Okay, there really wasn’t a round one… I have however made blanket statements about Smoque having the best pulled pork in Chicago and Fat Willy’s brisket being the best. This time around it was different. I didn’t eat any brisket at Willy’s – they were out of it (a good sign). But I ate sausage at both. I’d like to say that one was better than the other and wile I had a preference for certain items, they both had their own successes and – oh my – disappointments.

Disappointment really has no place in the conceptual realm of BBQ. There are always preferences and assumptions but nothing is ever bad, right? Let’s go with that and simply say I assumed the smoked sausage at Fat Willy’s would be better… and that I preferred Smoques. By far. In fact the smoked sausage at Smoque was the highlight of that lunch. Inflatable Water Slide Where Willy’s smokes a hot dog, forcemeat-style sausage, Smoque’s is more Texas sausage-style. I really preferred the unbelievable goodness of the Texas-sausage.

Maybe it was just the day, or me getting used to chopped vs. sliced smoked brisket but both Smoque’s pulled pork as well as the chopped brisket were pretty dry, contrary to what I remember as being amazing. The pulled pork at Willy’s was moist and smoky without being too smoky. The bread was skipped but the slaw, again, was terrific. Actually the slaw was similar at both places.

I didn’t get into the sauce at either but like the option of vinegar BBQ sauce at Willy’s.  If only the projector at the Western Ave. theatre didn’t break down the addition of My Bloody Valentine in 3D would have been the frosting on my ideal-evening cake.  Rats.