Bub-Ba-Q ~ Woodstock GA

  I have noticed that there are way too many BBQ joints using a cartoon pig in their signage. Pigs cooking, pigs with forks and knives, cute pigs, pigs over fire, pigs with chef hats, pig butts, pigs with big snouts, and pigs wearing overalls, just to mention a few. (I will of course have to ramble on about this at a later date.)

Therefore, I was ecstatic that I did not see one picture or any other graven image of a Bubba at Bub-Ba-Q. 

  Yes, I was impressed. They did however clutter the joint up with an annoying amount of trophies from BBQ competitions. Enough already. Jeez.

 We had to jump up on some to-go food as all of our posse was at Grandma's house. This young lady was very patient and helpful.

  Bub-Ba-Q has the sauce program working hard. However, I am very disappointed that they allow the company who produces their sauces to use High Fructose Corn Syrup. This is a huge fail According to gf. Look, a BBQ belt! Just like WWF!

 There was a big-ass commercial smoker jammed into a corner in the back.

   I had recenty visited a soon-to-be-famous BBQ joint in West Atlanta who has Hottie "Hogs", so of course, I had to compare them to Bub-Ba's Hotties. I have determined that the waitresses at Bub-Ba-Q were just as hot. Matter of fact, they are hot enough to win a trophy, which could be displayed (with the others) at the restaurant.

 The roasted chicken was tender but it had very little smoke flavor and was light on the seasoning.  The greens were way overcooked. I have no comment on the macaroni and cheese... However, my wife "The Sassy Chef" went on and on about its insufficencies for a half an hour or more. Hey, what can I say? She is passionate about Mac and Cheese!

  The Chocolate Snickers Cake (made by the Alpine Bakery) was rich and delish. 

  The half rack of ribs was very tender and had a nice smoke ring, but I thought they could have used more rub. Skipping past the baked beans... (cough)... the corn-fritter-thingy-bobs were... OMGood.

  The pulled pork was moist and tender. One must dip this into the mustard BBQ sauce. Matter of fact I dipped them into every sauce they had: Mustard, Vinegar base, Spicy Hot Vinegar, and Smokey Kansas City Style. The sauces were on point even though it may take me a while to rid my system of the HFCS that was in them.

  Overall Bub-Ba-Q was good. I did not go crazy-ga-ga over anything, save the corn fritters and chocolate cake, but this is decent Q. They must be doing something right as they had good business and plenty of trophies. One must understand that there is a big difference in winning competitions and running restaurants. Running a restaurant takes focus 24/7 and a great staff. I really liked the staff at Bub-Ba-Q, and I know their focus will take them far.

  Someone at Bub-Ba-Q needs to hire a lawyer as there are Bubbas everywhere. Here is a BubbaQue out of Florida...

 http://www.bubbaquesbbq.com/

(They even have a cartoon pig.)

  Hell, our family even has a Bubba! Yeah, someone needs to wrangle in all of these Bubbas in and sort them all out. 

  Check Bub-Ba-Q out when you get a chance; you should not be disappointed. I am waiting for the "half-off franchise sale" just so I can use the name! Oh, and I am stealing the corn fritter recipe.

Thanks for reading, 

gf

  

  

Hottie Hawg's Smokin' BBQ ~ Atlanta GA

 Hottie Hawg's Smokin' BBQ invited me for dinner, which was in itself a momentous occasion, as someone actually wanted my opinion. I know, that is amazing ('whispering'... and a bit suspicious).

  Enough of the hubbub though, it is time to get down to business. HHSBBQ is fairly new (since 2008), and it shows in some simple ways according to gf.  They had an unfortunate tragedy at the start of their company with the tragic loss of a partner, which must have brought forth some hard times and difficult decisions.  It appears that they have weathered those hard times well as they are set up nicely for catering with a massive Hottie Hawg's trailer (the "18 Squealer"... which is bad ass to say the least). They also have Hotties, and a Boss Hawg to boot. I believe that it is safe to say that catering is their strength. They have even landed a gig with The Lifetime Channel called "Catrering Wars".
  However, after watching the first episode, I think that someone needs to rethink this whole "Boss Hawg" bit. There is good publicity and then there is bad publicity. I hope that Boss Hawg telling a competing caterer that he was going to "put his boot up her ass" was not a bad publicity move.

