BBQ Grammar and Culture

“My intent was to break some rules,” says John Fletcher, owner of LAZY BONES BARBECUE on Spokane’s South Hill. That’s why the former co-owner of Picabu restaurant offers gluten-free items, and a selection of vegan choices.

Vegan at a BBQ place?! That just seems…

“Wrong?” Fletcher says, finishing my sentence with a smile.

OK, it does sound a little wrong to those of us for whom Barbecue is both a proper noun and a verb, specifically a transitive verb, and who believe, rather passionately, that Barbecue refers to pork: not beef, chicken, fish or, heaven help us, plants in any form. Yet here they all are on the menu, sounding surprisingly tasty.

The tofu plate ($10) is a half-pound slab of smoked, barbecue-sauce-glazed, locally produced Small Planet Tofu. It’s rubbed with Lazy Bones’ house grilling spices, smoked and then char-grilled on separate equipment so as not to contaminate the plant-based with the flesh-based. (Sounds a bit Levitical to me, but whatever works.) This meat-cheater is surprisingly smoky and comes served with a choice of salad, plus bread.

The slaw, too, is not what one might expect. Green cabbage is finely shredded for a light, crispy, almost airy texture, and the dressing is simple vinaigrette. Pile this on their BBQ chopped pork sandwich ($5) or any of the other eight sandwiches, burgers, wraps or tacos for a bit of Southern flair.

If all of this “alternative barbecue” sounds too heavily eclectic for your taste, rest assured: The half-pound of baby back ribs ($10), served with a choice of 14 sides, is delicious and holds its own. A sweet, light tomato-based house-made sauce — virtually everything is made from scratch — finds its caramelized perfection in smoking and grilling, and the meat is tender-firm and smoky, thanks to Pit Master Chris Luce.

And they do have Southern greens. Collards, to be specific. And they are good. At $2.69 for about a cup, the greens are cooked with vinegar, a hint of sugar, red pepper and bits of smoked pork. Yummy.

Sodas and a selection of wines and beer are available to drink, but for the proper-noun-Barbecue crowd, a huge vat labeled “Sweet Tea” is irresistible — though in keeping with the rule breaking, the tea has a slight hint of orange-spice added.

Heresy? Perhaps.

Lazy Bones Barbecue, 4334 S. Regal St., is open Sun-Thu 11 am-9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm. Visit lazybonesbarbecue.com or call 448-RIBS (7427).