A beefy barbe-’Lou’s’

Doug Tabbert

If you can’t find time for a good old-fashioned summer cookout this

summer, a trip to Lou’s Oak Oven Barbecue will satisfy most any

carnivore’s hankering for flavorful meats.

Lou’s made the Los Angeles Times 300 Noteworthy Restaurants in

2003 and is rumored to have done so again this year.

The lustrous brown walls, green tables and chairs offer an apt,

tasteful forest motif for this middle-of-the-road-priced, sit-down

restaurant, which seeks to barbecue in a style that originated in the

Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County.

Tri-tip roasts, whole chickens, sausage, pork loins and racks of

ribs (St. Louis style), are all cooked over red oak chips from the

Central Coast. This style hearkens back to the 1800s, when early

California ranchers would invite neighbors and friends over for some

good eatin’.

When the waitress dropped off half a dozen hot and salty pretzel

nuggets with a barbecue sauce and a honey dijon mustard dipping

sauce, I assumed she made a mistake. This curious serving in lieu of

bread was something of the potluck-challenged uncle variety. But no

complaints, new and different was good.

My rotisserie-roasted half chicken was served off the bone and on

a toasted ranch roll. The fowl was as tender and juicy as chicken can

be. If you love meat, Lou’s is your accessible Garden of Eden. This

eatery offers several sandwiches and salads including the tri-tip

salad ($8.99) consisting of sliced medallions of tri-tip, fresh

lettuce and red tomatoes and your choice of several dressings.

The Early California plates range from $12 to $20 and come with a

mug of Santa Maria Pinquito beans swimming in sauce and flavorful

bacon; your choice of soup, house salad or coleslaw and homemade

mashed potatoes, fresh baked yams or long-grain wild rice. You can

try any of Lou’s Early California plates “Low Carb” style, served

with sauteed green beans and a double serving of salad for 99 cents

more.

Every region of the country naturally has its own conception of

proper barbecuing. Recently, a special combo platter was introduced

that is available from time to time, consisting of South Carolina

pulled pork, methodically roasted and served in a vinegar barbecue

sauce and Lou’s shredded beef.

Lou’s, which can’t be suffering because of the collectively

ingrained Atkins ethos, is not only about the meats. There’s pie,

too. Fresh cherry and apple pie ($2.49) can be served with a scoop of

vanilla ice cream for a dollar more, as well as root beer floats and

mind-bending double chocolate, triple-layer cake. Save room if you

can.

Several varieties of Woodbridge wine are available either by the

glass or the bottle. Bottles of California microbrews, domestic beers

and Hefeweizen on tap are also served.

* DOUG TABBERT is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected]