Jimmy's Barbecue Lexington, NC

Jimmy's Barbecue
1703 Cotton Grove Rd
Lexington, NC 27292
(336) 357-2311

(79 Miles from Rock Hill)

We stopped in yesterday on our way to Virginia Beach around lunch time. We picked Jimmy’s Barbecue because it is right off I 85, was well reviewed on Yelp, and was within the 100 mile radius (79 miles). The brick building has an awning reminiscent of an old drive-in restaurant. I loved this place upon entry because it reminded me of the BBQ restaurants I grew up eating in with my family across eastern North Carolina. Jimmy’s is a quintessential BBQ joint filled with accolades from over the years from Southern Living magazine and local news magazines. Try as I might to not stereo-type, I can’t help but judge a BBQ restaurant by its patrons. Not by their class, race, or dress but by their overall BBQ satisfaction appearance. Everyone here appeared happy; happy to get their take out sandwiches and go back to work. Happy to have a chance to sit with good friends (l actually saw a couple eat, get up to go, and on the way out meet another couple, turn around, sit back down, and order another BLT). Happy patrons = happy BBQ. April ordered a small course chopped tray with onion rings. I ordered a large plate with fries and white slaw (they offer red vinegar slaw also). As far as Lexington style goes, the meat was a little on the tender side, almost mushy. The flavor, however, was very, very good. It came sauced and included a warm side dish of the red Lexington style sauce (a vinegar base) which had a peppery flavor but was not incredibly spicy hot. We did get some of the absolute best banana pudding I've had in years. If I were to make this at home, it would be like this. On the way out we picked up a “Commemorative Historic NC BBQ Trail Penny” (it’s a flattened penny with The Jimmy’s Barbecue pig logo). We enjoyed this very much and set us right for the next 4 hours as we traveled across the region on our way to the. As I write this, it is Sunday morning in our beach house with our family cussing and discussing the pouring down rain over our coffee and sticky buns. Right now my mind is back to yesterday’s sunny afternoon with the smell of the asphalt and BBQ smoke and we have just gotten off the road and are walking into the restaurant. Maybe

this time I'll get a BLT.

Q2U BBQ Pit

April: We first learned of this restaurant through the local coupon clipper magazine that sometimes finds its way to our mailbox. Noticing that the restaurant was a little new and located just up the way in Lake Wylie, SC, we decided to add it to our list of must visit places. Before we could even make it to the restaurant, we received a very nice email from the owner, Brian Rich. He had seen our blog and we had a mutual acquaintance with the SCBA. Brian invited us out to review his restaurant. We realized upon arrival that Brian, et. al. (Q2U BBQ team) were the 2009 winners of the SCBA Master BBQ Award! That means that they received the most points from all of the participating teams at all of the SCBA sanctioned events in 2009. This is no small feat and put us in a good mindset for sitting down at their table.

The restaurant is located just over the Buster Boyd Bridge on Lake Wylie near the NC border. It is tucked away in a little strip mall just past the T-Bones Restaurant. Just follow your nose because they smoke all of their meat on site and it is noticeable as you pull into the parking lot. The BBQ Pit hosts a small bar and just a few tables, but their take-out service is almost non-stop. Brian is usually back manning the grill/smoker and the lovely wives (Brian's and his business partner's) are hovering over the pans of macaroni and cheese and banana pudding.

The first thing I spotted on the menu was the Brunswick Stew. Being now the 3 time award winning team for Brunswick Stew, I always judge against my own recipe. I have to say that Brian's is ALMOST better. Almost, but not quite. The main difference that I noticed is that the broth of their stew is much thinner than mine. I like the thicker stew because it is more like stew than a thin soup. The next most important difference is that they use their smoked meat for the stew. This addition added so much more a good smokey flavor to the stew.

I next went for the pulled pork. It was well shredded with the bark mixed in. There was no fat or gristle in the meat. By itself, it was a little dry, but was greatly enhanced by the Original sauce. I detected a little cumin in the dry rub and the Original sauce is more tomato based.

I had to try the macaroni and cheese as my side dish, as usual. It was absolutely delicious. The pasta was mixed with a creamy white sauce that was very mild but the Cheedar cheese topping mixed with breadcrumbs was browned and crunchy around the edges. Just like I like it! For dessert we took advantage of the kids "Pig Cookie." It is a little sugar cookie that is decorated with icing and such to look like a pig face. They are super cute and made by a friend of the owners.

I have to also add that Brian and the other Q2U staff are super friendly and love to talk shop. It has been a real treat getting to know these folks through the BBQ circuit and seeing them out at some of the festivals and events this past year. We are hoping to jump on their cooking team for an event this next season. They have an excellent product and now that it is readily available to the general public along Lake Wylie, there is no excuse not to check it out!

Lane: I chose the sampler entree and I liked the savory eastern style pulled pork with small pieces of the "bark" mixed in (giving it a smoky flavor throughout each bite), but with the 1/2 rack of Baby Back ribs and the chicken breast (with the same sauce from the table also used on the ribs). How ever the flavors were present in the ribs but in almost too much of a way (a little too spicy, a little too sweet, etc.) but hey THIS IS STILL GOOD BBQ! I had my sampler with the spicy green beans (w/ potatoes) and hush puppies (when I look back at my notes I see I drew a little smiley face for the hush puppies =) )

Q2U BBQ Pit, Lake Wylie Plaza, 4052 Charlotte Highway

Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-8883
Distance from home: 16.92 miles

Doc's Barbeque & Southern Buffet

April: For some strange reason there is a lack of good buffet BBQ restaurants in this portion of the state. We have to travel all the way to Columbia, SC for a belly-up-to-the-bar experience when it comes to BBQ. No problem; it is well within the 100 mile radius. One of our first stops was Doc's Barbeque and Southern Buffet just off of I-77 on Shop Road. We used the excuse of being on the way to visit the Lovegrove's to make a pit stop for dinner one night. The cool thing about this restaurant is that is housed in an old butcher shop. The loading dock and swinging doors are still in place but the smell of raw pork has (thankfully) been replaced by delicious smoked pork! The buffet is large and reasonably priced. It is stocked with a wide variety of side items (collard greens, mac & cheese, corn, lima beans, coleslaw, potato salad, etc.) as well as two types of barbeque and fried chicken. Much to my liking the BBQ is lightly sauced so that you can add your own flavor. This restaurant being in Columbia, mustard is the standard fare, but there was a hot vinegar choice and it was a fine sample but the mustard is king in these parts for a reason. You have to try it on the cue at least once before passing judgement. I am only a recent convert but have been pleasantly surprised by the nice flavor that it brings to decently smoked pork. The side dishes were all tasty and typical southern fare. Best part was that the banana pudding was on the buffet so dessert was included in the price. This made Lane very happy and the pudding was very good.

One of the best parts of this experience was running into a Winthrop graduate student from the School Psychology program and her fiance having dinner. They were just as surprised to see us there as we were of them but we got a good laugh out of it. Turns out, they are having Doc's cater their rehearsal dinner this coming spring. I think that that sort of review is the best of all.

Doc's Barbeque & Southern Buffet, 1601 Shop Road,
Columbia, SC 29201 (803) 799-1532

Distance from home: 76.74 miles

Judging for The South Carolina Barbeque Association

So here I am with Senior Judge Morrie Thomas the event Marshall for the 2010 Trojan Cook-Off for Anderson University's annual homecoming. This photo is of course me receiving my SCBA certified BBQ judge's apron upon the completion of its requirements to this level. This was a pretty great day for cue. In particular, I got to sit, stone faced and sober as a judge (which I am after all) at the big kids table so to speak. In other words, this was the first day my scores counted (you have to get four novice events under your belt before you become qualified to judge / have your votes count). We sit at our table, we get our score place mats (for the samples), we get our scoring sheet, we get a bottle of water, some crackers, and a few forks and napkins. We have a little bit of an introduction all around the table and then our table captain speaks.
The table captain is the person in charge of our samples and the one who makes any kind of ruling on problems or issues related to how we score the cue or the sample itself. A runner will bring the entry to the judges tent, a receiver will take the entry and mark it with a number. The sample gets taken to a judges table. The table captain will pass the entry around for appearance and aroma (we all get a peek and a sniff) and then the sample gets passed around for us too sample. We use our forks to select a generous portion which we place on our score place mat marked with the entry number. We have to judge the sample of different criteria, such as appearance of entry, aroma, tenderness/texture, taste, and an overall impression. All of these go on our score sheet where we keep score of all the BBQ Cooking Teams by number (since it's a blind competition we only go by team number no names) to stay objective. To the right and below are my sample place mat and my score sheet from one of my previous novice competitions, the Berkeley County Cook-off in Monks Corner, SC.







There is also a place to indicate any comments the judge may like to make. Overall becoming a certified judge for the SCBA has been an amazing compliment to 100 Mile Smoke and as I work my way towards Senior Judge I will continue to meet new people, eat fantastic food, and learn more and more about the process of barbecuing and competition cooking. In fact, one of the requirements is to spend time with a cook team, from start to finish (yes over night even) to get the full experience of what the competition is all about! Maybe April and I will become KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) Judges one day, but for right now I can't think of a single good reason to! I'm not knocking the KCBS, in fact I don't know enough about it to have an informed opinion, it's just that SC is my home and for right now, SCBA is providing me with everything I need BBQ competition wise, so to speak.
SCBA, South Carolina Barbeque Association

R. O.'s Barbeque

April: We owe the good people at R. O.'s a big apology. It has been over a year since we visited their lovely establishment in Gastonia, NC and we are just now getting around to posting our review. For a variety of reasons (fire at Winthrop University, finishing graduate degree, life, etc.) we got a little too busy over the past year to keep up with our BBQ restaurant reviews. While we ate plenty of delicious pork over the past twelve months and tried at least three new restaurants, we just never got around to adding it to the blog. Thanks to the first major snowstorm of 2011, we now have plenty of time to catch up!

All of that being said, let me get on with my reflections on our trip up Highway 274 to R. O.'s Barbeque almost one year to the day. It was a cold and rainy evening but this did not hamper our quest to visit this legendary restaurant. It came as a recommendation from our friend and former Jeopardy champion, Leland Graham. He and his lovely fiance, Emily, were our dining companions that night. The restaurant building is not much to speak of and we almost drove right past it. It has the look of an old 50's drive-up restaurant, minus the parking lot lights, girls on skates, and American Grafitti soundtrack. Once inside we were greeted warmly by a young staff that gave good recommendations regarding the menu items and we ordered accordingly.

R.O.'s is arguably not really BBQ, meaning that the pork is slow roasted, not smoked. It is one thing...pretty darn good. R. O's is well known for its sauce. This is also arguably not sauce rather a mixture of finely chopped coleslaw and sauce. Again, it is very good. I enjoyed a large sliced sandwich, a side of corn nuggets, and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. The pork was very tender but all of the flavor came from the sauce. It seems to be a tomato based sauce with a little hint of spice and then the chopped cabbage. Delicious and messy.

The corn nuggets, for those less familiar with our love of frying all things vegetable related, are a mixture of cooked kernel corn and cream corn that is then battered and fried. The result is a sweet/salty nugget of corn goodness. I love these little things and enjoy ordering them whenever found on a menu.

The grilled pimento cheese was also outstanding. White sandwich bread grilled with homemade pimento cheese salad tucked inside. This is also one of my favorite southern dishes and this sandwich did not disappoint. One last word about the R.O.'s dining experience...you must complete your food order with a large Cherry Lemon Sun Drop. This drink is not widely available outside of the deep south and is all that the name promises. To balance the savory and salty meal that is BBQ and fried corn nuggets, the make-your-teeth-hurt sweetness of the Cherry Lemon Sun Drop is just the right thing.

