San Diego BBQ Spot Excels with Creative & Unique Desert Flavors
San Diego BBQ has never been better and one of the most unique and creative ones is Chef Drew Bent’s, Papalo, located right in the heart of downtown La Mesa. We spent the afternoon with Chef Drew learning, and sampling his creative take on a new style here is what we learned.
A sampler platter at Papalo
Chef Drew Bent is no stranger to the creative. His background at some of the worlds best restaurants, helming LOLA 55 a Michelin Bib Gourmand taco spot in East Village, and even beating Bobby Flay on Food Network has made him one of San Diego’s most respected chefs. So when we heard that he had struck out on his own, with a wild new concept in hand we knew we had to see what he was up to.
The smoked pork shoulder waiting to be wrapped
This new concept Chef has been working on is dubbed “Sonoran” style, it’s named after the famous desert that reaches from California to Arizona and parts of Northern Mexico. After a long rainy drive through the desert one day in 2022, he rolled down the windows where the aroma of the sage, herbs, flora and fauna inspired him to create a style of BBQ akin to that memory.
Chef’s menu is constantly changing and evolving, and you won’t find many of the same items over time. When we went we sampled a bit of it all. Including a few of their long standing ones, “Smoked Cherry Pecan Glazed Pork Ribs” an ultra sticky sweet and salty glaze topped with pecans, and cilantro. As well as the “Smoked Mole BBQ Chicken” usually its thigh meat, this time it was breast, either way it was delicious. However the beef chuck, that was smoked for two hours before being seared over the coals was simply phenomenal.
Sides are simply not to be missed, homemade flour tortillas, smooth pinto beans, saffron infused rice, well made cornbread with citrus honey butter and delicious sauces all make the proteins shine! A full bar adds a load of good times to Papalo from craft beers to well made drinks. Try their “Carajillo” made with espresso from across the street at Public Square Coffee or “The Sonoran Sunrise” a jamica infused mezcal combined with citrus juice and sage for a herbaceous and complex cocktail perfect with some smokey BBQ.
We highly recommend heading over to Chef Drew’s spot if you crave trying something new, exciting and full of flavor. It truly is a must try for any foodie!