November 12, 2010
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Jethro & Jake’s: more than big food
In gambling, the idiom “I’d rather be lucky than good” has some legs, at least in the short term. In the restaurant business though, people make their own luck, with help from their PR agents, research departments, test kitchens and sleepless nights. Sometimes, luck and hard work merge. The Travel Channel’s successful extreme eating show “Man vs. Food” shot 14 hours of film this summer at Jethro’s. Host Adam Richman took the Adam Emmanecker Challenge – to eat a sandwich named after a former Drake basketball star in just fifteen minutes. It included a fried pork tenderloin, an Angus burger, brisket, bacon, fried cheese, chicken tenders and cheese sauce. Richman’s effort will be revealed on an October 6 premiere and rebroadcast many times. Other bars and restaurants featured on “Man vs. Food” challenges have seen business triple after a show premiered.
Sudden influxes of new business can be both a blessing and curse when a restaurant isn‘t ready for them but Jethro’s partners Bruce Gerleman and Dominic Iannarelli are prepared for their lucky break. They opened a second store, Jethro & Jake’s, between I-80 and Prairie Meadows, in early September – just in time to work out any kinks before Richman puts them on the Travel Channel map.
For starters, the new place (formerly Godfather’s) seats 170, two thirds again as many as the Drake store. The smoker in Altoona holds 1400 pounds of meat at a time, twice that of the Drake venue. It’s allowed Iannarelli to push smoke time a bit.
That resulted in perfect briskets on both occasions I tried them, tender enough to break apart between my tongue and the roof of mouth. I was able to order it freshly sliced off the point (fatty) end too. The new smoker used hickory exclusively and this was the first time I have ever encountered perfect brisket without oak or mesquite involved. Don’t tell Texas. J & J’s steaks, an innovation not available in Dogtown, were prepared in an oak and hickory pellet cold ( 95 degrees F) smoker. A ribeye, the steak best composed to tolerate the rigors of slow cooking, delivered the advertised “campfire” flavor. Those who like their steaks rare will probably stick to high heat searing methods though.
Fans of the Drake Jethro’s will find everything they like in Altoona: sports bar class television; Cabela’s class woodwork; large portions of food at family friendly prices; superb side dishes; and a variety of good sauces.
Pulled pork was consistently moist and juicy, crunchy and smoky at the same time.
Jethro’s ribs had a deep pink ring, a sweet bourbon glaze and competition-ready texture. Chickens were offered pulled as sandwiches, and on the bone in dinners. Half pound burgers, plate wide pork tenderloins, and thick catfish filets all could seduce barbecue loyalists. Sauces covered the sweet-sour radar from sugary Texan, to vinegary Carolina style, sweet & hot Bahamian and even Bob Gibson’s famous white sauce recipe (cider vinegar and mayonnaise) from Alabama.
Iannarelli’s macaroni and cheese was made with shell pasta, cream and aged white cheddar. His fried cheese also used aged white cheddar. Onion rings were buttermilk washed, lightly fried and expertly seasoned. Chicken wings were smoked and fried yet remained moist. Chips and dip were served with a blue cheese-artichoke-spinach sauce. Sweet potato fries and mashed potatoes with gravy were both scratch-made. Excellent gumbo used sassafras and chicken stock with smoked chicken and andouille sausage. Baked beans consisted of home-soaked kidney beans in barbecue sauce. Cole slaw came in hot German and cold Midwestern versions, the latter overly liquid.
Bottom line – Jethro & Jake’s looks like the best bet in Altoona.
Jethro & Jake’s
2601 Adventure Dr., Altoona, 957-9727
Mon. – Thurs. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 9:30 a.m. – midnight, Sun. 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