 HHSBBQ (the initials seem longer than the name) has a cozy spot in a worn out part of town. Even though the area is older, there are some really cool buildings in this area of west Atlanta. HHSBBQ is very easy to get to as they are right off of South Cobb Drive. They have two adjacent buildings, which I suspect that one is an office. The restaurant has a big deck between the buildings, ample parking (you may not want to take a deep sniff of the air as it may be malodorous), and mysterious back porch with smokers and such (I also noted a secret trap door for the wood.)... very cool.

  The restaurant building needs the gf Corps of Engineers to investigate and come up with a plan. Here are a few suggestions (for free) to help them out:

1. Crap on the walls and in every nook and cranny has been over-done. Stop it. Go with neat and clean, cool and bad-ass.

2.  "When in Rome do as the Romans do." If you want to do a sports-bar atmosphere... Remember that you are in Atlanta Georgia... Home of the Falcons. I do not think that the Falcon's fans care too much for the Dallas Cowboys (but the Cowboy fans love it!). You can hang up all the signed jerseys, balls, helmets, etc. that you want, and it will gain you close to zero in return.

3. Do something with the front door. Use it or lose it. I watched a poor soul meandering around the front trying to figure out how to get in. If people are struggling with that, well... Houston, we have a problem.

  Well then, I feel better already. Shall we talk about the food since that is why we showed up? "People go out to eat to eat" gf.

  I brought along the baker, and Deep South Sassy Chef extraordinaire, Jill; The Wing-Man, and Southern Ice Tea Critic, Stephen; and all the way from Augusta Georgia, our fearless Pulled-Pork-Perfectionist, Alex. Here are our collective opinions about HHSBBQ Texas Style BBQ fare:

  Smoked Wings ~ Overcooked, they had to be fried "according to Stephen", the sauce was on point though. Stephen commented: "They have their work cut out for them to catch up with Fox Brother's wings... Just sayin'."
  I think that they were smoked and then fried. 7 points Falcons.

  Sweet Iced Tea ~ It was freshly brewed (Alex stated that it was so fresh it was slightly warm) and sweetened nicely. Our Ice Tea Critic took a to-go cup of the nectar. 3 point Field Goal Dallas.

  Beer Can Chicken ~ The chicken had a crispy outside and moist and juicy inside. It was very flavorful with a mild smoke flavor. 7 points Dallas.

  Pulled Pork ~ Alex had it in a sandwich and I had it with a combo. Served dry, HHSBBQ is relying on the guest to douse it with one of their three signature sauces (mustard, tomato vinegar, or smokey/spicy sweet tomato base), which were all on point. If one attempts to eat this pork plain they will notice a good flavor, but will consume at least three glasses of the fresh sweet tea. Topping the sandwich with onions was different. 3 points Dallas.

Sliced Brisket ~ The brisket was fork tender with a slight smoke flavor. Not the best I have ever had, but for a lazy Sunday afternoon it was pretty darn good. 3 points Dallas.

  Burnt Ends ~ Not being a gf staple, the burnt ends were still judged with care. Alex wanted to make a hoagie out of them... I am not so sure about that... but they were tender and flavored with rendered fat and smoke. This is not diet food, but it is, none the less, delicious. 7 points Dallas.

 Potato Salad ~ The Southern Sassy Chef likes no potato salad other than her own... except for HHSBBQ's! Holy crap! Dallas sacks the Falcon's in their own end-zone for a safety!  2 points!

  Collard Greens ~ These greens were off-the-chain-good. I mean to steal this recipe. 3 points Dallas.

  Cole Slaw ~ This slaw has to be a Texas deal. It has a slight vinegar base with cilantro and black bean salsa. I am not a huge fan, but it was flavorful. I bet if I tossed in some Duke's mayo it would be a three point money shot at the buzzer. 3 points Falcons.

  Fried Pickles and Jalapeños (bottle tops) ~ Mucho caliente y mucho denaro. This is the second recipe I intend to steal. When I started nibbling on this appetizer I thought it was too expensive. As I continued to eat this delectable snack I changed my mind. 3 points Dallas.

  Now what every warm blooded American is waiting for me to write about... Hottie Hawg's Hotties. The concept is tried and true ~ great food and hot women... in boots... and Daisy Dukes. OMG the "three B's" are BBQ, Beer, and Babes. Bluegrass should be in there too... but only on Thursdays.

"Whenever one finds a cute pig one needs to be on the lookout for a frog." gf

I found the frog's banjo.

