When you live in a barbecue town, everyone has an opinion on where to get the best barbecue. So an innocent Facebook post asking for suggestions can quickly become a heated debate. That’s not so when the first suggestion is to try Rancho Nipomo.
Located at the junction of highways 166 and 101, Rancho Nipomo could’ve easily allowed itself to become a mediocre meal stop for travelers, but instead it’s become a down-home barbecue destination.
At the heart of this destination is a pulled-pork sandwich that embodies everything wonderful about living in a grill-happy agriculturally minded community.
Manager Ryan Silas-Groves said the sandwich is exactly the meal people expect it to be.
“It’s sweet; it’s spicy; it’s filling; it’s generous in portion, everything that a whole meal should be,” Silas-Groves said.
Rancho Nipomo’s pulled pork starts out by spending time in the smoker for 12 hours. Then it’s pulled by hand. The pork is placed on a teleta roll, which is baked fresh daily, then topped with a generous portion of Rancho Nipomo’s barbecue sauce and served with a side of house-made coleslaw. The large teleta roll lends a nice surprise to the meal with its soft inside and the delicate crunch of the outer crust. The barbecue sauce, a secret recipe of the owner, has a sweet, slightly sassy bite.
R.C. Cowell is also a Rancho Nipomo manager and son of owner Richard Cowell. He said he’s worked side by side with his dad catering food as long as he can remember. That experience helps him keep things running smoothly at Rancho Nipomo. “I know what he likes and how he wants things,” Cowell explained.
Things like how to make the perfect pulled-pork sandwich. Cowell said that the secret to Rancho Nipomo’s pulled pork and its other meats is “smoking for slow and low.” He said it’s how they’re able to stand out in an area that’s picky about its barbecue.
“We’re actually smoking. We still do it over oak, traditional Santa Maria-style, but we put it in our smoker and finish it off on the charbroil grill,” Cowell said.
In addition to the pulled pork, Rancho Nipomo also does tri-tip, beef brisket, and bone-in chicken, all with ultimate attention paid to cooking time and the right combination of seasoning.
That doesn’t mean they don’t get critiqued for their meat.
Silas-Groves said they do feel the pressure.
“There’s definitely pressure because everybody comes in and they say that’s not how you cut it, that’s not how you smoke it, that’s not how you prepare it. Everyone does it their own way,” he said, adding that most of the time they get compliments. “We’ll have people say, ‘I’m from Memphis and that’s the best pulled pork I’ve had,’ or ‘I’m from Texas and I know my ribs, and those are good ribs.’”
And if you’re Silas-Groves’ son, 6-year-old Rylan, then it’s all about the hot dogs. “My son raves about just the hot dog. ‘It’s made with love Daddy,’ he says. He tells all his teachers too, ‘If you go there, try the hot dogs,’” Silas-Groves said.
Rancho Nipomo’s main dining area is small, but there’s a nice outside area that provides both sun-lit and covered tables where patrons can chow down. The owners also added extra dining/bar space on the opposite side of the restaurant to offer more indoor seating as well as space for events.
As with all good things, there may be some wait involved—especially if you arrive right at peak meal times. But you can always grab a beer in the Gold Rush Cantina that serves as additional seating space. Rancho Nipomo offers 18 taps in its cantina along with a family-friendly environment and live music by Central Coast bands.
Silas-Groves said it’s a down-to-earth restaurant serving mom and pop’s food.
“This is Richard’s food; it’s what his mom made for him that his grandma and grandpa made. And every employee who works here adds something to the recipe. We are all like family,” he said.
In the front of the restaurant is a guest book with entries by people from all over the world. Silas-Groves said he remembers visitors from Japan. He remembered them being excited about the food and the smoking process.
“They even wrote in a prayer for our smoke room in the back. They toured the whole place. They really liked it,” he said.
It’s no surprise Silas-Groves remembers that couple, he said the staff members try to get to know all their customers by name.
Cowell added that’s because they keep it small and family-like behind the counter so they can pass that feeling on to customers.
“Our hospitality is very good. We treat everyone special, because they are. Without them we would be nothing,” Cowell said.
Sun contributor Shelly Cone is picky about her barbeque. Reach her through the interim editor at clanham@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 4-11, 2015.
