From Fine Dining to a Pawn Shop Parking Lot: Matt’s BBQ in Portland
“I’m here in northeast Portland, Oregon, in the parking lot of a pawn shop. And this story just gets weirder.” That’s how Guy Fieri introduced one of the most unconventional barbecue origin stories you’ll ever hear on Triple D.
Matt Vicedomini ditched the New York City fine dining scene to move to Australia, where he discovered Texas-style barbecue at a restaurant with a smoker in the back. “I just got hooked,” he told Guy. So hooked that he returned to the States, toured the country tasting the best barbecue, and eventually landed in Portland—running a 1976 food cart in a pawn shop parking lot.
The Rib Plate That Stopped Guy in His Tracks
The star of the show was Matt’s half-pound rib plate with pinto beans and potato salad. Starting with full spare ribs, Matt trims them down and seasons with a simple Texas-style rub: just salt and pepper. The ribs smoke for 4 to 6 hours at around 275 degrees. “I like to say hot and slow, not low and slow,” Matt explained. “We get a great bark on our ribs.”
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But the real secret is in the glaze. Matt makes a smoked garlic jelly by smoking onions and garlic for about two hours, then adding vinegar and letting it soak overnight. After blending, he adds sugar and cooks it down for 20 to 30 minutes. The final rib glaze combines equal parts ketchup and that homemade jelly, plus Worcestershire sauce. The ribs get wrapped with the glaze and rest for at least half an hour before serving.
Guy’s verdict? “Good rib, buddy. Lightly sauced, lightly glazed, pull apart, tender.” One customer claimed, “Some of the best I’ve eaten. And I eat ribs in 37 states.”
The Whole Shebang Sandwich
If you think All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ is ambitious, wait until you see the Whole Shebang—a sandwich containing all of Matt’s meats. Guy asked how many lumberjacks it takes to eat one. Matt’s answer: “There’s a pound of meat in this sandwich.”
The build starts with pickles and pickled red onion, then pulled pork seasoned with housemade chipotle vinegar plus salt and sugar (a technique that surprised even Guy: “I’ve seen a lot in my day. I’ve never seen that”). Next comes the sausage—made from rib and brisket trimmings ground with fresh garlic and a spice blend of salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, and water—then barbecue sauce, brisket, coleslaw, and a whole rib on a giant skewer.
“That’s just flat out ridiculous,” Guy said, hunching over the tray to attack it. His assessment: “The sausage is outrageous. Look at just the juice that comes out of that sausage. The brisket’s spot on. Little vinegar chipotle kick from the pulled pork.”
Real Barbecue Tips from Matt’s Cart
On temperature: Run your smoker around 275—hot and slow builds better bark than traditional low and slow.
On the brisket: Salt and pepper with a hit of mustard, which adds flavor and vinegar before smoking for about 14 hours.
On sausage: Use your rib and brisket trimmings. Grind with fresh garlic before adding your spice blend.
On sauce philosophy: “We spent a lot of time cooking it and we want people to taste it,” Matt told Guy. Don’t hide your barbecue in a bunch of sauce.
Whether you’re chasing great barbecue like Guy does at a Real-Deal Taqueria in South Beach or hunting down comfort food IN on Crêpes in New Jersey, Matt’s BBQ proves that world-class food can come from the humblest of spots. Find Matt’s BBQ and other Triple D favorites in our restaurant directory.