Friday, September 1, 2006

Jenny's has good country grub
Retro style befits American dishes

By Daniel Mochon
For the Poughkeepsie Journal

What's obvious after a visit to Jenny's Bar-B-Q & Country Manor in Milan is that owners Donna and Ezra Rand thoroughly enjoy the business of providing hospitality. The couple has created a venue that seems to be an extension of their personalities and hobbies, one of which is making people happy via the language of food. Donna looks after Jenny's tiny dining room, while Ezra mans the kitchen.

Vintage car buffs will revel in the Rands' collection displayed in front of this 14-room motel and restaurant. On our visit, this included a 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster, a '53 Chevy Bel Air and a '27 Ford Model T Bucket. Inside, there's also an impressive collection of about 100 scale car models parked neatly on mirrored shelves behind the six-stool dining counter.

There are only 20 seats, most in vinyl upholstered wooden booths. A nostalgic, '50s atmosphere pervades, with James Dean and Marilyn Monroe posters on the walls, Coca-Cola memorabilia and a television that airs recorded reunion performances of doo-wop and early rock 'n' roll groups.

Delicious muffins to start
As we perused our menus and decided how high on the hog we wanted to go, a plate arrived with homemade corn muffins and maple-pecan butter. Never mind saving room for dinner, these warm beauties proved too irresistible to ignore.

Eleven bottled beers are on hand, all easygoing brews from well-known brands. We washed our barbecue down with a Rolling Rock Pale Ale ($2.25) and an Amstel Light ($2.95); both fine thirst quenchers. Varietal wines are also available by the glass ($4.50-$5.50) and bottle ($17-$20.)

Rand simmers chuck and brisket tips all day for his bold, rib-sticking Texas Beef Chili ($2.95/$4.95.) This was no soupy dude-ranch chili, but a thick, well-spiced beefy stew with a liberal dose of cayenne heat that left our mouths tingling. Even cowboys need their veggies, so among the meat hunks were some hefty shards of onion and a rainbow of bell peppers, but in true Texas fashion, no beans.

French Onion Soup ($5.95) was a fairly classic rendition, except that Jenny's "redneck version" was gratineed with Monterey jack cheese instead of Gruyere, a successful departure. The beef broth held plenty of translucent strands of onion and was topped with a garlicky toasted baguette round. Altogether, this was a solid crock of soupe a l'oignon, y'all.

We also sampled the Texas Bullets ($5.95), which, in Yankee parlance, are known as jalapeno poppers. These breaded chili peppers, a commercial product, are stuffed with melted cheddar and are milder than they might sound, especially when dunked in a ramekin of cool sour cream.

On to the barbecue. Meats are slow smoked for six to 10 hours over hickory, oak and mesquite embers. Entrees come with a traditional green cabbage slaw, garlicky Texas toast and a tureen of smoky-sweet barbecue beans.

My companion opted for a combo platter ($17.99 for two choices or $23.99 for three) with Texas Beef Briskit and Hand Pulled Pork. The pink brisket was sliced into thin, baconlike strips and fanned out with a few pools of sauce on top. Most of the excess fat had been trimmed off, yet the brisket was still tender and juicy. The tall pile of shredded pork was succulent and well-lubricated (perhaps too much so) with the house barbecue sauce.
Ribs prepared in two styles

Jenny's offers two kinds of ribs, St. Louis Style ($12.99) and Baby Back ($15.99) or, like me, if you want to try both, a Half & Half Combo ($21.99). The St. Louis' are standard spare ribs, except the ends are trimmed off, leaving just meaty bones; while the baby backs, which come from the loin section, are smaller and a bit fattier.

Portions were generous, with an eight-rib slab of baby backs and six spare ribs, the latter cut apart for easier eating.

These smoky ribs were both well-executed, with most of the fat rendered off and the meat supple but still offering a little chew. I liked the spare ribs the best, as they seemed a tad more flavorful and the meat had a finer, moister grain to it.

Our major complaint was with the sauce. The homemade Kansas City-style (tomato-based) sauce had a complex flavor, but was way too sweet for us, and after a few bites became a distraction from the otherwise tasty barbecue. Perhaps an extra splash of cider vinegar might have imparted a better balance. Dessert of the Day ($4.99) was a large triangle of beehive strawberry rhubarb pie, purchased from a vendor. The filling was good, with large chunks of rhubarb and strawberry in a tangy gel, though the crust was a bit mealy and could have been cooked a bit longer.

Excellent Key Lime Pie

A few desserts are made in house, including the Key Lime Pie ($4.99). Donna uses real Florida key lime juice to make this, and the tart wild flavor came though loud and clear. The texture was just right, moussy, but not too firm.

Our service was very down to earth and friendly, and we felt like guests in someone's home. Donna was a bit harried at times, but never lost her cheerful mien. The pace is leisurely, and some of our courses took some time to appear, though everything came properly sequenced and seemed hot and freshly prepared.

On the way out, there's a jar filled with homemade cookies and a sign that says "Please help yourself." Some people took this a bit too literally, but the Rands didn't seem to mind — I suspect they regarded it as a compliment.

The Poughkeepsie Journal pays for the meals that are the subjects of restaurant reviews and reviewers do not identify themselves prior to the end of the meal. Daniel Mochon graduated in 2000 with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. He is the director of wine and cuisine at the Hudson Valley's largest wine and spirits store.