Being in Detroit, having had a taste for ribs, and having read mostly positive reviews of Slow's, I decided to try it this week.
I ordered a combination platter of St. Louis pork spareribs and Texas-style brisket. I also tried three sides -- waffle fries, mac & cheese and cornbread. Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with Slow's.
On the night I dined at Slow's, the place was packed. Slow's is casual, but nonetheless a little more upscale than your typical bbq place. There are tables both inside and outside and I dined outside. The outside dining area is a nice patio, with a wall blocking access from the street. And this was a beautiful evening to be dining outside.
Unfortunately, the food did not quite measure up. Slow's uses a Southern Pride smoker (don't know which model). The St. Louis pork spareribs had a nice smoke flavor, but were overcooked and quite dry. The brisket was also pretty dry, despite the fair amount of fat. I was a little surprised by the dryness of the meats -- I figured that a packed house would lead to fresher bbq, but not tonight. At least the flavor was good.
I did like the array of sauces at Slow's which are available in squeeze bottles -- an eastern North Carolina sauce, a spicy sauce, a sweet sauce, a sweet sauce with apple and a mustard bbq sauce. The NC sauce had a very healthy dose of red pepper and was my favorite, although I also liked the match of the apple bbq sauce with the smoke from the meats.
As for sides, again pretty disappointing. The mac & cheese was very dry, and not much cheese except the crusty layer on top. The cornbread needed salt -- it was extremely bland. At least the waffle fries were nice and crisp.
As for the dry bbq, since is the only time I've dined at Slow's, I could not tell you whether this is standard fare.
Slow's Bar-B-Q2138 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48216
313-962-9828
edited to include address and contact info