We managed to roll our full tummies out the door a few hours later with a to-go cup of the delicious fountain drink in hand and find our way home to Rock Hill in the dark. A good dinner and good night out with friends.

R. O.'s Barbeque, 1318 Gaston Avenue
Gastonia, NC 28052 (704) 866-8143
Distance from home: 29.02 miles

Burnt ends and outside brown...... welcome back to the smoke!

The other night April and I went to Burk's BBQ in Rock Hill to visit our supercool friends Danielle, her husband Corey, and our partner in crime Erin. The most fun was from hanging wth our "peeps" of course! The other great thing? Fried Brownie Delights! Which is exactly what you would think them to be: a fried brownie covered with ice cream and chocolate sauce. And yes they are delightful. I passed by the instore smoker and spotted one of April's all-time favorites... a big tray of burnt ends! So April asked for and got a bag of the "burnt ends" to take home with us. They are sometimes called outside brown if you will, but are the burnt and over smoked outer layer of meat from the pork shoulder (really it can be a brisket, butt, or ham actually). They are very, very smokey and cary the intense flavor of the rub or the sauce used to baste the pork while cooking. The worst thing about a bag of "out side brown"? Having it in your car ride home (car's heater just pushes the intense smoke smell all around the car so your head begins to spin 0_O ) The best thing about a bag of out side brown? It's that you have a bag of out side brown! =)

April: What I find hilarious about this is that this picture looks absolutely digusting! I mean anything described as "burnt ends" and "outside brown" that is usually discarded by the restaurant cannot be picturesque, but it is beautiful to me! Burk's has good pulled pork on its own and to get to sample these tasty little pieces of bark was even better. Most places chop up a little bit of this stuff and toss it in with the other chopped pieces of more tender meat. The burnt ends do contain the most flavor but it is very concentrated and a little overpowering, hence the need to mix but I like it best all on its own. I did need an extra gallon of water intake the next day after a few bites of these ends, but it was well worth it!

The Great American Barbecue Showdown

The Food Network has a series of shows, The Food Network Challenge. This Sunday's episode (January 17, 2010) will feature a barbecue showdown. This episode was filmed in part at the Greenwood Fesitval of Discovery KCBS Barbecue Competition that was held in July 2009. Lane and I were lucky enough to attend the event (see previous post) and might hopefully show up in one of the shots. Keep a look out for us!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-challenge/index.html

Courtney's BBQ Truck, Bi Lo Parking Lot

April: One of the first restaurants that we reviewed after starting this blog was Courtney's BBQ out of Clover, SC (see June 2, 2009 post). It is a great family owned establishment about 20 minutes from home and serves up some very good BBQ. As Lane and I headed to the grocery store after seeing the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie this week, we saw a large red food truck in the Bi-Lo Shopping Center parking lot. Courtney's BBQ had come to us! We went over to check out the offering. Along with the bright red truck, a few new menu items caught my attention. I immediately ordered the Beef Brisket Philly. Seeing as how the recent discovery of BBQ tacos was a palatable success, I thought I might try the Philly sandwich. It was savory and delicious. I am normally not a beef brisket fan as I prefer to stick with straight pork when it comes to BBQ, but this stuff was so good I might be more willing to try it in the future. The beef was stacked high on the bun and topped by lots of sauteed peppers in a variety of colors. The beef had been sauced but whatever it was was good - very savory, salty, and rich which complimented the sweet peppers very well. The bun was soggy as it was just a sandwich roll but I have learned not to expect Philly quality bread this far south!
We met Matt behind the window of this bright red truck. Turns out he has actually read our blog! Someone who is not a family member or close friend. We were shocked and so very pleased. Seems that Courtney's in Clover now has three smokers going full blast so I should be able to smell the smoke all the way down the road to my house almost! He also admitted that the BBQ Philly sandwich was his creation and new addition to the menu. He was also nice enough to let us sample a rib. This thing was awesome. They now smoke the ribs before throwing them on the grill. This made the meat have one very pronounced smoke ring and truly smokey taste. Still not a huge fan of the sauce they use but the smokey flavor now adds a whole new dimension. So huge, I can overlook the sauce.
Next time you are going past the Bi-Lo on Cherry Road, stop in and look for the red Courtney's truck. Bring your cash and order up some great food!

Lane: I found the Brunswick Stew to be salty and smoky with plenty of fresh vegetables but not spicy enough for my tastes. I really enjoyed the BBQ sandwich topped with the red slaw. The BBQ was savory and had just the slightest bit of tanginess and spice so that it didn't need any sauce. The Smoked Brisket Philly Cheesesteak wasn't too bad, it's just that I am not a huge fan of Cheese steak and BBQ sauce. This was a wonderful surprise to find in the Bi Lo parking lot. And it should be noted that Courtney's gives a percentage of the sales to the Bi Lo charities (but they did not specify how much).

Courtney's Barbeque Truck, Bi-Lo on Cherry Road
2186 Cherry Road Rock Hill, SC 29732

Distance from home: 2.92 miles

BATS BBQ

Lane: My initial reaction to BATS BBQ: "It's pretty cool". BATS is a brand new and stylish restaurant with pictures of smoke houses from across the globe. Decorated in black and red, the colors are known to make people hungry. That worked on me very well. The best entrees are the Stuffed Tacos. If there is anything these guys make that could be considered a "signature dish" it would be the "Cajunized" Chicken and Sausage Stuffed Tacos, which were excellent. The balance of BATS' Rub Sauce with the pico-de gallo's tanginess complements the smoky chicken and sausage. Now the half rack Baby Backs I DID NOT enjoy. They were a little overdone, BUT after my second rib, the next bite was much juicier and meaty. The ribs were complimented much like the tacos were by the Rub Sauce. The pulled chicken is very juicy and was complimented by BATS' Cajun Sweet sauce. I'm not a big fan of sweet potatoes but their Sweet Potato Fries are unique (still sweet but also fried which made the difference for me). My least favorite was the pulled pork. It just seemed OK... I was more impressed with the tacos which compared to the pulled pork left the pork uninspired. The Sweet tea was very good by the way. (I've been told the fried pickles are very good and next time I look forward to enjoying them.

