Barbecue Takes Top Billing at Country Star
At the far end of Universal CityWalk rises the jazzy neon jukebox facade of Country Star Hollywood, a spanking-new restaurant chain-in-the-making. Country music fans now have their own glitzy venue in the tradition of Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood. Next stop: Las Vegas.
Outside the doors dancers in tight red jeans and black cowboy hats kick up their heels to the music of Reba, Wynonna or Garth blasting out into the night. Inside, it’s country music all the way. As one song segues into another, matching video rolls on all 96 monitors. Even the bathrooms have postcard-sized screens inset in the mirror.
Like the money-making theme-park restaurants that inspired this new country music showcase, it is filled with memorabilia to suit the theme. Stars of the Nashville scene have scrawled their autographs across their old boots and cowboy hats. Wynonna’s custom turquoise and chrome Harley is mounted front center. And glass cases display country slicker costumes in the Grand Ole Opry style. A white jacket embroidered with guitars, ruby red lips and dollar signs says it all.
The food is Southern country cooking: fried catfish, honey roasted ham steak, pig sandwich with burgers and pasta thrown in for good measure. Health food it is not. Open the plastic-coated menu and red lights flash around the restaurant’s star logo. Pretty nifty. Each of the restaurant’s “celebrity representatives” is honored with a dish. But the real deal here is barbecue, hickory wood-smoked baby back pork ribs, beef ribs, pork and chicken--all of which you can sample as part of the Country Star barbecue feast, along with a taste of every one of the nine side dishes, including a fluffy corn bread sweet enough to pass for cake.
The head chef is Layne Wootten, an affable cowboy with tall hat, graying ponytail and droopy mustache, who once cooked for the group Alabama. His card reads “World Famous Cowboy Chef,” but neither his trademarked “Rattlesnake Sauce” nor the all-meat chili packs much heat--are we talking urban cowpokes or the real thing? Portions, however, are definitely big time.
Country Star Hollywood is a “family cafe dedicated to the American Values of yesterday--a time of integrity, honor and morals,” proclaims the back of the souvenir menu--which sells for a whopping $15 at the country store up front. Now that’s value. * Country Star Hollywood, Universal CityWalk, Universal City. (818) 762-3939. Open daily 11 a . m.-11 p . m . , till midnight Friday and Saturday. Valet or lot parking. All major credit cards. Appetizers $1.95-$6.95; entrees $5.95-$17.95.