Where to go: Big Hoffa’s Smokehouse
Address: 800 E. Main St., Westfield
What to get: Full rack of ribs
Price: $20.99
Anna’s take: If you haven’t visited Big Hoffa’s Smokehouse since it expanded into 8,000 square feet of space, you need to put it on your to-do list ASAP. I grew up in Westfield, and until recently, Big Hoffa’s occupied a small space on the south side of the property on Ind. 32. But owner Adam Hoffman recently expanded into the rest of the building, and now Big Hoffa’s space matches its taste – big.
I sampled several items, and my favorite thing about Big Hoffa’s (other than the barbecue) is the incredibly large menu that offers more than just barbecue. I tried The Amendment ($9.99), which is beef brisket on a bed of jasmine rice with teriyaki glaze, homemade giardiniera (which has 37 ingredients!), cilantro, onions and spicy mayo. I also tried The Hoffinator ($9.79), one of Big Hoffa’s biggest sellers, which are fries loaded with macaroni and cheese, baked beans, pulled pork, barbecue sauce and ranch. I tried two sandwiches – the Butcher’s Bill ($8.49) with chicken, buffalo and ranch sauce, macaroni and cheese and fries on a garlic butter bun — and the Buccaneer ($8.49), Hoffa’s flagship sandwich with pork, coleslaw, fries and ranch on a garlic butter bun. I also tried sides of fries and macaroni and cheese, brisket and ribs. My favorite item was probably the ribs. Even as someone who’s not much of a dry rub person (I prefer saucy wings and barbecue), I completely bypassed the barbecue sauce and ate the ribs with no toppings, they were that delicious. For a beverage, be sure to try the sassafras sweet tea, which has a mild root beer flavor.
