Review: Yoshinoya - BBQ Rib Bowl

Yoshinoya's BBQ Rib Bowl features slow-cooked St. Louis-style spare ribs and tossed in a "savory and mildly spicy BBQ sauce." The ribs are served on rice with coleslaw.

I got two bowls for $7 with a coupon (they go for $5.99 otherwise).

You only get four short ribs with the they were meaty and flavorful enough that I managed to finish the rice with them.

There was a crispy crust to the ribs that either came from deep-frying or slow-roasting. I'm inclined to think they were deep-fried after being braised slowly. There didn't seem to be any notes in the meat itself that would suggest smoking. Either way, I appreciated the extra crunch. The meat was tender and, while not quite fall-off-the-bone tender, it wasn't too far off.

The sauce contributed the expected sweet, tangy, and smoky combination that's typical for barbecue sauce but was more than "mildly spicy." There was a solid spicy kick to the sauce. Additionally, there was also an interesting fruity note.

The mayo-based coleslaw is also new (and a little unexpected) for Yoshinoya. I liked that it wasn't too wet or mayo-heavy and that there was a good crispness to the vegetables.

Overall, Yoshinoya's BBQ Rib Bowl was pretty good. I enjoyed the flavor and slight crispy crust, although I could use an extra rib or two. The coleslaw was nice as well.