The Betterday Dine-In, reviewed, and David Tanis Market Cooking
BETTER DAY DINE-IN
Afried pickle spear, a michelada made with Modelo, and John Prine singing “Paradise.” These are a few of my favorite things, and last week at the Betterday Dine-In, I was fortunate enough to have them all in one place. They were in exceptional form, too: The pickle was fresh out of the fryer, hot and juicy under a tempura-like golden crust. The chilled beer was made smoky and citrusy by Worcestershire, lime juice, and a chile-lime salted rim, while Prine’s reedy melancholy rounded out the down-home- snackin’ vibe. In a spacious booth all to myself, I felt so lucky I could hardly stand it, like George Costanza with his trifecta of favorites in that one episode of Seinfeld.
Last fall, the restaurant in the space between the Betterday coffee shop and La Montañita Co-op quietly changed its menu and original name. Now, with its barbecue-centric mission and hip but unassuming rec-room ambience, the Betterday Dine-In is becoming Casa Solana’s newest hidden gem. But it might not stay hidden for long. There’s a cute and f lashy new sign, at least, with multicolored ’60sera lettering that spells out “Dine-In,” signifying a lasting commitment to that name. (The moniker, which sounds like it could’ve been ripped from a Fannie Flagg novel, seems a much better fit for the space and menu than Shoot the Moon, the name husband-and-wife business partners Tom and Lori Frost started with when they first opened their coffee shop’s companion eatery last spring.) And judging from the delicious and cost-effective meals I’ve had there over the past month, it might only be a matter of time before the hordes descend for their own pickleand-beer fixes.
The Frosts have said the Dine-In’s food is inspired by a commitment to fresh, local, organic if possible, and made-from-scratch offerings, as well as their own favorite things. In classic barbecue-menu fashion, you’re directed to devise a plate (#1) with a main, two sides, and two sauces; two mains, two sides, and two sauces (#2) if you’re extra hungry; or even more if you’re dining family-style. Mains, also available a la carte, are smoked brisket, pulled pork, a smoked quarter chicken, and quinoa-stuffed cabbage. Choices of sides include potato salad, collard greens, pinto beans, coleslaw, French fries, and quinoa tabbouleh salad, while the selection of 10 house-made sauces spans everything from vegan BBQ to spicy vinegar to buttermilk ranch to New Mexico white sauce (there’s green chile involved). It is written somewhere that along with barbecue, there must be beer, so the bar keeps around eight on tap, along with 10 wines and a short list of beer and wine cocktails.
A recent lunch began with a light and fruity house red from Domaine de Pellehaut, which made a boon companion to a small plate of saucy and meaty Buffalo wings. One #1 plate showcased a mound of tender, smoky pulled pork sided with bright, slow- cooked collards and a hefty wedge of buttermilk cornbread glistening with honeyed butter. We also enjoyed the full-bodied flavor of the smoked organic chicken, though it came out a tad dry, paired with pintos that could’ve spent a while longer on the stove, though their garlicky sauce went a ways toward making up for their being somewhat on the firm side. A couple
One #1 plate showcased a mound of tender, smoky pulled pork sided with bright, slow-cooked collards and a hefty wedge of buttermilk cornbread glistening with honeyed butter.
of impressively bbreaded fried green tomatoes revealed themselves to be meaty and moist, eminently dippable in the creamy, tangy white sauce.
On a subsequent dinner visit, I encountered one of the finer salads I’ve had out in recent months, a combination of dark-green kale leaves, toasted salted almonds, and grapefruit wedges with every element evenly coated in a tart lemon dressing. Though the kitchen’s facility with the salad tempted us to order more veggies, we were helpless to the siren song of the sandwich side of the menu. Soon enough, two sizeable sammies, the buttermilk fried chicken and the BBQ beef, sat before us. The chicken, accompanied by mayo, green chile, lettuce, tomato, and onion, was bursting with flavor and moisture under another remarkable cornmeal-heavy batter, though I wished for the snap of pickles or a bolder sauce to liven up the bun. A bracingly vinegary slaw of crisp slivered carrots and purple and white cabbage provided the crunch I craved on the side, while a pile of thick-cut French fries, like most menu items, were much better than they needed to be. The BBQ sandwich, composed of a heap of smoked brisket on a bun, provided big meaty flavor but was also somewhat dry without a healthy dollop of the house’s very good Kickin’ BBQ sauce.
Both desserts we tried showcased the owners’ low-key creativity: Whiskeygingerbread ice cream was redolent of brown butter and ginger, if less creamy and boozy than we’d hoped. A dense, fudgy slice of buttermilk chocolate cake disappeared quickly, though it was better without the too-thin and sowmewhat incongruous raspberry sauce served alongside it.
The cozy kitsch of the Dine-In, like its well-priced menu, is true to its strip-mall location, with bubble-gum-pink walls, comfy vinyl booths, and a casual bar area that screams “Hang out here after work,” complete with Dolly Parton and Sleep posters. It’s all accented by a soundtrack that’s heavy on ’90s indie rock, with both Pavement and the Breeders in rotation. The staff seems clubby with the regular clientele — several of whom, over a few visits, seemed to have just gotten off shifts at the coffee shop next door. Like that neighboring establishment, a locals- only vibe pervades the Dine-In — which, given the rewards it has in store, is just how we like it.