Walt's Hitching Post - Fort Wright, KY

Walt's Hitching Post
3300 Madison Pike, Fort Wright, KY 41017
http://waltshitchingpost.com/

Walt's Hitching Post has been a staple in the greater Cincinnati area since 1942.  Started by Walt Ballanger then sold to, a neighbor bartender, Bill Melton in 1958, it advertises signature items like their smokehouse ribs.  Bill ran it until his passing in 2008 where long time customers, Bronson Trebbi and Donny Arnsberger purchased Walt's from the Melton Trust in 2012.  It's expanded several times but the restaurant has remained tied to it's roots.

One of their signature items are "Caesar's Ribs - Walt's Smokehouse Slabs".  While there are many options of "Ribs with..." chicken, shrimp, chicken livers, crab cakes and filet, the ribs almost get lost on the menu with so many steakhouse items like BT's Signature Strip, Au-Poivre, Steak Diane, Beef Wellington, Braised Pork Shank, Walt's Legendary Fried Chicken and the 8 oz Country Fried Steak.

The smokehouse out front had a nice fire going but seemed more for decoration as there was nothing taking advantage of the fire.  I was expecting to see racks of ribs hanging there soaking up the smoke and heat.

I also noticed this smokehouse out back. Certainly a more commercial variety which makes me more inquisitive about the original smokehouse and it's use...but back to the menu.

I was really torn...but in the end, I did get the Smokehouse Ribs and Shrimp.  The ribs were smoked and then a sauce was added to the last bit of cooking to seal a saucy glaze upon the ribs.  What I found were ribs that were pedestrian at best.  They were not dry but not moist either.  Honestly they tasted more cooked than smoked and all the glaze did was hide any smokey taste that may have existed.  

From the moment I walked in, it felt like a steakhouse, it looked like a steakhouse, the menu presented a steakhouse and the ribs tasted like they came from a steakhouse.

BBQ is a culture that needs no front man.  BBQ is not the bass player in a band.  It's the lead singer and that's not what is happening at Walt's.  Should I find myself at Walt's again, I'll go with what they do best and the braised pork shank that I tasted, might well be at the top of that list.