on drinks. Come Halloween night if you see a ghost with barbecue sauce on his sheet, you’ll know where he’s been. Wicked Rack Bar-Be-Que 10121 Evergreen Way, Everett (across from Izzy’s Pizza) Specialty: Carolina-style barbecue Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays; live music Wednesdays and Fridays Price range: Inexpensive, most items $6.95 to $12.95 Alcohol: Wine and beer Credit cards: MasterCard and Visa Phone: 425-334-3800 for take-out and catering Web site: www.wickedrackbbq.net |
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