Random recipes, ranting, and other various things that begin with "r".
The wonder that is barbeque.
Posted 10-03-2007 at 07:40 PM by curses
I think there's only one thing that keeps me from full-blown vegetarianism. Barbeque. Now I'm not talking chain restaurant "bbq" or even what you cook on the grill. I mean hole in the wall, blues-playing, smoke smelling barbeque. The kind of meat that you have with sweet tea and white bread. The kind of place that has a secret recipe for both its spice rubs and brunswick stew. The kind of place that would be just as at home with sawdust on the floor as it is with bare concrete.
I found one of these places today. It's called Spiced Right Barbeque in Roswell, right before you get to the Hwy 9/120 split. It's in the old Arnold Bread store, and my god it was good. We need to have a moment of silence for that quarter rack of ribs I just had.
There. The pig is appeased. Now let me tell you about this place. When you pull into the small parking lot, you see the smoker. Now most places have it out back, but due to the small size of the property, it's out front. You walk into the no frills dining room. There are a few tables to the left and the counter with menu board to the right. Order at the counter, get a number, get your drink, and have a seat in the dining room that has enough space to really stretch your elbows out. They could have put a lot more seating in, but they've opted for seating that moves out of the way for live blues bands on Friday and Saturday night. The walls are sparsely decorated with a few signs and such. There was a TV on the floor, but it was broken. (That's so refreshing to be able to go into a restaurant with no TV!) The condiments are held in empty six packs, the extra sauce in old cleaned out beer bottles. This place is a few bottles of Jack Daniel's short of being a blues bar.
But oh the food! Please don't think it takes second seat to the building! No fancy menus, you get pretty much what you expect with a bbq place. Pork ribs, slow cooked. Pulled pork, smoked chicken and turkey, and beef brisket round out the meat category. Comes with your choice of baked beans, coleslaw, fried okra, fries, corn souffle, potato salad, or hashbrown casserole. Brunswick stew is on the menu. So is banana pudding. The staff was friendly, the food was divine. Apparently I still smell like the place as my cats keep jumping on my chair trying to lick my hands.
Good barbecue places are getting harder and harder to find in metro Atlanta these days, which seems to prefer the pre packaged taste of Sonny's or the pseudo local bbq feel of Famous Dave's. So when one is discovered, it's a secret you pass on to people you know will enjoy it for what it is. There you have it. If you ever find yourself in the northern part of Metro Atlanta, stop in and have some ribs. Hope you don't mind smelling like them for the rest of the afternoon, though.
I found one of these places today. It's called Spiced Right Barbeque in Roswell, right before you get to the Hwy 9/120 split. It's in the old Arnold Bread store, and my god it was good. We need to have a moment of silence for that quarter rack of ribs I just had.
There. The pig is appeased. Now let me tell you about this place. When you pull into the small parking lot, you see the smoker. Now most places have it out back, but due to the small size of the property, it's out front. You walk into the no frills dining room. There are a few tables to the left and the counter with menu board to the right. Order at the counter, get a number, get your drink, and have a seat in the dining room that has enough space to really stretch your elbows out. They could have put a lot more seating in, but they've opted for seating that moves out of the way for live blues bands on Friday and Saturday night. The walls are sparsely decorated with a few signs and such. There was a TV on the floor, but it was broken. (That's so refreshing to be able to go into a restaurant with no TV!) The condiments are held in empty six packs, the extra sauce in old cleaned out beer bottles. This place is a few bottles of Jack Daniel's short of being a blues bar.
But oh the food! Please don't think it takes second seat to the building! No fancy menus, you get pretty much what you expect with a bbq place. Pork ribs, slow cooked. Pulled pork, smoked chicken and turkey, and beef brisket round out the meat category. Comes with your choice of baked beans, coleslaw, fried okra, fries, corn souffle, potato salad, or hashbrown casserole. Brunswick stew is on the menu. So is banana pudding. The staff was friendly, the food was divine. Apparently I still smell like the place as my cats keep jumping on my chair trying to lick my hands.
Good barbecue places are getting harder and harder to find in metro Atlanta these days, which seems to prefer the pre packaged taste of Sonny's or the pseudo local bbq feel of Famous Dave's. So when one is discovered, it's a secret you pass on to people you know will enjoy it for what it is. There you have it. If you ever find yourself in the northern part of Metro Atlanta, stop in and have some ribs. Hope you don't mind smelling like them for the rest of the afternoon, though.
Total Comments 13
Comments
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Is it vinegar barbecue? That's my favorite by far. Most of places here just cook the pork and make the customer add the sauce at the table, which is utter crap. The meat ends up flavorless and bread dipped in the sauce would taste just as good.Posted 10-03-2007 at 10:08 PM by Ymir's blood 
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Vinegar bbq is a Carolinas thing, I think. Our sauce is tomato based. This was an add the sauce at the table place, but most of it is cooked so well that I didn't even need sauce!Posted 10-03-2007 at 10:11 PM by curses
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Around here, add at the table means that they don't bother with actually preparing the meat.
I'll take your word for what it's like there... until I can taste for myself.Posted 10-03-2007 at 10:53 PM by Ymir's blood
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I have a deep dark secret to confess: I don't like barbecue. I don't like eating with my hands. I don't like ribs. I don't like barbecue sauce and I hate soggy nightmare from hell white bread.
There. I've said it.Posted 10-05-2007 at 03:10 PM by livius drusus
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*gasp*
You're not the first person I've heard that from, so I forgive you. I'll just eat your portion
Posted 10-05-2007 at 03:25 PM by curses
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I use a fork with barbecue and prefer corn bread with it. You're on your own about the sauce.
Posted 10-05-2007 at 09:55 PM by Ymir's blood
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You eat ribs with a fork? That's a lot of work for barbecue.
Posted 10-06-2007 at 12:26 AM by livius drusus
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Hyeah in Nawth Carolinah, barbecue is chopped pork, not ribs. Anyway, if I want ribs, the Chinese Buffet has them deboned.
Posted 10-06-2007 at 12:42 AM by Ymir's blood
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I love me some BBQ. I've been talking for a few years now about doing a BBQ tour of the South. I'm always on the lookout for a good BBQ restaurant. So far, the best around here is a little old place in Claremore, Oklahoma, featured in The Route 66 Cookbook, Pits Barbecue, in business in the same location as the Linger Longer, a BBQ joint in business on Route 66 for about 50 years or something like that.
curses: You should've been at my house this afternoon, boneless BBQ pork ribs cooked over charcoal, basted with two different kinds of BBQ sauce (Head Country and Jack Daniel's).
Of course, it would be pretty hard to beat Coopers in Llano, Texas.Posted 10-06-2007 at 08:54 AM by Dingfod
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Oh man, dingfod. I'm gonna have to move next door and invite myself over next time you cook barbecue.
Posted 10-09-2007 at 02:50 AM by curses
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I don't know if I've ever been to a BBQ joint that's as good as the picture you've painted here.
My favorite around here is a chain called Ruby's Country Store and BBQ.Posted 10-09-2007 at 05:02 AM by viscousmemories
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Tom, you really should make your way over to Coopers in Llano, it's worth the trip. It's meatilicious.
Posted 10-13-2007 at 03:10 PM by Dingfod
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OMG, curses, you painted such a yummy picture that I'm starving now!
Posted 12-11-2007 at 03:49 AM by Shelli