April: If someone had told me that a BBQ taco was something I should try, I would have laughed and gagged a little at the same time. Something about the thought of those two tastes did nothing to encourage me. Oh how wrong I was. Bats BBQ serves up a pulled pork taco and a chicken and sausage taco. Both are excellent. Forget the "Mexican taste" that you might associate with tacos. They are simply the vehicle to get the delicious meat and pico de gallo to your mouth. Absolutely delicious. The pico is housemade and should be bottled and sold separately. It is THAT good! I enjoyed the ribs. They had a good savory dry rub and were well smoked. The ribs were a good basic taste that went well with the sauces, particularly the Rub Sauce. The pulled pork was another good basic taste. The meat was not overly smokey tasting and did not include a lot of bark, but had a good flavor. The Cajun Sweet sauce tasted the best with the pork. I particularly liked the smoked chicken that was served. Cut into large hunks, it was all white breast meat that had a great flavor all by itself. Try it with the Rib Sauce. It has just the right amount of spice to really highten the taste. I found the sweet sauce too sweet with the chicken.

The sweet potato fries are handcut and really, really good. Just the right amount of sweet and salty. If the fried pickles are even half as good as I hear they are and compared to the fries, I can't wait to try them! The best part about the eating in experience at Bats are the lovely photos on the wall of smokehouses from all over the world AND the fact that any tips left on the tables are donated to St. Vincent and St. Paul Society serving the needy in York County. Go try the food and be sure to leave a few bills on the table.

BATS BBQ 1912 Mount Gallant Road #108 Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 980-BATS

Total Distance from home: 3.92 miles

Famous Dave's Legendary Pit BBQue

April:On our recent vacation to bourbon country in Kentucky, we stopped en route in Knoxville, TN to enjoy some barbeque at Famous Dave's. It is a franchise restaurant chain with many locations. My meal consisted of the Brunswick stew Appetizer and Pulled Pork BBQ Style pulled / chopped. The Brunswick Stew had a salty taste with a delicious smell of fresh ingredients. It was very good for chicken stew but not Brunswick. It had a very light broth, large chunks of veggies (carrots, peas, beans corn and tomatoes), and potatoes. A very hardy and warm stew that was very salty and smokey but that was all for the flavor. The pulled pork was excellent. It had a very savory flavor, but not overly smokey. The taste overall was excellent. Appearance wise the plate came w/ sauce - sweet & zesty style - which in my book is NOT GOOD served on white bread toast which was very good- the barbecue was dry but not dried out. Be sure to ask for it naked - no sauce. It is best to taste it with all the other sauces Famous Dave has to offer. My favorites with the pulled pork were the “Devil’s Spit” and Texas Pit sauces – or by itself. My side item was Dave's Cheesy Mac and Cheese. This was an especially creamy and saucy macaroni and cheese concoction and it had halepenjos in it. The flavor was especially salty and spicy with the added peppers. A very interesting addition. I liked it in the small side dish. A larger serving would have been difficult to finish.

Lane: The Kielbasa Smokey Link and the 1/3 of Baby Back Ribs The Kielbasa smokey links had an amazing woody taste with a delicious flavor. They were plump and complimented not only by the standard mustard they serve it with but more importantly by the “Georgia Mustard,” a Famous Dave’s specialty. The baby back ribs had a great outer bark and were very savory with just the right blend of saltiness. These ribs were sweet and very smokey. The bitterness of the smoke balanced the other tastes quite well. The wood smoke really made the difference. The appearance was very dark and beautiful while the meat was well marbled. They were a good blend of fatty and lean protien. I'm not usually a big fan of baby backs but this 1/3 rack was fall off the bone smokey deliciousness. I had the coleslaw, mashed sweet potatoes, and corn on the cob as my sides. Each entrée comes with a cornbread muffin as a side also. The cornbread muffin was fantastic and sweet. The sweetness of the cornbread made the sweet potatoes pale in comparison. The coleslaw was nothing to write home about (or blog about as the case may be.)

As we were paying the bill after our fine meal, the restaurant manager came over to the table. Doug Coulter introduced himself, took a seat next to us, and started chatting. He talked with us for over half an hour and even treated us to dessert. The bread pudding was out of this world! It had a flan like consistency but was not eggy. Instead of a hard sauce made with bourbon, they served it with a praline sauce. This sauce made this dessert! Make sure you leave room for this dessert after your next meal at Dave's.

Famous Dave's Legendary Pit BBQue 208 Advantage Drive
Knoxville, TN 37922 (865) 694-9990
Distance from home: 264 miles

