Puttin' The "Bar" In Barbecue

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Puttin' The "Bar" In Barbecue

I ain't no gambler, but I'd bet on this julep.

In honor of this Saturday's Kentucky Derby, hoof it over to Bludso's, Weho's new-ish bastion of BBQ, for the best julep outside Louisville. Here's why their version gets the gold cup. As co-owner Jason Bernstein (a self-taught cocktail connoisseur) explains, Evan Williams bourbon is steeped in mint for 24 hours, strained, then chilled on tap. Like the Foreigner tune, this bourbon is cold as ice, so that when poured over pebble ice, the booze doesn't get watered down.

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Care For A Smoke?

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Care For A Smoke?

Unleaded, Supreme, or Tri-tip? Leave it to L.A. to have bomb-ass BBQ at a gas station.

Just as the name implies, Swingin' Door Texas BBQ serves up authentic 'cue from the Lone Star state. Located on a nondescript, Noho corner, it's easy to miss, in spite of the two giant smokers out front. Look out for a bright, hokey Western mural, a wagon-wheel lined patio, and bales of hay. The cowboy kitsch not only detracts from the unfortunate proximity to gas pumps, but is a sweet n' cheesy homage to Hollywood production design.

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