Bob's and Boys satisfies soul-food cravings

Bob’s and Boys Bar-B-Q
3753-A W. Hemlock St.
Oxnard
750-1520
$1.75-$12.95


“Take me back to simpler times and simpler ways, simpler days”

— 98 Mute

Sometimes you just get a hankering for soul food. You want gnaw-on-a-bone, stick-to-your-ribs food that leaves you sticky, full and feeling nappish.  

It was a little like a dream. I was back in the South in some ramshackle building in search of good food. There it was often in a gas station, a doublewide trailer or a lean-to shack next to the train tracks. But here in Oxnard, it was a narrow shotgun storefront in the Channel Islands Shopping Center with a sign that read “Soul Food by the Sea.”

It has a porch — which should be a requirement for every soul-food restaurant — blue and white checkered plastic tablecloths inside and a robin’s egg blue Formica lunch counter. There is the light drone of a television set and a metal screen door that makes a loud “ding-dong” each time someone enters or leaves. It’s not fancy, but that’s not why you’re there — it’s for the food and the hospitality.

Mrs. Pleasant greeted us with her warm smile and Texas drawl. She wore an apron and called out orders to Bob (Mr. Pleasant), her husband. He ambled forward, wearing an Obama shirt, and overheard us discussing the South. He told me he serves authentic Cajun gumbo on Fridays. It wasn’t Friday — I wish it had been because they also make fried catfish and red snapper, but I wasn’t leaving because the smell of what was grilling out front had already commanded my attention.

We ordered grilled chicken and ribs with sides of collard greens, potato salad, black-eyed peas and candied yams, which were served in to-go containers. I ordered sweet tea ($1.95), and when Mrs. Pleasant opened the cooler to get the pitcher, fruity wafts of grape and red Kool-Aid ($1.95) sugared the air.  As it mingled with the aroma of grilling chicken, my mind went back to summer picnics spent in simpler times.

We looked at the desserts of the day ($1.95 each) — Nilla wafers banana pudding, chocolate cake, peach or blackberry cobbler and sweet potato pie — and fought over which ones we’d try. When our order came up, we gathered our multiple containers and walked outside into the sunlight. Since it was a bit chilly, Mrs. Pleasant offered to move the plastic tables off the porch and into the sunlight.

Each plate ($7.25-$10.95) had a large portion of meat, two sides and cornbread. We grinned like fat Cheshire cats as we took crumbly pinches off our sweet cornbread and opened our containers. We weren’t going to run out of food but were destined to get messy. There is only so long you can fiddle with forks before you pick up ribs.

The first bite was all about the sauce. It’s tangy, sweet, lightly spicy, a sticky intoxication — you won’t mind your fingers getting covered. Calvin, the Pleasant’s youngest son, worked for eight years to perfect the recipe. He won’t tell you what’s in it but he will tell what isn’t — I was just certain I tasted brown sugar but I was wrong.

The ribs still had some tooth to them — they didn’t fall off the bone in a sloppy surrender but they were yummy. The chicken came hot off the pit and was fork tender. The greens of the day were collards infused with ham hock, and we got a little vinegar pepper sauce to sprinkle on them. Our yams were a sugary, buttery blissful confection, and the potato salad was creamy with light crunches of celery. All the flavors were authentic soul-food goodness, done right.

“Did you get enough?” asked Mr. Pleasant as he walked past our mountain of food to man the pit. “Mmm, I’m just not sure yet,” I replied, teasing. He gasped with glee and walked away laughing, carrying a piece of chicken into the kitchen.

The original Nilla wafers banana pudding was as creamy and delicious as I remembered from childhood, with ripe banana slices and spongy melted wafers, and the blackberry cobbler had a cinnamon-sugar crust wrapped around bursting tart berries.  

I can’t wait to try the chicken and seafood gumbo they serve on Fridays. But also, after more discussions with the Pleasants, I learned that Bob will make authentic chicken and dumplings but only if you call to request it in advance.

This is my new touchstone to the South and its cuisine in Ventura. I’ve already popped in again to try thick slices of tri-tip, and they even remembered my name. Eating there is comforting and yummy — like a combination between Cheers (where everybody knows your name) and grandmother’s house.  

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