Bludso’s BBQ on La Brea expected to open next week

The smell of barbecue has hit La Brea Boulevard. The highly anticipated Bludso’s on La Brea is set to open this month, bringing Kevin Bludso’s Texas-by-way-of-Compton barbecue to Hollywood.

“Presently we are shooting for an opening next week,” says co-owner Jason Bernstein. “Might not be Monday but pretty locked into the week of the 11th.”

Bernstein and James Starr, owners of the Golden State on Fairfax, have teamed with Bludso and transformed the former Tar Pit space to accommodate barbecue-eaters and beer-drinkers. Gone is the Art Deco-inspired lounge and in its place is a BBQ hall where the meat-serious can get down to business (with a full bar serving a concise list of cocktails along with craft beer).

On the menu are Bludso’s favorites: slabs of pork ribs, smoked chicken, beef brisket, pulled pork and hot links. Everything is ordered by the pound. The new Bludso’s Noah Galuten is on kitchen duty, overseeing the heating of meats and the preparation of sides such as mac ‘n’ cheese, baked beans, cole slaw, collard greens and corn bread. For dessert are his pies, cobblers and red velvet cake.

At a Super Bowl party on Sunday that also was a preview of the new restaurant, serving trays were heaped with smoked meats accompanied by spicy barbecue sauce and bottles of chile vinegar. It was either the overload of meat or Destiny’s Child that got the crowd riled up enough to cheer in the middle of the Super Bowl halftime show.

Among the cocktails served were classic daiquiris and margaritas, and on the beer list were Holy Jim Falls XPA from Cismontane and a Uinta Brewing kolsch. Any of which go nicely with the fried pickles.

609 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, www.bludsos.com (still under construction).

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