Slo' Smokin' Barbeque

April: Like many communities in the United States, the outskirts of Rock Hill in York County, SC are growing. Commercial development, new neighborhoods, road projects, etc. dominate the area between Rock Hill and Charlotte, NC. The small community of Newport, SC is no exception. A new Wal-Mart was naturally added to this area not too long ago. With it comes the requisite Dollar General, large clear cut parking lots, and newly created intersections. Slo' Smokin' Barbecue is mainly a catering outfit run by the Partlow family. It is housed in an 1880's farmhouse on the land that is now the new Wal-Mart. Due to the road construction with the Wal-Mart, the Partlow's were forced to shut down the three day a week restaurant that they ran out of the house. We happened upon this spot and this information a few weeks ago. Mr. Partlow was nice enough to give us a tour of the house and grounds, tell us stories of his years in the BBQ and catering business, and supply us with his call ahead/tailgating menu and encouraged us to order the following week. Needless to say, we did. We picked up a whole rack of ribs, 2lbs of pulled BBQ, sauces, and banana pudding. Mr. Partlow also threw in some of his personal recipe BBQ beans. He also told us that the business would be moving after the first of the year. The leasing company that owns the property and (not surprisingly) the Wal-Mart notified him that the rent for the house would be $3500 as of January 1, 2010. It is an increase of almost three times what he pays now. I do hope that he will relocate the catering and to-go business because he has some of the best BBQ, beans, sauce, and banana pudding around. The barbeque was well smoked and lightly mixed with a vinegar based sauce. While there was not a lot of bark (my favorite part) the smokey flavor was great. His BBQ beans are fantastic. A mix of kidney, limas, and pork and beans along with his favorite spices make these beans darn near perfect. I am not a fan of the super sweet baked beans that most restaurants serve up. These were gourmet quality but a very nice mix with the barbeque. The banana pudding is absolutely some of the best I have ever had. He mentioned that his grandson had a hand in making it. I hope they never stop. My favorite sauce is what he calls the "Growlin' Sauce" in honor of the Carolina Panthers. When the NFL team first came on the scene up here, the Partlow's helped cater their training camp. The players requested a hot BBQ sauce so they developed one and named it after the Panther Growl. What a great story! The one disappointment from this grand meal was the ribs. I am not a huge rib fan anyhow, but these were just not to my liking. They were fresh from the smoker and well sauced with a tomato base, but the meat was very fatty and tough. I liked the sauce and spiciness of the ribs, but the toughness and rubbery quality made them difficult to eat.
Overall, Slo' Smokin' is a great gastronomic experience that I hope will re-open far, far away from any future Wal-Marts.
Lane: I agree with the above to a point, as good as the beans were, they just didn't seem to be that great. The BBQ was amazing and the ribs had a ton of flavor. I do have one issue about the ribs however and its that there seemed to be a line of subcutaneous fat over the meat instead of a marbled layer. To me, this just meant that the meat had an unbalanced texture with most of the flavor in one area of the rib. Sauce wise, they were very good. I enjoyed the mustard sauce more then the "Growlin' Sauce" and I also really, really liked the banana pudding. My advice to anyone thinking of having an event catered. Check out Slo' Smokin'.

Slo' Smokin' Barbeque 4821 Old York, Road Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 322-7202
Distance from home: 4.7 miles

Bucko's

April: More than one person in Rock Hill suggested that we give Bucko's a try and review their BBQ. I ate a very good hot dog at their old restaurant location on North Cherry Road a few years ago. I have to admit that the very large pig outside that place might have warned me off the BBQ at the time. Their "new" restaurant is on South Cherry in an old Hardees and is sans the large outdoor pig. We ventured down for a lunch time treat. The Jr BBQ sandwich, fries (or Vidalia onion rings for an extra $1), and coleslaw was $5.69. In this economy, that is a great deal. I opted for the onion rings. The food arrived and I was most impressed with the shear quantity of food. There were easily 10 or more onion rings in the basket. Most places will barely give you more than 4. They were sweet and salty. The BBQ was piled on a buttery bun. I removed the bread and went straight for the meat. It was VERY smokey and savory. This meat held a lot of the oak flavor from the wood used in the smoker. The meat is not sauced, which I prefer, but I did try the sauce which they make themselves. The color is that of light molasses, but it is surprisingly NOT sweet. It was very tangy. I did not use a lot because it gave my tongue serious fatigue after just a few bites. I have to say that this food was very good and we will make Bucko's one of our more regular BBQ haunts in Rock Hill.
Lane: I am quite glad to finally get a chance to enjoy Bucko's after all the build up. The Vidalia Onion rings were very good. They were crisp, warm, and oh so sweet complimenting the tangyness of the cue. The cue was once an excellent cut of pork with plenty of flavor, chopped and pulled to a nice texture and consistency. All together, the next time I have the sandwich I'm putting the onion rings, slaw, and cue together for one big old mama-jama sam-mich! The kind you get messy, drippy, juices flowing down your sleeves. The food was SO good that April and I had already eaten before we even remembered to take any pics. :(

Bucko's
1019 McConnells Highway Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 980-2328
Distance from home: 2.0 miles

Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill

April: A shopping trip to the Outlet Stores in Gaffney, SC took us to Daddy Joe's Beach House off Exit 92 from I-85. There is a large billboard on the Interstate advertising this restaurant. It lived up to some of the hype. It is a very quirky restaurant with a beach house feel in the middle of the upstate. We started with sweet tea that was very good and a rib appetizer. There were 4 LARGE spare ribs served with a light sauce and heavy dry seasoning. They were perfectly smoked and very good. Our combo plate of smoked chicken and chopped pork was delivered with side of wedge fries and BBQ slaw. The chopped pork was surprisingly more the consistency of pulled pork, which I prefer. It had a good flavor and though it was served sauced, it was light and added to the pork flavor, not covering it up. It did not contain enough bark for my taste and was not otherwise outstanding. The chicken was covered in a thick and sweet sauce that did nothing for my taste buds. It tasted like grocery store bottled sauce and just overpowered the chicken. I was impressed by the fries. Normally not one to sacrifice calories on french fries, I let Lane pick this part of the combo. The wedge fries are crinkle cut and were very tasty. Our side of BBQ slaw was also very good. After my last few attempts at BBQ slaw, I am a little hesitant about ordering it. Too much vinegar can ruin the whole meal (see review for 521 BBQ). This slaw was great. The hushpuppies were nice and gritty with plenty of cornmeal taste and the extra side of smoked/grilled kielbasa was fantastic. I think the same dry rub spices used on the ribs went onto the sausage and made it really pop. We polished off this meal with a bowl of homemade apple cobbler and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I was too full to eat much, but what I did taste was very good. Definitely homemade and definitely enough to share.

One last thing to mention, all of this food and drinks barely came to $30. I was impressed because Lane just kept ordering food and since I had not memorized the prices on the menu, I had no idea what it was going to come to. Good thing about BBQ is that it is affordable!



