Bodean's

BODEAN'S

Cuisine: American

Nearest tube: Oxford Circus

Address: 10 Poland Street, W1F 8PZ

Tel: 0207 287 7575

'Need no teef to eat my beef', says the slogan. I wouldn't go as far as saying the food is worth smashing all your teeth out for, but it's certainly tasty.

As the most recent addition to the established tradition of 'Meat Night', Bodean's came with some high praise from friends, and certainly fulfilled the criteria of being a) meaty, and b) heart-stoppingly unhealthy.

Upstairs is a busy New York-style deli, where regulars sit chowing down on their famous Soho special sandwich, but downstairs is where the magic happens. Basking in the warm red glow that's synonymous with poorly-lit American underground BBQ restaurants, Bodean's comes complete with flatscreen TVs showing US sport, which gave us the added bonus of seeing replays of Chael Sonnen giving Anderson Silva reconstructive facial surgery with his fists circa UFC 117 while we ate our food. I love this place already.

On every table are two, yes two bottles of BBQ sauce - regular and chipotle. Just get me a straw and I'll be a happy man. We order nachos and wings with extra hot sauce for starters, the former unspectacular and slightly anaemic, the latter juicy, greasy and spicy, just the way I like it. The wings were good, and had clearly been freshly cooked, unlike a lot of places who commit the cardinal sin of microwaving their wings. Two sauce-covered thumbs up so far.

My main course is pulled pork and baby back ribs, which were tasty enough but nothing special, both slightly dry and overcooked. But it's on the side orders that we really uncover Bodean's hidden gems: Burnt Ends. Two words that will haunt me for the rest of my days. Slow-smoked chunks of beef brisket served in a light BBQ sauce - moist, fatty, succulent, delicious. Also outstanding are the chilli cheese fries - whilst the fries are average, the chilli is excellent, with that distinct beefy, peppery flavour that American chilli alone manages to nail.


**UPDATE** Upon our second visit, we ordered the diablo wings again, and they were literally the most mind-blowingly delicious chicken I have ever eaten. Fresh, juicy, smothered in an explosive sauce that has a slow burn, the perfect level of spice, that had me sucking my fingers like a disgusting animal to get every last drop. My main was the Soho Special sandwich - a mushed up patty of burnt ends and pulled pork, no more than the sum of its parts but certainly satisfying.

The only other disappoint comes with the lack of a huge sundae option for dessert, but it's probably just as well, as the burnt ends have probably shaved about a decade off my life expectancy. Needless to say, I'll be going back for more soon.

Service 4/5

Food 3/5

Value 2/5

Ambience 3/5

Total: 12/20

Why you should go there: Burnt ends and diablo hot wings.

Don’t leave without trying: Burnt ends and diablo hot wings.