  Our Hawg was a Hottie, maybe not a great server, but she was cute. If HHSBBQ is after the Hooter's/Twin Peaks/Tilted Kilts bit they are going to have to bring their "A" game. The competition is fierce and the segment is shrinking with more and more of these places popping up everywhere.

  Just for discussion... is it cool to be called a Hottie Hawg? Talk amongst yourselves about that and feel free to report back.The food was the star of this visit... not the Hawgs.

We also tried the desserts. Our Sassy Chef said that the Pecan Pie had a good flavor, but noted that it was a bit dry. She did not like the presentation of the Key Lime Pie in the small tin. She thought that it did not have the "burst of lime" that she was hoping to find and found it bland. "If they want to put something in a tin cup I suggest Banana Pudding or Bread Pudding instead of Key Lime Pie."

  I am going to donate some plate ware in the near future, as they will need it when they open their first prototype restaurant (I have already scribbled out a Proto-A design on a napkin).

  I wish this company the best of luck. They have courage; good food; a crap load of potential; Hotties; a Boss Hawg; and a phenomenal marketing Yoda who actually may be hidden in the other building.

Thanks for reading,

gf

  

  

Harold's Barbecue ~ Atlanta GA

  I love time travel movies. The Back To The Future series is a favorite of mine. When watching those movies, I wonder about the choices that we make which forever change the space-time-continuum. One poor decision and the "Bad Biff" takes over Hill Valley. Is it possible that time travel changed Harold's Barbecue that way?

  Maybe they have changed the same way that the 50's-style soda-fountain changed in the movie Blast From The Past. Rent the video or watch the movie to get the full effect.

  Harold's Barbecue has been in business in the same place since 1947. That fact in and of itself is a staggering feat (of glue and duct tape). I am not an engineer, so I do not know exactly how long concrete block structures last before they totally disintegrate. Sixty-odd years are a long time for a restaurant to occupy the same building. The space-time-continuum for Harold's Barbecue will be altered forever if it is thoroughly cleaned and remodeled. I personally do not think that the walls would remain vertical. It would be too much of a shock.

  Many famous people have dined on Harold's Barbecue over the years. Jimmy Carter, Jeff Foxworthy, Lewis Grizzard are a few names that may impress diners. The original owner Harold Hembree Sr. and his son did a superb job feeding Atlanta over the last sixty years. With the  Federal Penitentiary right down the street, plenty of officers, lawyers, and such have graced Harold's doors. The Hembree legacy of barbecue in South Atlanta is epic. Now, who will they impress over the next sixty years?   

Violation # 2-1C. No bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

  I know that they did not impress the health inspector back in January 2011. The health inspection (which should be posted by the entrance) eluded my failing eyesight during my lunch visit. However, I did find my reading glasses at home and the health inspection results on line. January 15, 2011 they did not fair well. On a re-inspection, about ten days later they did significantly worse. The next day they passed with a 95. I do not want to bash Harold's Barbecue for a bad score. I just thought one may want to know. I noticed several violations, but I am anal like that. I worry about their guests health and Harold's Barbecue continuing to operate within the health department guidelines.

  

  Upon arrival, the first thing that I noticed was an ancient ginormous smoke stack. Slightly disappointed, by the lack of smoke emanating from it, I pressed forward past the barred windows and through an overly squeaky door labeled with a "cash only" sign.

 My wife studied my face for fear worry or shock from the moment we drove into the parking lot. She searched for the same look on my face that was on hers several weeks ago when we pulled into Heirloom Barbecue. She got no such satisfaction from me. I was in love with this building from the moment that I saw it. It looked like a mini penitentiary. A newspaper article on the wall by the table we selected stated that Jeff Foxworthy used Harold's Barbecue as a backdrop for his classic line "You might be a redneck if...".

Seeing the bars on windows and the cashier wearing a Superman T-shirt and "packing heat" made me think "You might be in a bad part of town if...".

• You might be in a bad part of town if... you have to put bars over your air conditioners.
• You might be in a bad part of town if... you are the only eatery around for miles.
• You might be in a bad part of town if... there is a penitentiary a few blocks down the road.
• You might be in a bad part of town if... the cashier is wearing a sidearm.

By the way, I have always wanted to use the term "packing heat".

   I did not see any neon blue lights or flaming trails of fire like Marty McFly  used to see when traveling through time. However, when I made the time-warp-leap through the front door, I did imagine them. I also imagined Beuford T. Justice walking in and asking for a Diablo Sandwich and a Dr. Pepper.

  Where was I? Ah yes, sitting at the table reviewing the menu (modified with price-change stickers).

