530 North Broadway - Moe's BBQ in Baker

Most side dishes at Moe's Original BBQ are excellent and varied, true Southern classics like fried green tomatoes, fried okra and cornbread. But the baked beans and collard greens, though, were pedestrian at best.

However the main BBQ features, except for the sort-of-OK pork ribs, really were poorly done and that's based on two visits.

The Alabama-style BBQ won't play in Denver for long. It sure wouldn't play in Austin, Dallas, Houston, South Carolina, Georgia or even Mississippi, where we was "borned", as they say. It's too bad, too, because the retrofitted building is a great venue for BBQ..... except for the substandard meat and poultry offerings. My wife says the sauces were OK, but I think Sweet Baby Ray's from the grocery store is better.

Overall, we had really high hopes for Moe's, but even the main BBQ chef hisself doesn't realize that BBQ in Denver is far more competitive than in Vail, which is where Moe's first jumped to from 'Bama. (I guess the skiing in Mobile, Orange Beach and Birmingham ain't too hot.). What in the hay-ull does Vail know about BBQ..... really?

Spare yourself the disappointment and go to Brothers' BBQ, as the meats are far better quality and much better prepared, even though you'll miss out on the fried green tomatoes, which Moe's only dishes up occasionally. Moe's Original BBQ was the most disappointed we have ever been in a BBQ joint.

The Brits at Brothers' got it going on when it comes to BBQ, but they ought to sneak over to Moe's and go to school on some of the 'Bama sides. But Brothers' BBQ beans are outstanding, if a little too peppery at times.