Jot Em Down ~ Athens, GA

  The reviews on Jot Em Down that I read were mixed. Diners either love this place or they hate it. Without much of a "middle ground" of opinions,  I knew that this was going to be fun. I also knew that I had to consume the ever popular Cabbage Casserole.

  This looks like a BBQ joint. After all, there is a pig on the roof. Stocked with artifacts and "old junk" the place looks like an old grocery store inside and out. The old posters and signs taped to the front doors adds to the charm, as well.  I am not sure about the bamboo wall paper hung throughout the interior though; that felt a little "tiki bar" to me. Antiques and doodads abound at Jot Em Down. However, my thinking has always been "People go out to eat to eat." I suggest that they invest in new booth seats as the current ones are quite worn. Maybe they can sell some antiques to cover those costs.

The plates come out to the table covered in wax paper. This practice is confusing to me. Do they have a fly problem? Is it a game of hide-and-seek or peek-a-boo? Are we supposed to flip the paper over and use it for a plate? Is it for your left overs? I just do not know about the wax paper.

Before

After

Before

Watching my daughter opening her food was painful. Not only was her plate covered in wax paper, but the sandwich was wrapped up as well. This wax paper deal just kills me.

  The cafeteria-sectional-style plates did not impress her either. Matter of fact, she said that it creeped her out. She stated that the plates made her feel as though she was in a middle-school lunch room. Maybe she had issues in middle school that I am not aware of... not sure about that. The baked beans tasted as though they were straight out of a can, and the Brunswick Stew proved to be a mixture of an unfortunate nature. Fail.

After

  Not letting personal demons get the best of me, I press onward. The pulled pork meat was smoked and very tender. Delivered without sauce is not a problem as there is a plethora of sauces on the table. Eight or so choices with slight differences in each are an issue in my book. Three sauces max is the gf standard. The staff instructed us shake the vinegar sauces, but we found it hard to comply. Shaking without placing ones finger on the top produces an unwanted acid-rain of sauce on the table. Also, placing ones finger on the spout is a violation. I am sure of it.

  The pulled pork (chopped finer than I like) had a decent smoke flavor to it. However, the ribs disappointed me as they did not sport any seasoning on them at all (insert a significant pause).

The bar with no beer.

  I gobbled up the Cabbage Casserole with gusto. The hype about this side dish is not unfounded. It is impressive. Matter of fact,  I am letting the world know right know that I am stealing this recipe. This is a dish that does not win any awards in the looks department. However, one may turn into a Cabbage Casserole fanatic after tasting this vegetable treat.

 As we wrapped up the visit, I poked around and snapped a few pictures. I discovered an awesome bar in a back right corner of the building in a separate room. I discovered that there are no drink specials as they do not sell any libations. "We served more BBQ then beer" was the given reason. Whatever. Is this is Athens Georgia or is it not? There is not a shortage of beer drinkers in Athens. I think that there may have been too much beer drinking in the past at Jot Em Down. Maybe Jot Em Down used to be called "chug em down". There is a story about the Jot Em Down name posted in the lobby. It said something to the effect of "Jot 'em down so you don't forget 'em." Sorry, but I did not read any more than that as it hurt my head.

  The issues that reviewers have had about the service are not the fault of the servers according to gf. Either the owners need to rethink the ordering process, or hire more servers. That is all I have to say about that.

  There were concerns about a University of Alabama logo hung above the table, but they were unfounded. Upon detailed review, there were significant differences between the Alabama design and the logo that was hanging above the table. The University of Alabama has a fondness for elephants. The sign above the table had a big red "A" and a Spartan poking out through the middle of it. My bad.

plannedob.blogspot.com

  I concluded my visit by ordering some Cabbage Casserole to go. Leaving dazed and confused I reasoned that it was from soaking myself with sauce, the mental exercise of trying to understand why a bar had no cold beer, and trying to remember what the hell was in the middle of the Alabama "A".

