Incoming
LO C A L L E G E N DS
H E ’S G O T T H E B E E F
Romeo Cervantes has been working behind the counter at Hardy’s Meats for more than three decades.
A Cut Above
WHEN IT COMES TO GREAT GRILLED MEATS, THERE’S A SECRET WEAPON HIDDEN IN A STUDIO CITY BODEGA: ROMEO CERVANTES’S BUTCHER COUNTER AND HIS WIFE’S SPECIAL SPICE BLEND BY ALEX SCORDELIS
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I K E OPE R AT I V E S I N possession of the
nuclear codes in Mission: Impossible, barbecue obsessives tend to be highly secretive— they will sooner offer up their Social Security number than reveal their hickory-sauce recipe. But some classified information is too good not to share. In Studio City, butcher Romeo Cervantes, 68, has had barbecue fiends whispering in hushed tones about his secret seasoning and succulent cuts for years. Every day, a steady flow of regulars line up at his Hardy’s Meat Market, tucked into the corner of the bodega-like M&M Market. They greet Cervantes like a favorite uncle. “We’re so spoiled to have Romeo in our neighborhood,” says Sambie Mwafulirwa, 31, a restaurant manager who lives near Hardy’s and was recently there to grab lunch. “It’s very home-cooked-style. You feel like you’re eating at Romeo’s house.” Hardy’s offers precooked fare—from hot brisket sandwiches to baby-back ribs to rotisserie chicken—but the main attraction is the meat and poultry from the butcher 30 L A M AG . C O M
counter. “I make my Italian sausages fresh with my own recipe,” Cervantes says. “I’ve never had a customer say they didn’t like them. People grill my sausages, share them with their friends, and then my business grows.” In-the-know carnivores request the special seasoning, which Cervantes will generously sprinkle on any cut. It’s perfectly flavorful but not overpowering, adding just the right amount of kick to the tri-tip and ribs. “The ingredients are simple,” Cervantes says. “Garlic, rosemary, pepper, parsley, and salt.” He’s not quite sure himself what makes it so good. “You’d have to ask my wife,” he says. “She makes the seasoning at home.” Hardy’s Meats first opened in 1951. Cervantes took it over in the 1980s, after more than a decade working under John Tusquellas, the legendary butcher who ran the meat counter at the Original Farmers Market on Fairfax and passed away 18 years ago. Cervantes credits his mentor with his business philosophy. “I treat my customers like my family,” he says. “It’s why they keep coming back.” 12903 Moorpark St., Studio City. P H O T O G R A P H E D BY SA M C O M E N