Carolina Blue and Bomb Bomb BBQ were the winners in the restaurant division and Blind Pig BBQ was the big winner in the Grill Master’s category at Saturday’s Garry Maddox BBQ Challenge.

Stephen Starr’s four restaurants were shut out as was Matt Levin’s forthcoming Rubb.

Update: Buddakan took 3rd for ribs and Jones was 2nd in chicken. [Starr Restaurants on Twitter]

The Gary Maddox BBQ Challenge is this Saturday from 4 to 7pm at Citizens Bank Park. The event is open to the public (you don’t need tickets to the Phillies game to attend) and food tickets make money for the Youth Golf & Academics Program, an academic enrichment program founded by Garry Maddox to support children who reside in troubled city neighborhoods.

This year Stephen Starr has been brought on board and four of his restaurants, Barclay Prime, Jones, El Vez and Buddakan will be competing.

Check out the complete list after the jump, sorry Illadelph, no Bebe’s.

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The Bite wonders if your holiday barbecue can rival some of these dishes around town.

• Kobe Beef hot dogs at Varga Bar
• Dry-aged burger at Barclay Prime
• Grilled octopus at Johnny Brenda’s
• Corn on the cob at Cantina Dos Segundos
• Apple pie from Jones

Holiday barbecue to rival your own [Metro Philadelphia]

In Pursuit of Ale, the women’s beer group of Philadelphia is having their bi-monthly meet-up this Wednesday at Jones and if you’re female and haven’t gone before, this looks like a good one to start with.

The event will be a pair five courses with five beers that will have you experiencing Stephen Starr’s comfort food restaurant in a whole new light.

Details after the jump.

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The snow has us thinking about getting cozy near a fireplace with friends, food and booze.

Here’s a sixpack of places with fireplaces, from the casual to the trendy to the formal:

• Devils Alley
• Deux Cheminees – six fireplaces
• James
• Jones
• McGillins Olde Ale House
• Snackbar

We here at Foobooz have to be honest, we’re not the biggest fans of New Years. Events are often over-priced, under-served and most frustratingly, overrun by amateurs. Now New Years Day on the other hand…. When you’re out drinking with people on New Years Day, then you know you’re among professionals.

But that’s not to say won’t be going out. It’s just that we aren’t that big on the galas and such, but find a nice dinner out with friends, perhaps at a BYOB, that’s how we prefer to bring in the New Year. But we’ll be up and at it early New Years Day for some real debauchery.

Updated 12/24/06

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