Sunday brunch at Boston bars

Of all the places a Texas BBQ could be located in Boston, one might not expect Copley Square, which is exactly where Whiskey’s, a redwood barnyard barbecue, is situated. At 885 Boylston St., Whiskey’s is directly across from the Prudential Center.

Upon entering, I was immediately impressed with the decor and its replication of the look and mood of a classic rib house. The atmosphere and lighting gave Whiskey’s a comfortable, warm feeling that is lacking from steak and rib houses in Boston. The only thing reminding me I was still in the daily grind of big city Boston was when I caught a glance of the Hollywood Video across the street.

After being seated, I immediately noticed that the tables were old wooden doors framed with glass. The table was clean and, most importantly, stacked with the essential sauces and condiments. Many restaurants do not pay enough attention to this.

The brunch menu was simple and clear cut: appetizers, breakfast or lunch. The only thing not on the menu was soft drinks — I did not see prices and I did not know whether or not they provided free refills (essential for a good dining experience). The best part of the menu, however, has to be the pricing: good southern BBQ at affordable southern prices.

The meal began with two appetizers, Cajun Calamari and Hushpuppies. The Cajun Calamari delivered a perfect kind of spiciness; a sensation that was tongue-tingling hot without burning my lips on entry. But for $6, it might just be smarter to go with the less expensive stuff on the menu. One of the cheapest and must-eat items on the menu is the Hushpuppies, an innovative dish of fried scallion dough balls on a plate of light syrup and powdered sugar.

Moving on to the main course, the first thing ordered was a special type of breakfast combo called the skillet #1. These skillet dishes add variety to the breakfast part of the meal, diversifying from the normal eggs and home fries breakfast. In the menu, each numbered skillet comes with the usual two eggs, plate of home fries and a special sizzling pan of food. With skillet #1, the special plate of food was stir-fried okra, potatoes, onions and shrimp. The eggs, skillet and home fries piled up to be a very large portion, too much for someone who might just want a light breakfast.

Being a barbecue house, Whiskey’s, of course, had to have either great steak or great ribs. Ribs seemed to be the pride and joy of Whiskey’s, considering they had three different types. My recommendation is the Memphis Mix; a gigantic plate loaded with 4 Applewood ribs (short ribs), 2 Texas BBQ Beef ribs (long ribs), half a chicken, a plateful of fries and a piece of cornbread. None of the ribs and special combos were priced above $15, averaging $11 per plate. The portions were so huge, there was enough to wrap up and eat for dinner.

Whiskey’s is a great place to take a friend to pig out or drink, but definitely not the best of places to bring your date. Sunday brunch at Whiskey’s is definitely all about the food — don’t bother looking for a spot of tea and a petite slice of cantaloupe because all you’ll find is ribs, beef and beer.