A new BBQ joint has opened on the busy stretch of Telegraph Avenue in Temescal. Boss Kat Kitchen opened its doors on Monday, June 19. After a few failed attempts to visit earlier this week, we were able to stop in for lunch yesterday to get a taste of what Boss Kat has to offer.
Boss Kat is located in the space formerly occupied by sandwich and salad take-out café, The Mixing Bowl (more about that later). This week is Boss Kat’s soft opening, although technically, it had a softer opening in the neighborhood on June 11, during the Temescal Street Fair.
If you visit this week, you’ll want to know a couple of things: first, the full menu is not yet available and second, Boss Kat Kitchen is currently only open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Yes, that’s right, it’s not yet open on Saturday or Sunday. Eventually, once it gets settled in, the restaurant plans on being in business from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. But for now, plan on visiting for weekday lunch.
During our visit, Boss Kat was offering two types of barbecued meat: beef brisket and pulled pork. You can get either type of meat, served mild or spicy, in a sandwich, on top of a baked potato or on a salad. We chose to try the beef brisket sandwich, spicy. Whatever you choose, all options are priced at $10.
Roughly chopped chunks of brisket are generously piled on a soft sesame seed-studded soft roll, which I suspect is actually just a hot dog bun. Smoked for about 14 hours, the beef has an intensely smoky flavor, and is smothered in Kinder’s BBQ sauce, a Bay Area brand based in Concord. Fully loaded, the sandwich comes topped with shredded cheddar cheese and diced green onions. f you’re expecting a precious, artisanal sandwich, you might be disappointed — it wasn’t a pretty beast and it was messy to eat, but the sandwich was tasty and filling.
Boss Kat will eventually serve sausage and turkey as the two other meat choices, possibly in the next week or two. They also plan to have sides like barbecue baked beans and more salad topping options. When we visited, there was one lonely table with four seats inside, so expect to take your food to go.
Although there’s a big sign for Boss Kat Kitchen outside, The Mixing Bowl sign also hangs above the storefront. The former tenants are still in business, operating as a catering-only venture, with its office is located just in back of Boss Kat Kitchen. We spoke with manager Jenny Levi, who told us that The Mixing Bowl restaurant, closed in February after almost ten years of business. First opened in 2008 by Grace Lee as a casual dine-in café, last year the Mixing Bowl relaunched as a grab-and-go storefront. Ultimately, the take-out only iteration just didn’t seem to stick. The Mixing Bowl is now a full-service catering and event planning operation that focuses on fresh and healthy options.
Boss Kat Kitchen plans to have its grand opening in the next couple of weeks. Connect with the restaurant on Facebook for announcements and updates.
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