Before making the trip to Harold's Barbecue, a friendly farmer instructed me to order an "inside cut" sliced-pork sandwich, a bowl of Brunswick Stew, and a side of Cracklin' Cornbread. The farmer stated "If you don't like that, you don't know what good is.".

Given this challenge, I ordered the above meal. My wife added a chili-dog, and I added a half rack of ribs to the order. While swatting a lone hungry fly, we received the crackin' cornbread. It was perfectly cooked and delicious. The Brunswick Stew arrived and tasted a lot like South Carolina Hash with a bit of corn and tomato added. It was better than most Brunswick stew that I have tried in Georgia.

  Then the highlight of the meal came to the table. It was the chili dog topped with diced onions. Although probably filled with indigestible poison, this chili dog rules the Deep South. One will not find its match anywhere in the South according to gf. The current owners have not lost the art of making the distinctive chili which topped this dog.

  The ribs engulfed the plate on which they sat. I am not sure what cut of ribs these were, I think they were short ribs untrimmed, but they came from a thin pig. They possessed a slight smokiness, but they were not slow cooked over smoke. I am sure of it. The sauce, which is a thin red vinegar solution, accompanies the ribs and the sliced barbecue sandwich.

  I am not a fan of diced (chopped) barbecue. Chopped barbecue may come in handy when all of my teeth fall out. Until then, I will pass on this delicacy of the toothless. The sliced barbecue sandwich looked disappointing. Stacked on sad looking semi-grilled-toasted white bread it begged for a face-lift. However, it rose to the occasion and proved to be a spectacular sandwich. The meat proved to be tender and flavorful. I hereby dub it the Ugly Duckling Sandwich.

  While eating, I finished the cleaning list that lingered in the back of my head. We finished lunch and chatted with Maggie our server (surprisingly photogenic) who gave us prompt service. Maggie informed us that she was the great grand daughter of the original owners.  I understood from the conversation that the myriad of workers milling about in the restaurant are also related to the original owners.

  Can Harold's Barbecue still cook fabulous barbecue? Absolutely, but... Harold's Barbecue is not for the faint of heart. If one does not venture too far from ones suburban cocoon, one should not bother trying to find Harold's Barbecue. However, if one likes an adventure and is not skeered of a fly, some dirt, bars on windows, pot bellied patrons, and cashiers with sidearms... then go for it.

  Order a chili dog, a sliced-pork sandwich, Brunswick Stew, and some cracklin' cornbread. "If you don't like that, you don't know what good is."

 Update: Harold's is toast. gf
Click here for details.



Thanks for reading,

gf

Heirloom Market BBQ ~ Atlanta, GA

  "Never judge a book by its cover." This is a true statement for most influential barbecue joints. Multiply that thought by approximately 7.5 when thinking of Heirloom Market BBQ.

  I wore my newly acquired Bass Pro Shop T-Shirt for the dining experience as a hint for my wife. Unable to decode the signals, she got all gussied up for dinner.

If one does not look to the left, this is a quaint restaurant.

  Pulling into the smallish parking lot, not only did I get "the look", I also received  a "what the hell" softly spoken under her breath. Reassuring my spouse, I explained that there was absolutely nothing to worry about except that she was slightly over dressed. This is a small joint. The smallness of the place is part of what I enjoyed about it.  There is only one table. I know! That is awesome, right? We landed at the"Rails" (long boards attached to the perimeter walls) after ordering at the register/display filled with sausages and jars of kimchi.

  We both chose the "Chattahoochee Punch" for a beverage. Tap water served in large, clear bottles (with those crafty springy tops with corks) made the tap water feel expensive. I love the beverage choices. Heirloom BBQ does not have the free-flowing free-refilling coke dispensing machine. Rather they have several unique choices of soda with real ingredients in bottles. Coke made with sugar, (and not High Fructose Corn Syrup) Homemade lemonade, sweet tea, and Jasmine green tea also made me smile.

  Looking into the kitchen, I watched smoke wafting out of smokers, and chefs bustling about preparing orders. As we waited for dinner, the stream of customers getting to-go orders became steady. At three (O'clock) in the afternoon, Heirloom BBQ was hopping. I knew it was not the fancy dining room bringing in the flow of guests, but rather the quality of food. The food arrived on metal platters lined with paper. Grabbing a fork off of the wall, I dug in to find out what all the fuss is about.

