Crossroads Bar-B-Q Merges Southern Flavors [Poll]

Retired Force Reconnaissance Marine Otis Henderson didn’t have to cross enemy lines to find inspiration for his dry rub recipe at Crossroads SmokeHouse Bar-B-Q.

The tastes come from Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia — the places he lived when his father was in the Air Force.

“When you have all those flavors come together, it’s a crossroad,” the restaurant’s owner said at its grand opening Monday.

Crossroads is at 2241 S. El Camino Real at the Camino Town and Country Shopping Center, which also houses Target.

While foodies have described his food in many ways, Henderson prefers to keep it simple.

“We don’t do ‘southern cuisine’ — it’s dinner!” he said.

Instead of selling sauces like other barbecue restaurants, Henderson focuses on the pork, chicken and beef— smoked with hickory and apple wood in the Southern Pride 500, which can been seen upon entering the restaurant.

At the opening, City Councilman Jack Feller called out to Scott Ashton, of the , who was sitting at a nearby table.

“That potato salad is good,” he told Ashton. “Did you get any of that? You better go back.”

The restaurant took over what was formerly Chin's Szechwan Cuisine — where Henderson cooked, Henderson said. He also bought what was formerly In Cahoots western bar. The open barn-style establishment has a dance floor and stage. Thursday’s opening doubled as a fundraiser for the Brain Injured Veterans Association and Henderson plans to have more events.

Crossroads II, as the club portion is now known, had been unused for nearly a decade, Henderson said.

Ashton, of the Chamber of Commerce, is glad to see new businesses use empty buildings, such as the nearby , which filled a building that had remained unused for some six years.

“It’s nice to see new buildings going up, but it’s also nice to see buildings that have been vacant for so long being filled,” he said.

The shopping center has been “under utilized” Feller said. He hopes it will attract more shoppers to the area.

“The big plans they have can have a big impact on the center,” he said of Crossroads. “And the food’s great. It helps to have great food.”

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