Lane: Spending much of my childhood on the beaches of Edisto Island and some of my early college years in Spartanburg, I really don’t know what to make of a “beach house” in Gaffney. Maybe something with faux driftwood painted in bright pinks and blues, alluding to some tropical Jimmy Buffet get-a-way coupled with dear heads and license plates paying homage to Gaffney’s land locked state as the city is nestled fundamentally between I-85 and I-26 was what I was expecting. Actually it was exactly what I got. I thought the Kielbasa “smoked sausage” was great. It was seasoned like the ribs were and was served with yellow mustard. It had a crunchy texture aided by the sea salt and crushed black pepper and the crusty bark of roasted casing. The links were very tasty and quite warm in comparison to the cue. I thought the ribs were better than the cue. The recipe described them a “St. Louis style” but truthfully these ribs were good, had a good outer bark a woody savory flavor, and a deep, spicy, smoky aroma that made me oh so hungry. These ribs were very rich and tasty, not too bitter, not too salty, and very, very savory. To me the pulled chicken and chopped BBQ was just ok. The color and texture of the meat was fine but the sauces on both were both overly spicy and sweet, which took away from the meat’s great smoky flavor. Unfortunately the overhead fan was on and a slight breeze cooled the cue and chicken so quickly that I only had a few bites that weren’t cold. I really liked the BBQ slaw and the wedge fries. I agree with April that this was a great place to eat.



Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill
1400 West Floyd Baker Blvd Gaffney, SC 29341
(864) 487-RIBS
Distance from home: 45.86 miles

Maurice's Piggy Park

Lane: April and I like to consider ourselves pretty astute politically and often find ourselves left-to-center on most issues. So, I decided to pass up the topic of ‘Bessinger Politics’ focusing on the food and not the controversy*. I normally think that Maurice’s is just "OK". They opened the one here in Rock Hill within the last year or so and April and I visited it. Not really that outstanding (which was the same thing we said about Burk’s, another Rock Hill establishment). Now that we are doing the blog we decided to give it a second chance. The worst thing about this visit was somehow we spent nearly $20 for lunch for two. So it is pretty pricy. I got the Big Joe and it’s a half pound of cue and this was a substantial sandwich. It comes sauced with their “heirloom gourmet sauce” which is a classic Carolina gold. If you like it, you like it. I thought it was pretty darn good. The hash is very good also. It's hard to find good hash in this area.

*I don’t like bias and I love objectivity. I’m a journalistic purist at heart which is weird for a blogger I hear. If you want to discuss the politics of Maurice Bessinger, there are other venues for that. Go use our Google search because it pays us when you use it.

April: I choose not to ignore the politics of Maurice Bessinger's BBQ restaurants. I did avoid the new restaurant in Rock Hill for as long as I could, but Lane made me go. I had had Maurice's BBQ once as a kid at the place in Irmo, SC. I remember the chicken tenders being very good but I was kid and what kid doesn't like chicken tenders? When we finally tried the food here in Rock Hill, I was not impressed with the BBQ. It was too heavily sauced in that terrible heavy mustard sauce that he peddles around the globe. I did like the hash and rice. In fact, it was some of the best hash I have had. On our second trip, I pointed out that we really shouldn't include the Rock Hill Maurice's in our review because this location does not have a smoker. The meat is delivered from the Columbia restaurant and lord only knows how old it is. It may even be frozen at some point. We just chalked it up to adding it to the blog in the same way that we review restaurants outside of the 100 mile radius. I am glad to say that the chicken tenders are still just as good as I remember them being and the hash is worthy. I will warn that this place is on the expensive side. We have not given reviews of prices on restaurants because they are all for the most part very affordable. This is one of the exceptions. You also have to put up with a table full of pro-white supremacy - the South will rise again literature that is over to the side of the restaurant. It is easily avoidable, but it still makes me angry. I hate noting more than white hate.
My overall review is that the food is not good enough to drag me back and have to overlook the bad politics.

Maurice’s Piggy Park 2391 Dave Lyle Blvd. Rock Hill, SC 29730
(803) 366-4227
Distance from home: 5.74 miles

Mac's Speed Shop

Lane: About a month or two ago, April and I got Dish Network because our local cable company, Comporium, dropped our favorite channels during the big conversion. So, we go from having basic cable to hundreds of channels and programming we have never seen. One of the best programs we were missing was Sons of Anarchy on FX. Now we are hooked and it is what’s “top of our mind” when it comes to biker culture. Yeah I know, completely unrealistic, but Mac’s does have a small sign on the outside by the parking lot: “No patches, no colors.” So, maybe we are not far off. Mac’s Speed Shop is pretty bad assed but I get the sense that most of the clientele are not 1% ers (the outlaw bikers) but instead are just everyday Janes and Joes looking for some great grub. I had an awesome time and enjoyed everything except the banana pudding. (I’ve been told by our readers that I talk a lot about ‘nanner puddin’) It was just mediocre. The ribs were great. The pulled pork was pretty fresh and flavorful; the type that is good with or without sauce, and the chicken was juicy and savory. But I was not a big fan of the marinated steak. Just was not feeling it for some reason. The Mac at Mac’s was great. Cheesy and gooey! The collard greens were excellent. I enjoyed it and will come back to eat when I am next in this area.



April: Mac's Speed Shop was recommended to us by more than one person from the Charlotte area. On the way to see a show at the Blumenthal, we decided to check it out. Excellent recommendation! The place was super busy on a Saturday at lunch time, especially with college football fans. We got a seat at the bar with no problem and immediately ordered some good beer and large bowl of Brunswick Stew. This is one of the few places in all of our travels thus far that has Brunswick Stew closest to how I make it. Rich with meat and tomatoes and spices, it was great. Lane and I decided to split one of thier combo plates that includes "A Little Bit of Everything." That is exactly what it is called on the menu. Ribs, pulled pork, 1/2 a chicken, AND beef brisket, plus two sides, and bread. The ribs were sweet, smokey, and messy. The pulled pork was heavy with flavor and did not need any sauce. The beef brisket was more like marinated steak and less like pressed brisket. I really enjoyed the beef and traded Lane that for the roast chicken. I was amazed at the shear amount of food that we got for such a good price. The collard greens and macaroni and cheese were delicious. While I could not fathom putting anything else down my gullet, Lane ordered the banana pudding. The picture of him looking very excited about digging into it was taken BEFORE he tried the first bite. Big disappointment. It was vanilla flavored pudding with two slices of banana and whipped cream. Not even pretend homemade. My suggestion is to enjoy a second beer from their fantastic selection (both draft and bottle) and pass on the dessert.

