Ok, you got me, it’s Saturday. However, I have another place to tell you about. Fink’s BBQ and Cheesesteak Roadhouse located at 32 Orange Ave, Suffern, NY is the focus of this article. In the past I have mentioned Fink’s while talking about BBQ in the North. To me Fink’s is one of those places that is hit or miss, yet you keep coming back for more. Unfortunately my last trip was a miss.
I love real Southern slow smoked BBQ. I’ve eaten it all over the county and always have high hopes when a BBQ joint opens up in my neck of the woods. When I first tried Fink’s I liked it a lot, they had a few traditional dishes. They put a new spin on BBQ by making some different dishes using BBQ’d meats, they even used it to add another dimension to the cheesesteak, that was very inventive. Of course, if you talk to anyone from Philly,” if you’re eating a cheesesteak anywhere else but in Philly, you ain’t eating a cheesesteak.”
On this visit to Fink’s they may have been shorthanded in the kitchen and on the floor. I don’t think the guy who introduced himself as my waiter had actually waited tables before. This became evident as the night wore on. He took the drink orders and then disappeared. About five minutes later another guy that was a waiter came by and said would you like to order, so I did. Another five minutes went by and the drinks came one at a time and delivered by different people, I found this odd as most of the drinks were water or soda which come from the same fountain. Like the drinks the appetizers arrived separately , which was awkward since I ordered a gumbo and didn’t want to start until the other appetizers arrived but I was hungry! The appetizers were good. I found the gumbo wasn’t that spicy but that usually happens up here in the North. The chicken wings had a nice smokey tang to them and the Porken fries where interesting and addictive. (seasoned fries covered in cheese, smoked pulled pork and sour cream with scallions). But then it went downhill.
Refills on drinks were ordered and the appetizers were done. New drinks came in much the same fashion as before yet no one cleared the old glasses away and no one cleared the appetizer plates away. I was going to say something but I figured I should wait and see what was going to happen. About 20 minutes later some of the food arrived and the person delivering the food just moved the old dirty dishes aside to make room for the new plates. The food came out five minutes apart so people, being polite, waited to eat until everyone had their entree, yet one last plate didn’t arrive for a little longer. By now I had to pick up the old dishes and started stacking them with the old glasses as a sort of ,look at these, they need to go, kind of thing. Yet the old dishes remained.
The food in true Fink’s style was hit and miss. My ribs and collard greens seemed to be dipped in extra salt. The meal was saved by the mashed potatoes that were under salted. The brisket however, was delicious and done to perfection. Unlike other BBQ joints Fink’s doesn’t leave sauce on their tables. You have to ask for the sauce and they have their own style of sauce which, on this occasion, had the flavor of burnt sugar. By the time dinner had ended the table was piled high with dirty dishes and used napkins. I had to laugh when the waiter brought the check because he had to turn it sideways to get it to fit on the table!
Will I be going back to Fink’s? I’m sure I will, it’s just one of those places that can be a lot of fun and very tasty if you hit it on a good night. That being said I’ve had more good nights than bad ones, so chances are you’ll hit it on a good night. On the weekends there’s usually a live band in the bar and Monday’s buffet seems popular. If you go be sure to read the entire menu and the specials carefully because sometimes there’s interesting ingredients in the dishes. If you do give them a try please report back here and let us all know of your experience. As always if you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below and I’ll get back to you right away. Until next time Boone Appétit!
