Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

A new hot spot has just opened up in Falls Church. A red, hot, and blue spot to be precise. This week the Arlington-based franchise Red Hot & Blue, which boasts the, “Best Bar-B-Que you’ll ever eat in a building that hasn’t already been condemned,” opened a new express restaurant in Falls Church.

The new restaurant is one of 35 locations across 14 states and has become a prime spot for digging up some genuine southern bar-b-que tastes while being serenaded by both classic and contemporary blues.

In fact the name of the restaurant itself comes from the name of a radio show on WHBQ-AM broadcast in Memphis, Tennessee, the first station to air the likes of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

As the catch phrase states, Red Hot & Blue does not look like stereotypical Bar-B-Que shacks, which look like they house vagrants even as they dish out exquisite pulled pork, brisket, and of course ribs.

Instead, the eatery features itself as a tribute to blues music. Throughout the restaurant there is blues memorabilia hanging on the walls and classic blues music oozing out of the speakers.

The dining area is comfortable and clean and the smell of bar-b-que is like the back yard cookout in high definition.A feature of the restaurant is the express set-up which allows people to order their food at the counter and either sit down to eat or grab a bag of hot and fresh takeout.

Of course that is what it is all about, the food. With the first bite into the pulled pork sandwich the surroundings fade away into the full flavors of the classic bar-b-que meal. The sauce is sweet and tangy, although there is always the option of adding a little fire with the unique bar-b-que hot sauce.

The pulled chicken is a lighter version of the pork without losing any of the flavors. The meat is moist and hearty and served with coleslaw that is crisp and fresh.

With the thoughts of bar-b-que come images of spending a leisurely time down by the river casting for catfish. While the restaurant doesn’t offer a stripped branch lashed with a piece of twine, it does serve up a moist and flaky fried catfish sandwich that practically melts in the mouth. Served with seasoned Memphis fries the sandwich is fully satisfying without being too heavy.

Of course the main draw of a bar-b-que joint is the ribs. The classic pork ribs are available both wet and dry. The wet ribs are slathered in the restaurant’s secret sweet BBQ sauce that leaves diners full and looking for wet-naps.

On the other side are the Memphis-tradition dry ribs. The meat is deep and smoky and sprinkled with an intricate blend of spices.The ribs are available by the half, three quarter, and full slab, as well as a variety of platters that group the bar-b-que favorite with shrimp, catfish, or smoked meats.

With all the options available, the appetizers that include succulent buffalo wings, to the desserts, led by the blackberry cobbler, diners might leave feeling red hot, but never blue.