Deb's Ribs & Old School Soul Food - Serious Stick to Your Ribs Food
Gail Jennings
June 2005

[Editor's Note: Deb's closed for business in May 2006. We leave this review posted as a tribute to a Deb and her restaurant. We wish her all the best in the future.]

See the smiling lady on the big jug of barbecue sauce at Sam's Club? Did you know that Deb's Old School BBQ Sauce outsells the leading national brands at Sam's Clubs here in Hawaii and is now available at Sam's Clubs on the West Coast? Though I haven't been to Sam's Club, I have heard a lot about Deb's sauce and food from assorted folks who insist on both quantity and quality. The story of Debra Hopkins entrepreneurial adventures gladdens the hearts of all who strive to build a dream with their own business. Her success (which is really just beginning) is a triumph of faith, hard work and a great product. Luckily for us, we can enjoy Deb's sauce and all of her other old school soul food at her Kailua eatery.

The perfect opportunity to visit Deb's presented itself when Ken Stewart, the Guam Food Guy, was in town. Ken grew up with a mother who cooked soul food and even though the years have taken him far away from the traditional cooking of the deep South, nothing makes him happier than a piece of sweet potato pie and a big serving of collard greens. Deb's was a must-try for Ken during his visit.

Deb's is not light fare, it's serious stick-to-your-ribs food, the kind you need when you do physical labor and require substantial nourishment. Very few of us in our modern day lives can afford the calories carried by hush puppies, corn bread, smothered fried chicken and the like on a regular basis - but every once in a while it is a treat which brings untold satisfaction.

Deb's is easy to find and beach casual in format. There is some seating on the lanai and a couple of booths inside. Everything is served on disposable ware and it's line up and point at what you want to order. The staff is welcoming - they spotted us as first-timers right away from the way we were oohing and aahing over the hotline of meats and side dishes. You can order a variety of "Meals" which range in price from $6.99 to $13.99 depending on your choice of meat and number of sides. A la carte ordering is also available with meat choices priced from $4 for catfish up to $22.50 for enough ribs for three to four people. A la carte side dishes are $3 for small, $4.50 for large; corn bread is $1. Desserts are $3 a slice and some are available as whole pies or cakes for varying prices.

We decided on a combination of meals and a la carte so we could try as many dishes as possible. We had the famous (deservedly so!) BBQ Ribs, Hush Puppies, Country Fried Potato Salad, Black-eyed Peas, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Cornbread, Smothered Chicken, Collard Greens, Fried Okra, Pulled Pork, Candied Yams, Peach Cobbler and Sweet Potato Pie - the only thing we missed were the chicken variations and the cat fish.

The food is good, some of it very good. The BBQ Ribs with that sauce are truly a revelation of tangy flavor. Those who complain that all bbq sauces are too sweet must try Deb's - it is well balanced with sour elements and a nice touch of heat. While we were there another customer came in and ordered a Rib Meal and, during the course of our visit, returned three times to purchase another portion of ribs. That's a testament to how good these ribs are. Don't bother with the Pulled Pork - it is a mere shadow - get the ribs.

Big thumbs up go to the Hush Puppies, Mac & Cheese, Creamy Coleslaw and Country Fried Potato Salad. The Hush Puppies were hot out of the fryer, not overcooked and had a nice aroma of onion, though no onion bits were visible. The Mac & Cheese was outstanding and made particularly tasty with the use of a variety of cheeses including Pepper Jack which gave it a nice kick. We all enjoyed the Creamy Coleslaw which was indeed creamy, tasty and not soggy. The Country Fried Potato Salad should be illegal; there is something really wrong about taking fried potatoes and turning them into potato salad - the calories, the fat, the can't-stop-eating it - all good enough reasons to ban it!

Good marks go to the Fried Okra - these crunchy cornmeal-coated tidbits are an addictive finger food. Ken and the others in our party loved the Cornbread which was cake-like in texture and sweetness. I disagree on corn bread as I prefer a less sweet, coarser texture bread. I know that I am the exception as most do like the more modern style of sweet, moist and soft cornbread which has been popularized by places like Marie Callender's.

The only dish which disappointed was the Black-eyed Peas. They really had no flavor and Ken was quite crestfallen as this is a favorite of his and it should have a hearty richness without being heavy. The difference in overall flavor with the other dishes was quite noticeable.

Since eating is what we do, we did not pass up dessert. I love fruit cobbler of all types and Deb's version of Peach Cobbler was a treat to be savored. But, as in many items here, moderation is the key. The portions are large enough to share and so we did. Ken loved the Sweet Potato Pie as well and enjoyed the left overs later in the evening with some vanilla ice cream.

We liked Deb's food and think that we here on Oahu are privileged to have a family like the Hopkins cooking their specialties for all of us to enjoy. A visit to Deb's is well worth the trip and in some ways we are glad we don't live close by, otherwise the ongoing battle to keep our waistlines in check would be lost forever in a glorious fest of delicious food.