Mac’s Speed Shop South End 2511 South Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 522-6227
Distance from home: 22.90 miles

Lee’s Barbecue

A little while ago I had the great opportunity to visit Lake Greenwood with my fraternity brothers (Tau Kappa Epsilon), Brian, D.J., Greg, Eric, and Malcolm for a leadership retreat weekend. Man, did we have a good time hanging around, telling stories, shooting air-soft pellets at each other, and getting some actual work done. While I unfortunately had to leave early, I insisted that we all go out to Lee’s first while we were all together and that was a great decision (despite some other alcohol fueled ones made by the fellas later)! My wife is from Greenwood and when she describes the kind of Carolina cue she was raised on, it’s Lee’s. Lee’s has the distinction of being one of the few buffet BBQ restaurants in the Upstate with an amazing array of delectable sides and desserts. The cue varies from time to time. The quality of meat is always strong but the degree to which it is cooked (sometimes underdone, sometimes overdone) is sometimes touch-and-go. BUT, their chicken tenders are always amazing! Their banana pudding is great but this particular visit was covered by sliced fresh strawberries, so it was camouflaged. Don’t worry, after a second or two I found it! The sauces are not spectacular and cover the broad spectrum of tastes (hot, spicy, mild, Lexington, Carolina Gold, sweet, etc.). The food is always good and has just the right balance of salty and savory with sweet and bitter (mostly in the peppery sauces you would add to the delicious veggies they offer) all of which translates to a great dinning experience. The guys thought so too. Oh, by the way, the place is called Lee's and sure enough there is a framed picture of Robert E. Lee on the wall.



Lee’s Barbecue Greenwood, SC
16994 Highway 72 W
Waterloo, SC 29384
(864) 998-3411
Distance from home: 86.64 miles

Prissy Polly's Pig Pickin' Barbeque

April: Upon recommendation from Summer Hanna, we visited Prissy Polly's while visiting Kernersville, NC last weekend. The restaurant is like a country kitchen and it is seat yourself. They offer both types of North Carolina BBQ, Eastern and Lexington style. I chose the plate of Lexington style due to my preference of the vinegar and spices along with a healthy batch of collard greens and brunswick stew. The meal deal also included banana pudding that was well worth the money and the caloric intake! The BBQ was pulled pork and well seasoned. My only complaint is that there was almost too much of the vinegar sauce added. The pork was mushy and very wet. Towards the very last bite, it was so vinegary, I couldn't finish it. Shameful, I know, but very unpalatable. The brunswick stew, collards, and hushpuppies were all very good as was the aforementioned banana pudding. Overall the food was good, but I think next time I will ask for the Eastern style q.



Lane: I purchased the BBQ and One Rib Combo with a sweet tea. The rib was very good. The outer bark was a dark mahogany color with a savory smokey flavor. This was a very good rib. The down side to the BBQ was the texture and consistency. It was a little too fatty for what I like. The cue was sweet and had a great dark chocolate color and a good smokey taste. The Lexington Style sauce has a beautiful burgundy color, a peppery smell, and a spicy bite. It complimented the meat very well. I thoroughly enjoyed the ring style hushpuppies. They have awesome 'nanner puddin' too. Be sure to check that out! The decor of Prissy Polly's is a homespun and quirky representation of southern culture. Lots of signs for John Deere Tractors, the Andy Griffith Show, Hank Williams Sr., and memorials for our soldiers abroad scatter the walls. They offer live Bluegrass and other types of music and a little handmade sign over the clearing for equipment setup reads, "No ASCAP or BMI Musicians Allowed." Here's to the independent artists of Kernersville, NC.
Prissy Polly's Pig Pickin' Barbeque
729 Highway 66 South Kernersville, NC 27284
(336) 993-5045
Distance from home: 110.75 miles

Duke's BBQ

FIRST AND FOREMOST THIS IS OUTSIDE OF THE 100 Mile Smoke LINE!



This little out of the way place is perfect in the way you would imagine a tiny little BBQ joint to be. My dad and I went there this past Saturday and enjoyed dinner with ALL the fixings (including corn nuggets which are always a special little treat) and it’s a buffet style service, so the compulsion to eat every single item could be a problem for some. A two plate sitting is usually my max at a buffet these days so I piled up a little bit of everything. Hash, rice, slaw, cue, chicken, hushpuppies, and banana pudding are my staples but anytime full-cut green beans, black eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, corn, lima beans, collards, and the aforementioned corn nuggets are present, then they make an appearance on my plate.


Let me tell you about the cue.
The cue is a little dry, which is easy to expect when you have a buffet because it’s been sitting out under a heat lamp. Despite the dryness, the meat had a good smoky flavor and was a good canvas to display first the hue of red pepper flakes and then glisten of the Carolina gold sauces that Duke’s has as condiments. We were in a desperate race to get to Duke’s before all the ribs were gone and they were very good. I had two spare ribs with some of Duke’s smoky sauce topping them and they were tasty but also a little bit fatty. The cue and the ribs are a savory outstanding experience.
Duke’s has some of the best fried chicken. Remember that as well. I really enjoy any of the Duke’s BBQ joints around the low country, whether they be Ridgeville, Summerville, Hollywood, Ladson, or Walterboro (although I don’t think every Duke’s is related to each other).

