Casey BBQ

Santa Maria Tri-Tip Pilgrimage

Posted by Casey Jones on Oct 5, 2014 5:13:00 PM

20140930_154843_(1)Today we had a chance to drive into Santa Maria, the birth place of Tri-tip, and I was ready to
celebrate that birth! This visit would be to Shaw's Steakhouse Tavern and we were ready to try
the top rated Tri-tip in the area.

 

Shaw's is located at 714 S. Broadway in Santa Maria, it was almost 4pm and we were ready for some BBQ! When we walked in, it was 3:50pm and dinner didn't start until 4, so the host offered to go back and check to see if enough was ready so they could start serving dinner a little early. He came back, thumbs up Baby! We were on! The really
cool thing about Shaw's is that as you walk in, you see into the kitchen through the window placed right in front of the Wood smoking pit with all of the meats cooking over the fire.

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This was going to be good! Our waiter showed up quickly to get us started with drinks, but we were on a mission, so we didn't need a few minutes, we were ready to order. Figuring we would share the plates between us, we had decided to order two different plates, so we could sample the different meats. We ordered the Linguica sausage appetizer for starters.

 

 

I ordered the beef ribs with a baked potato, and a dinner salad (because I think healthy LOL).

My BBQ Buddy ordered the Tri-tip with shrimp scampi and a salad ( she actually prefers salad, go figure) and we got the ranch style beans that came with the meal. Before any of the food or appetizers came out, our waiter brought us a relish plate. Celery, carrots, green onions, large black olives and butter pickles. I have to tell you, what a treat! There was no dressing to dip them into, and it didn't need it! I liked it so much, I asked if we could get another as we devoured the first one. Did I mention we came in hungry?

He brought out another round along with the Linguica sausage. The sausage was amazing and came with a sweet dipping sauce that I really had no use for as the sausage was great all by itself. It came sliced and garnished with garlic bread that was cut into cubes to make little sandwiches with the dip. Pretty delicious that way too! 

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Our salads were tasty, but they were still salads after all. Then the main course came out. The ribs were not smoked for hours, rather they were grilled like steaks and cooked to medium. They were seasoned perfectly! Salt, pepper and garlic! They were amazing. The shrimp scampi was surprisingly excellent. Butterflied and drenched in garlic butter. I love that!! On to some Tri-tip. Now, I make Tri-tip at home as one of my own specialties, and I do make it Santa Maria style. This Tri-tip came out in thick slices, which is just how I like it. It had a perfect sear on the outside and the inside was done to a perfect medium rare. When I cut a piece off and put it in my mouth it was like the Fourth of July!! If I lived close by, I would probably never have to make Tri tip at home.

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I have to place my hat in with all of the other yelpers that gave this place such a good review. Shaw's knocked it out of the park!! Even the ranch style beans, which I had forgotten were even there for most of the meal, were delicious. A nice, savory, peppery finish. Not sweet. They were a perfect compliment to the Tri-tip and Beef ribs. Of course there was too much food to finish, so I eagerly placed the rest in a to go box. (Even the second relish dish).

 

 

20140930_155210We took it back to our hotel room in Pismo, right off the beach, and went for a long walk until both of our fit bit flexes we were wearing announced we had hit 10,000 steps! Mine took

 little longer, but my pretty little BBQ Buddy was patient and continued to walk the Casey until mine finally registered that I had met the goal! I managed a pretty weak jump in the air, fist up, to celebrate. Back to the room we went to sit on the balcony and look out at the stars over the ocean through our binoculars. We went back in the room after a while, and while my BBQ buddy took a shower, I polished off the leftovers! Ok, I did leave her a bite of the Tri-tip, and some of the relish plate, but fortunately, she doesn't eat much. It was even fantastic cold!

Well, all in all, this was a perfect BBQ day in my book, not to mention my blog! Oh, I guess I did mention my blog!! After a nice shower, it was off to bed to wonder, can the experience at Shaw's be topped on this BBQ trip. I was left to wonder and drifted off to sleep. I recommend Shaw's Steakhouse Tavern to anyone looking for a great experience with Tri tip. Not in the Southern style, but good old California, cooked over a fire fueled with Oak that kisses the meat perfectly.

 

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Happy hunting and remember, Barbecue is love, and we all need Love.

Topics: barbecue

Tasty Barbecue

My name is Casey, and I'm a rolling stone.

I roll from barbecue place to barbecue place looking for the tastiest barbecue in the states. I tell it like it is.

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