not my choice for bbq. while in the area on business today, we decided to revisit this popular downtown bbq eatery to see if we felt any different about the smoked meats and such served here - and we found that our original opinions were basically unchanged - the the vast majority of the food here is just not to our liking, especially at these prices.
we ordered the beef brisket plate ($8.95) and a 2 meat combo of pulled pork & smoked sausage ($13.95). sides with these 2 entrees were red slaw, white slaw, collards, and a side salad, and each plate comes with hush puppies.
the pulled pork is served unsauced, and the taste was simply not fresh - this meat was not freshly cooked. neither of the sauces on the table over came this problem. the red slaw was a rather nice version, the taste is relatively mild, but the quantity is small. the smoked sausage was quite nice - a full link, moist, and with a full smoky taste.
the brisket was tender, but not mushy as on our first visit, but it is bland tasting, and rather dry. neither of the table sauces (spicy or semi-sweet) did much to enhance the flavor, though they did help with the dryness. the white slaw is a very dry slaw, but not without some flavor.
the hush puppies are crusty, very dark (cooking time?), and have a taste we don't care for in this traditional item - sage i would guess. the collards were nice, with some really nice heat, though the vinegar that was brought for this came in small, commercial packages. the service was excellent, the time out of the kitchen for the order was reasonable.
bottom line for us: after 2 visits, four meals (averaging about $14 each with drink & tax for lunch) this is not a place for us. obviously, others here like it, and like it very much - we're just not in that group.
-----03 jun, 2011-----
fast food barbecue train wreck. well, i guess i am now officially not a brisket kinda guy - at least not of most brisket cooked in this state. what i attempted to eat here today was 2 thin slices of soggy mess with charred ends that had neither texture or taste. and it is not that i haven't eaten brisket, i have quite often, including in texas, where it approaches an art form - this is just notgoodbrisket, regardless of where or how it was prepared.
the beans are a strange mixture of of 4 different kinds of beans, onion, tomato, and a meaty substance, which may have been a form of sausage - completely lacked flavor. the white slaw (you can also get a red version) was ok, though a little dry. the m & c was a dense, dry mass, and the method of preparation was not immediately identifiable. the collards had some heat, and a too strong vinegar after taste . the hush puppies were passable.
the ribs here were quite good, although a 3 bone plate for $8.95 is more than a little pricey because it is mostly bone, not meat, that you're getting. you do get 2 sides, but if there not verygoodsides, well there you are.
the setup here is basically that of a fast food place, place order and pay at the counter, get your own drink, and carry a number back to your table - food will be brought to you. the eating area is a large, open rectangle with rows of tables, so it gets noisy and a little hectic when crowded. this is a place to eat, and move on, not linger over your drink in conservation.
this is not about nc bbq versus the world. there are excellent version of all the items this place offers, even here in backwoods nc, but this place doesn't offer them, at least not to my satisfaction.