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[REVIEW]
Country Strong Masterful fine-dining touches make laidback Original J’s a destination for the whole family Written by
CHERYL BAEHR Original J’s Tex-Mex & Barbecue 7359 Forsyth Boulevard, University City; 314202-8355. Mon.-Sun. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
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he moment you walk into Original J’s Tex-Mex & Barbecue, you wonder if you may have mistakenly stepped inside an annex of the adjacent dive bar, Krueger’s. The place is covered in wood paneling — the retro kind that lined the basement walls at your friend’s parents’ house where you’d spend hours listening to Mother Love Bone and exhaling cigarettes through a dryer sheet. Vintage stained-glass chandeliers that appear fogged from years of smoke hang from the ceiling, while framed pictures of waterfowl and Waylon Jennings decorate the dining room. In the corner, an old Catch a Duck machine beckons young’uns and an old-school sit-down-style Ms. Pac-Man game, complete with burgundy pleather chairs, appeals to the young and nostalgic alike. If you were to conjure a scene that is the polar opposite of Mike Randolph’s beloved South American inflected blico, it would be Original J’s. The former, an upscale restaurant that closed in December 2018, was positively sultry; the way the flames from the wood fired grill flickered across the stylish bar and dining room set a date-night mood. Original J’s, by contrast, is the place you take the kids to be loud and shovel down platters of barbecue and cheese-covered carbs. On its face, then, his latest venture, which he opened with his wife, Liz, this past November, appears to be a pivot from the world of fine dining toward a more casual, family-friendly concept.
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A selection of items from Original J’s: A two-meat combo platter, Texas-style hot links, Mom Tacos, brisket chili and chicken enchiladas. | MABEL SUEN Such a move conveniently fits the storyline of the couple’s small restaurant empire Their fine dining restaurants blico, andolfi’s and Privado have all closed; both locations of their casual breakfast and lunch spot Half & Half remain open. Randolph would admit as much himself, noting the di culties associated with sustaining a fine dining establishment over the long term and the industry trend toward more low-key spots. However, if you look beneath the surface, there is a distinct thread that connects Original J’s to these former fine dining restaurants. There’s the way Randolph uses smoke and coaxes flavors from different chiles, just as he and his team did at blico; there’s the science behind the equipment and the techniques he experimented with at Privado. Wood paneling aside, Original J’s should not be seen as a departure from his fine dining background; it’s an extension of it. Understanding this, you get your answer to the question posed
FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 3, 2020
every time another barbecue spot opens in the St. Louis area: Do we really need another one? And the answer is that it depends. If you approach the question from a sheer numbers point of view, you see a barbecue scene that is mighty saturated. However, if you believe that there will always be space for a place that is not only delicious but offers an interesting approach to the art and science of smoked meats, then there is more than enough space for Original J’s. Randolph, of course, does not want to scare people away with talk of fancy cooking techniques and the quality of proteins he sources. These are foregone conclusions at Original J’s, while the forward-facing part of the business is pure Tex-Mex comfort. Out of the gate, dishes like J’s Famous Chili con Queso show the restaurant’s inclination toward fare that is both approachable and of high quality. The cheese sauce is the velvety consistency you get from ballpark nachos, but without any of the artificial flavor. Flecked
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with green chiles, the cheese is smothered in a rich brisket chili. When stirred together, the components meld into a decadent, mildly spiced concoction. Taquitos evoke the ease of bar food, but in place of bland ground beef, the miniature fried cigarshaped shells are filled with rib meat that has the velvety texture of pork rillettes. The dish would be overly rich, but Randolph smartly pairs the taquitos with a side of zesty guacamole that cuts through the fat. Chicken wings are like the sweet and spicy guilty pleasures you get from the grocery store hot-wing bar — only grown up and infinitely more refined. The plump flats and drummies have a gentle smoke that is amped up by fiery arbol peppers, but dialed down with a lime and agave glaze. It’s a beautiful balance. You can get guacamole at Original J’s, but the tomato and avocado salad is a more unique and bright way to enjoy the creamy green fruit. Huge hunks of avoca-
