Washington – Juicy smoked brisket and dry-rubbed ribs that have been smoked for hours are just some of the mouthwatering dishes you can get at K-Block’s Fire Pit BBQ.
The restaurant got its interesting name from the owners. Kendra Knoblock is a teacher in the Romeo area and her students kept mispronouncing her name. Eventually, she told them to call her K-Block, and said it would be her “rapper” name, which all the kids got a kick out of. Turns out, according to Urban Dictionary, K-Block means “where the party started” and they thought it was the perfect name for a restaurant.
She owns the restaurant along with her husband Brian, an Executive Chef with over 20 years in the food industry, and her brother Michael Corbeille, a marketing expert. Brian will actually be the chef at the Peach Festival in Romeo this weekend serving up the BBQ for guests.
The idea for the restaurant all began at one of their family gatherings.
“Dinner at our family’s is not a small event,” explains Michael. “It’s an experience; it’s big.”
Brian and the rest of the family were going all out smoking meat with several casseroles in the oven. With a rib in one hand, Michael and Kendra’s father told Brian that the food was just too good to keep to themselves, they had to share it with the masses.
With Dad’s encouragement, the three joined forces and started a food truck, and it went very well. They traveled all over the country perfecting their BBQ. A few years later, they found a spot for their restaurant in a strip mall in Romeo. They had their work cut out for them transforming the decades-old Chinese restaurant into their ideal BBQ joint, but they had help from their family and friends. Some of Kendra’s students even came in to paint a chalkboard-style typography wall.
For food, they serve up all their favorites, and a lot of yours as well!
“This is authentic pit BBQ,” says Brian. “We cook over Cherry wood and Hickory.”
They have all the classics like brisket, ribs, sausages, and pulled pork. Many of the recipes are family favorites, including the dry rub they use on their ribs, which they have been working on for over 20 years. They also like to mix things up, making things like a brisket Reuben and pulled pork tacos. The crackling pork rinds with their queso dipping sauce is a very popular appetizer. They also love to take suggestions from their customers and customize the menu to their tastes.
There is always something new to try every weekend with their specials, and if you love their ribs, come on Monday for half-off.
K-Block’s Fire Pit BBQ is located at 66880 Van Dyke on the border of Washington and Romeo.