   The Smoked Wings (the chalk board special) arrived with a small side of Korean Sweet Potatoes. In the back of my brain, I heard a famous chef say BAM! The baked and sauteed sweet potatoes (delicate and delicious) added to the plate perfectly. A subtle smokiness and a semi-sweet sauce enveloped the wings. Sesame seeds topped the mound of goodness to make this an above average dish for a barbecue joint next to a convenience store. (I am not sure if that is a barbecue category or not.) Maybe it should be. Well then, Heirloom BBQ wins the category if there is one.

The Georgia Sampler came to the rail on two trays, and all of a sudden I felt awful greedy. After some needed adjusting, we started to dissect this monstrosity of a "platter". I dove straight into the chopped barbecue. Grabbing up half of an egg bun (my favorite) and jamming it with some Q and some slaw took me to the seventh level of barbecue happiness. Heirloom BBQ does not over sauce their barbecue. However, they may have over smoked some of the brisket (as well as over cooked it). One has the opportunity to taste the flavors of the meats that they cook without the sauce taking all of the credit. There were several sauces on the table:  Settler Sauce - (North)Carolina(ish) vinegary with peppers, Table Sauce - Sweet and smokey (a thin Tennessee Style), Kitchen Sauce - Peppery tomato Texas blend, and KB Sauce - Korean sweet and spicy.

  Excessive tasting and dunking of barbecue into sauces did little to solve the puzzle in my head as to which one I enjoyed the best. I did conclude that I may have to come back to solve this mystery. Therein lies the Heirloom BBQ marketing plan.

The macaroni and cheese proved to be creamy and slightly spicy. Specs of pepper appeared on occasion throughout the dish as it disappeared from the platter. The chefs prepared the baked beans with hints of barbecue sauce and chunks of meat. Bean eaters (who do not like chunks of meat in baked beans other than hot dog slices) do not fear the Heirloom BBQ baked beans. They are excellent.

Is Heirloom BBQ #1 in Atlanta? I am not sure about that. They are in the game; no doubt.  It may prove to be a long summer at the rate I am going.

Thanks for reading,
gf

Fat Matt's Rib Shack ~ Atlanta, Ga

"Fat Matt's has the best BBQ in Atlanta; dude." 

Fat Newton loves Fat Matt's Rib Shack. 

I did, however, receive an admission that Newton possibly compromised his taste buds by "over-beering" when he first acquired  this love of Fat Matt's Rib Shack. He said something about Sigma Nu frat parties.

  Barbecue needs smoke, and smoke needs wood. I did not see smoke stacks, nor smell any smoke, and (in my "gf" way of thinking) that is not a good thing. Their meats get roasted in "Shams" or ovens and then fired-up over a grill. However, not necessarily a wood-burning grill, as I did not smell wood burning. I sound like Toucan Sam with all of this talk of smelling.

  I admit that the ribs were "fall of the bone" tender. Matter of fact, Fat Matt's cooks all of their food to the "no teeth required" standard. The sauce is a comatose tomato blend. Hoping to find some redeeming quality in this sauce, like a sweet smokiness with a hint of pepper, I found my search futile. The chopped barbecue sandwich was over sauced and mushy.

  Non-spectacular sides decorated the plates. They looked overcooked as well, except for the Lay's Potato Chips. I noticed that the chips are not made with hydrogenated oils anymore, so I ate some.

  I sat back and listened to a most-excellent blues-man playing a six string with a slide. This is what it is all about at Fat Matt's Rib Shack. Murals are on the walls, and pictures of barbecued chicken and simmering ribs gleam on the windows. Sit back; get a cold beer, and wash down some easy-to-chew barbecue. Soak in all of the uniqueness of the barbecue joint while eating. (One can also probably watch their sandwich buns soaking in the "uniqueness" of the chopped barbecue.)

  Extroverted cashiers and waiters one may not find at Fat Matt's, but the overall atmosphere is warm and inviting. This place feels like a barbecue joint. It does not smell like one, but it feels like one.

This is across the street from Fat Matt's. Seriously?

  Is Fat Matt's the best BBQ in Atlanta? Fat Newton thinks so. Maybe Fat Matt's is not the best, but I would bet that it is not the worst. There are only 487 more barbecue joints to try out in Atlanta to figure out which one is the best. It may take a minute to figure out which place is the "number one" barbecue joint in Atlanta.

  Go check out Fat Matt's and report back on your findings (homework). The pecan pie may require an extra insulin shot (fyi).

Thanks for reading,

gf