  Overall, Jot Em Down is a place to grab a barbecue sandwich on the run. Avoid the ribs, baked beans, and the stew. Do not order a beer at the bar, and watch out for excessive wax paper. Choose the Cherokee barbecue sauce for a condiment.

sportslogos.net

 "Let The Big Dog Eat" ...barbecue!

bleacherreport.com

Thank you for reading, and GO COCKS!!

gf



                  

Fox Brothers BBQ ~ Atlanta, Georgia

Here are The Top Ten Quotes about Fox Brothers BBQ that amuse gf:

• "Atlanta foodies were rabid for the stuff and I quickly found out why." ~ Blissful Glutton

• "Alas, I am weak and the siren call of Fox Brothers Bar BQ was too much for me." ~ Adventurous Taste 

• "At its best, the restaurant will do you right. On an off day, you’ll still get out of there feeling alright." ~ FoodieBudda.com

• "Good barbecue is worth a bit of a drive, even in lousy weather." ~ Food Near Snellville

• "The best barbecue I’ve ever had was at my uncle’s." ~ Chow Down Atlanta

• "Most BBQ places are trying to mimic each other, but Fox Bros really cooks to the beat of its own smoker..." ~ The Food Abides

• "In the case of Fox Bros, where there is hype, there is smoke." ~ TheFoodList.org

• "Thankfully there’s a distinct smokiness to the air once you near Fox Brothers, and the sight of a number of smoker chimneys pouring out hickory smoke is always a welcome view." ~ The Cynical Cook  

• "BBQ is my passion, and Fox Brothers is my sanctuary." ~ The Steriotypist

• "I guess it’s time to start slapping momma’s around here." ~ Tastebud Smack

  Differing opinions about barbecue make it a unique food in the South. I have had the fortune of living in various places, in the Deep South, during my brief sojourn on this planet, and each region has its own take on BBQ. North Carolina has spectacular BBQ that has a quaint bit of sweetness and vinegar. South Carolina favors rice topped with "hash" and yellow mustard BBQ sauce (yum). Tennessee loves sugary and smokey "Q". Alabama and Florida enjoy slicing the stuff up and pouring a runny tangy sauce over the whole mess. Mississippi goes for a zesty semi-sweet goodness that has become a gf favorite. Texas offers up dry rubs and slow cooking, and they know how to barbecue beef. Georgians love to overcook most anything (which is not necessarily a terrible thing), and barbecue is no exception. I am not a giant fan of most Georgia barbecue. Most of the sauces in Georgia are runny and more spicy than flavored. I know, but I also have an opinion. It is OK...really.

Click here to peruse  more about the Deep South.

  So far I speak mostly of the sauces that go with the barbecue rather than the cooking process of the barbecue. This is the issue that is messing with most  reviewer's frontal lobes in regards to Fox Brothers BBQ. One could slather most any style sauce on their BBQ, and it would be a winner because they know how to cook barbecue properly.

  Some concerns have arisen about Fox Brothers being inconsistent. Get over it. That is the problem with Americans; they want everything "cookie-cutter" style. For an uber-consistent BBQ meal, eat at  a fast-food restaurant, that serves fake ribs on a hoagie bun. I am sure that those sandwiches are consistent...(wait for it)... but horrible. However, if you want to live on the edge and eat some spectacular, original, messy, some-what-inconsistent-on-occasion, delicious eats go to Fox Brothers BBQ.

Smoked wings

  Fox Brothers smoke stacks tell the tale completely. Their meats are cooked low and slow (in some expensive equipment) and tended to by a team that cares about the quality of food that they prepare. The brisket was tender and smoked well. The ribs were delicious and fell off the bone. The chopped barbecue, although dry without sauce, leaves the eater to decide how much sauce is needed for their own preferences. The wings were absolutely inspirational. Fox Brothers showed off the smoke rings on the prepared meats with pride. However, 86 the fried ribs (they were not on the menu). Hopefully the fried ribs were just a test of the BBQ Emergency Broadcast System. "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The broadcasters of your area in voluntary cooperation with the Federal, State and local authorities have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, (like putting fried ribs on the menu) the Attention Signal you just heard would have been followed by official information, news or instructions. This station (According to gf) serves the (Deep South) area. This concludes this test of the Emergency Broadcast System."

"This is only a test."

  Barbeque is sacred in the South, so I guess that makes Fox Brothers BBQ a church that is full of swaying, foot stomping,  hand waving people singing its praises.

86 old condiment holders, please.

Great job, and thanks for cooking sumptuous barbecue in Georgia.

Fox Brothers View "The Wall"

Thanks for reading,
gf