I've never been inside The House of Bargains Thrift Store at 100 NE 79th St, but I have spent some time in their parking lot, inhaling the aromas of the smoky ribs and barbecued chicken laid out on two big grills. The large man with the big tongs has arrived at 7AM to begin the smoking, and the ribs are ready at 10:30. The chicken legs have been marinating for a while, too, so when you're ready for lunch, it's ready for you. Sometimes the smokerman's not there, sometimes he's there until late afternoon or evening, and sometimes he's there but he's cooking for a 'private' event. But usually, on Thursdays and Fridays, you can smell the meat from blocks away, either smoking or being crisped up on the grill. The rib 'sandwich' is $5, chicken is $3, or 2/$5. The homemade hot sauce isn't too hot, so get the 'hot', not the mild, but not too much. The ribs are meaty and smoky, and so is the chicken, and you don't want a ladleful of sauce drowning the tender meat. Try this guy's ribs on a Thursday or Friday, and I guarantee you will be thinking about them all next week. And of course your fingers will taste good all afternoon. (By the way, for those not familiar with this kind of 'sandwich', feel free to toss aside the slices of white bread that are piled on top of the meat after mopping up any excess sauce, you're not required to eat them. Or, if you like,you can just use them as napkins.)
