Uncle Wally's Southern Cross BBQ

Four out of six piggies on Mar, 2009.

Overall Impression...
Wall-icious!

Meats...
Served naked, the baby back ribs are excellent! The very meaty ribs are slightly smoky, with a tasty carmelized outside crust. The meat doesn’t fall off the bone, but it is still tender. Where the baby back ribs succeed, the brisket fails. The bland, very thickly cut meat is agonizingly tough and chewy. It took quite a bit of effort to cut with the supplied plastic utensils. The tender pulled pork is slightly smoky and rich, with a depth of flavor that deserves applause. It's appropriately coarser in texture than some, not finely shredded. The spare ribs are very meaty, and the dry rub leaves a delicious bark. Other menu items include Louisiana hot sausage, smoked meatloaf, smoked turkey breast, and chicken.

Vegetarian friendly.

Sides...
The beans are baked, not BBQ style. They are slightly sweet, and have chunks of onion and meat. They also have ranch style beans. The moist, tender cornbread is slightly sweet and delicious. Other sides include potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, Jack Daniels sweet potatoes, collard greens, green salad, chips, chili, fritters, hush puppies, and macaroni & cheese.

Sauces...
Uncle Wally’s has a wide lineup of sauces in bottles up front, but not on the tables. The sweetest is the Honey Bourbon. The healthy dose of bourbon overwhelms the other flavors. For a more acidic sauce, try Uncle Wally’s, a chunky, slightly sweet, and spicier version. Big Dan’s sauce is ketchup-based, tangy, spicy, and not as sweet. The unusual Sweet Chili sauce is a very thick, almost gelatinous, translucent red. It is made with pepper flakes and copious amounts of garlic. I found it too garlicky for the ribs or brisket, but it might go well with other meats. My favorite is the better balanced Southern Cross sauce. It’s a little smoky, a little sweet, and a little spicy, with not enough vinegar to be noticeably tangy.

Portions...
Ample. You won't leave hungry.

Service...
Friendly, helpful, sincere. You order and pick up at the counter.

Cost...
More than affordable. A two-meat platter is about $8 and comes with a side and corn bread.

Atmosphere...
It’s a cafeteria style restaurant, so you order at the counter. That keeps costs down, by the way. It's a large space. One wall is mostly glass, and the opposite bright white wall is decorated with large, dramatic photographs.

Pros...
Great baby back ribs! Several sauces to play with. Affordable. Takeout available.

Cons...
Tough, chewy brisket, cafeteria-style. Parking can be a problem in this downtown location, but that will give you a chance to walk off some of those delicious calories.

Uncle Wally's Southern Cross BBQ
1406 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
503-820-1123
M-F 7am - 7pm
Sat 12pm - 7pm
Closed Sundays