Soon-to-open Rock Road barbecue restaurant is recruiting potential taste testers
There are now a few more clues about the people and timeline behind Crutch BBQ, a soon-to-open barbecue restaurant on Rock Road whose sign suddenly appeared last month.
The restaurant is taking over the space at 550 N. Rock Road that Dempsey’s Burger Pub vacated in November, and Dempsey’s owner — Lawrence-based Steve Gaudreau — is involved in the new restaurant, too.
He’s been reluctant to share many details, citing uncertainty about the rising price and availability of meat during the coronavirus pandemics. But he recently said that he hopes to start serving food for carryout later this month and open for dine-in with full bar service in July.
The restaurant’s website just went live, and although it’s also short on details, it does invite people to sign up for a newsletter and a chance to “be an official taste tester as we begin to practice.”
Gaudreau also indicated that he’d be accepting applications via the restaurant’s Facebook page soon.
For those wondering about the name “Crutch” — it’s likely derived from the term Texas Crutch, which is a method some pit masters use that involves wrapping meat in foil while cooking to trap in juiciness.
In November, Gaudreau closed the east location of his Dempsey’s Burger Pub that had been open in the Rock Road space for two years. At the time, he said he had overextended himself and was hoping to find someone to take over the space who wanted to open a turn-key restaurant in a high traffic area.
Gaudreau still owns the Dempsey’s Burger Pub and Dempsey’s Biscuit Co. restaurants on East Douglas.
I’ll keep you posted as more details, including a menu and opening date, emerge.
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 4:27 PM.
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