Only real BBQ in these parts.
Strange way to order: Go upstairs to the bar and get one of those flashy/vibraty things that tells you that your table is ready. Order a drink from a wide selection of beer and spirits, find your own table and sit down to wait for your puck to flash/vibrate. When it does, you head back downstairs to the "buffet line" (it isn't, but best description I can give). Order what you want from the chalkboard menu. Cook tells you details about each item you order. I made a sampler tray of brisket, ribs, pulled pork, with sides of coleslaw and cornbread. Everything was charged Ala carte, except for the pickled onions and pickles. A bit pricey, but it's BBQ far removed from where BBQ comes from!
Brisket: Very tender, tasty, a bit too fatty (was warned by cook that all he had left was fatty portions). 8/10 score.
Pork ribs: Definitely from the fatter part of the hog. Tender, moist, but fatty (again, the cook warned me about that too). Came with a very nice bark of carmelized goodness on the outside. The Kansas City sauce alone from the bottle is a bit heavy on the fake smoke flavor, but the bark on the ribs was perfect! 9/10
Pulled pork: Surprisingly lean after sampling the brisket and pork ribs. Nice sauce that is tomato based, but has plenty of vinegar and just a hint of heat. I placed it on a piece of white bread (you gotta ask for bread) with a bed of coleslaw and some pickled onions and ate a delicious sandwich. 9/10.
Slaw was bland. Add some South Carolina sauce to it, and much brighter flavor. Works well with the pulled pork, sauce, and/or onion toppings, but otherwise it's 5/10 in my book.
Cornbread: Not overly sweet, sticky, crumbly like I would expect from a Q joint. Very plain actually. It comes with a cup of butter that has some sweetness to it, so you can sweeten it up with the butter. It is cooked like the ribs, has a brown, carmelized "bark" on the outside, and a soft, dry, subtle corn flavor inside to which I added plenty of butter for my (sweet) taste. With butter, 9/10.
Recommend to come early while the good portions of brisket and ribs are still available. read more