Dukes Barbecue 949 Robertson Blvd.
Walterboro, SC 29488 (843)549-1446

Distance from home: 163.65 miles

521 BBQ & Grill

April: We invited Joel Hamilton and Marina Bender along with us to this restaurant in the growing area of Indian Land, SC near Lancaster. Joel had been the one to suggest the restaurant as he had eated their before. We suggested that he serve as a guest reviewer for this place on the blog. His review is below. His narrative of the trip there is great and I couldn't agree more with his thoughts on the BBQ and hushpuppies. My only addition is to stay far away from either of the coleslaws. Both mayo and BBQ slaws are available and neither were very good. Otherwise, the experience was great and we will be repeat visitors despite the lengthy drive.
Lane: I always enjoy barbecue and finding new places. I am usually a stickler for continuity and, luckily, 521 was just like a thousand other barbecue resturants around. The newer places in this area such as Fort Mill Barbecue, Burk's, and now 521 BBQ & Grill are just that, new. They have a true distinction in style from more established restaurants like Courtney's in Clover or even the big chain Sonny's. And because they are new, they seem to try harder to become established and thrive in an economy where half of all new businesses fail. Good on them. Now on to the food: the ribs were succulent with a delicious balance of spicy and savory. The hushpuppies were crunchy and fresh, still warm from their golden bath of hot oil, and the cue was very tasty. Lately I have been including barbecue beans and barbecue slaw (or red slaw as it is sometimes called) to my entrees. On this night these sides did not disapoint at all. SPECIAL NOTE: THE RED SLAW IS VERY, VERY VINEGARY! HOT! BE FOREWARNED!

Joel: The whole week leading up to this trip to 521 was merely a countdown to the main event Friday evening when we were to meet with April and Lane for some BBQ! I had been to 521 once before for lunch over the summer and had been very impressed.
521 BBQ is on, well, 521 in Indian Land. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d fly right by and never even know what you were missing. Heck, even when you’re looking for it, 521 is easy to miss. It’s situated at the end of a little strip plaza on the south side of the more developed area of 521 right before you hit the no man’s land between Indian Land and Lancaster. Cruising up 521, we passed a horse and rider trotting along the side of the road. If these folks don’t do good BBQ, then no one should, right?
Well, we (ok, “I” actually…) almost flew right past it, but luckily Marina’s car has excellent brakes and we turned right in. It was refreshing to me to grab a good meal with a crew that gets as excited about food as I do! We were all ear to ear by the time we hit the door.
Anyway, 521 has a scattering of picnic tables, booths and tables and chairs in two dining rooms. Someone once told me that the best BBQ comes from establishments where the chairs don’t match. 521 provides some evidence to bolster that theory. Exhibit A: The menu has the type of disclaimer you’re actually glad to see, warning that they may be out of meat as it is smoked nightly! The tea on this night was strong and sweet and I downed a full glass before the food came. Lane and I ordered the combo plate: ribs; pulled pork; fries; red slaw and hushpuppies. Yes. It looked as good as it sounds, and yes. We were very excited.
I dispatched of the ribs first. Each one pulled apart rather easily but what stuck out was the sheer amount of meat on each bone. This was a well fed animal! The sauce was a sweet rib sauce and though there was plenty, they obviously know to let the meat speak for itself a little. The smokiness of the meat was not overwhelmed at all by the sauce. Two points for 521!
The pork comes sans sauce and really doesn’t even need it; each bite is tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. Not a single dry or chewy piece of pork in the pile. I ate about 1/3 of it plain before finally giving in and reaching for the bottle of sauce on the table. 521 has a spicy, Worcestershirish, vinegar sauce tingling with chili pepper that may not be for everyone but damn if it wasn’t for me! It really was a perfect compliment for their meat which disappeared rather quickly once it was doused in sauce.
The fixin’s were on par with anyone. The only complaint I have about the hushpuppies is that there weren’t more of them.
Bottom line? Tough to go wrong with a late evening, late summer cruise up 521 to 521 through the country with great company. The BBQ is top notch and the relaxed atmosphere invokes plenty of conversation. We stayed until they started sweeping, took the scenic route home and washed down our dinner with a fine, ice-cold bourbon at the Lovegrove's. After being away for most of the past three years, it sure felt good to be back.

521 BBQ & Grill 7580 Charlotte Highway, Suite 100, Indian Land, SC (803) 548-PORK

Distance from home: 18.12 miles

Big T Bar-B-Q Columbia SC

April: We selected this BBQ restaurant from an online listing that gave it high marks for being some of Columbia's better mustard based BBQ. If you have read any of my posts, you know that I am not a mustard base fan, but I have to say that this BBQ was very good. The restaurant is tucked into a strip mall on Garner's Ferry Road. The staff are warm and friendly and there is a wide variety of menu items. The special on the day of our visit was Ox Tails! Ordering is cafeteria style but you get plenty for the cost. The restaurant also has a very large banquet room that could easily accomodate 100 people. While the mustard sauce is already mixed in with the BBQ pork, you can ask for additional hot or mild sauce. I highly recommend the hot sauce. The collards were exceptional while the mac and cheese was just OK. Overall it was good mustard base BBQ and we had a great time with our families celebrating our August birthdays!


Lane: I went with the hash and fried chicken because I already had a great deal of BBQ from Lee's in Greenwood. Big T's hash was very salty with a great tomato based sauce that permeated the rice it was served over. I could really differentiate between the spices and the pork flavor. The only down side was that it was very greasy, so you would need the rice to absorb a good deal of it to balance the textures. The chicken was pretty basic and didn't stand out in any real way. Sometimes that can be a good thing, sometimes it can be bad. I feel, in this case, that it really helped add to the balance of tastes and textures of the hash, rice, and chicken. As for the sides, they served great corn bread, very sweet and almost deseret like. The mac-n-cheese was just like I like it, cheesy and casserole like, the green beans were crisp and fresh. These are my two favorite sides so they made me pretty darn happy.


Big T Bar-B-Q 7535 Garners Ferry Road,
Columbia, SC 29209 (803) 776-7132
Distance from home: 73.36 miles
And for those who would like a different take:
http://scbbq.blogspot.com/2006/01/big-t-bar-b-que.html