Since we’re on stay-cay, we decided to attend the Hilton
Hawaiian Village’s 2017 BBQ and Blues Festival. The primary guest of honor was
multi-awarded BBQ grand master Myron Mixon of Jack’s Old South. With over 1800
BBQ trophies, over 200 Grand Champion trophies including 4… yes, 4 Memphis in
May Grand Champion trophies, he’s obviously BBQ royalty in the US. He actually
held two cooking workshops on the two days leading up to the BBQ Festival and
created the four main courses for the festival.
However… the event didn’t roll smoothly at the get-go. We
purchased VIP tickets which allowed us to enter 1 hour earlier than the general
public. The VIP ticket also included one coupon good for a cocktail or glass of
wine. Because we had to pick-up our tickets at will-call, we arrived about 30
minutes early to avoid the traffic and will-call line so we were about 10th
in line. When the gates opened at 4pm, I told the Mrs to simply look what main
courses were available since each ticket also had a coupon for a main course
while I waited for my cocktail. At the cocktail booth, we were told to exchange
out cocktail coupon for a green script allowing us to receive our cocktail. Ok,
so I walk over to the script booth and was told that I simply could redeem the
coupon at the cocktail booth only to be redirected from the cocktail booth back
to the script booth… What gives?… I then try another cocktail booth (four
cocktail booths were set up at each corner) but was informed that they were
waiting for ice… I then run into the Mrs who went to the brisket booth and was
informed that they weren’t ready to serve yet… wait, we paid $15 extra for the
VIP tickets for what? No cocktails and food that isn’t ready?...
The Hilton management finally decided to honor the cocktail
coupons, no script exchange needed. And by 4:15pm the food booths were
operational…
Food Booth #1 offered smoked brisket ($10) and peach
baked beans ($6) and cole slaw ($6)
Food Booth #2 offered smoked spareribs ($10) and pulled
pork mac-n-cheese ($6) and buttered corn ($6)
Food Booth #3 offered pulled pork ($10) and pork skin
collards ($6) and sweet potato casserole ($6)
Food Booth #4 offered smoked chicken ($10) and linguica
($6) and corn bread ($6)
There also was a Dessert Booth that offered Nilla Wafer
Pudding, Apple Cobbler or Peach Pie ($6 each)
And Cocktails and wine were $11 apiece of beer for $8.
Once the event finally got rollin’ the Mrs and I agreed that
the brisket was THE BOMB! Not too salty, not too smoky, very juicy and tender!
We intended of gettin’ another plate but the lines were very long once the
general public entered after 5pm. The pulled pork was also very good but I also
enjoyed the collards.
And while we were samplin’ the food, Big John Akapo took
the stage to do his Samoan Blues – I never heard of him before but the dude
could PLAY!
Then Uncle Willie took the stage and took over – it seems
that the blues are Uncle Willie’s favorite genre to play. He had the audience
up and dancin’. When he finally exited the stage, the place was packed (there
were two more blues groups yet to take the stage) so at this point, the Mrs and
I also made our exit. Though it started with a little hiccups, we both enjoyed
the event and were thoroughly stuffed at evenings end so yes, we’ll consider it
again if it’s held next year…
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