North Carolina Q in the Desert

Finally got there while open. Scroll down to the bottom for update. Fantastic BBQ ! - DD




I'll be going to lunch here today...this was in the New Times as the "Best place for BBQ if you are from North Carolina."

Restaurant 28
5025 West Olive Avenue, Glendale
623-934-0920

Restaurant 28 serves up pretty good 'cue even if you don't hail from the Old North State. But if you're a homesick Tar Heel in search of the vinegary-spicy shredded pork that you were raised believing was the only kind of barbecue in the world, then you'll think you're in hog heaven once you cross the threshold of this tiny establishment.

Actually, you'll have to ask for your barbecue "Carolina style," to get the good stuff. Otherwise, N.C. expat George Miller will serve you a sweet, tomatoey version that's from the western part of the state, mainly because he's found that most people don't cotton to traditional Carolina 'cue unless they're from back home.

And don't worry; Miller's got hushpuppies, collard greens, chitlins, red beans and rice, red Kool-Aid to wash it down with, and Nutty Buddy pie for dessert. Someone crank up the James Taylor. We're gone to Carolina, son.

Sounds interesting, although I won't have anything to compare it to, having never been to Carolina. I'll post a report here when I get back this evening.

DuuoooooHHHH! Note to self, call ahead next time to make sure the place you are going is open!




Now I'll have to wait 'till wed-thurs to get there.....


All was not lost, however. I spotted a BBQ joint RIGHT across the street.

Tasted suspiciously like the pulled pork from Tom's BBQ, definitely a Chicago-Style Q. The menu was similar to Tom's as well. Anyway, not bad and it cured my desire for BBQ for the time being.

But I Gotta get back across the street for the Carolina stuff, and soon.

desertdog-
Can't tell you how many times that has happened to me. Now, I am almost obsessive about calling ahead of time. And I was really looking forward to your report. At least it looks like you found a suitable alternative.

That is not close to North Carolina Q. Western NC sauce is still primarily vinegar based, with a very little tomato and some brown sugar and peppers mixed in (and probably some other ingredients). If you can see the sauce, it is not North carolina Q. Eastern NC is vinegar with some peppers mixed in and the western (Lexington) style is also very thin and mixes down through the meat, doesn't sit on top of it.

Lexington # 1 bottles some sauce (brown) that you can add if you want to spice it up a bit, and they always have a bottle of "Texas Pete" chilli sauce (North Carolina'a version of Tabasco) on the table if you really want to add some bite.

Dear All Y'all,
When you go back there, don't forget to bring some mustard!! -- My choice would be Plochman's or Gulden's... one of the darker brands, one with some added horseradish kick. If you find a better (or more suitable with 'cue) mustard locally, use that instead.
Those onion rings at the Phoenix across the street look pretty good, but I'll bet they still aren't as wondrous as the ones at Pete's On Concord in Anderson, South Carolina... there's no BBQ there, though.
As soon as I move into the 20th. (correct) Century and have a scanner and a digital camera and a home computer and a net connection, I promise I'll go to Pete's and order some of those stellar rings and take a photo and post it here... with a proper writeup. Nobody can expect our Stern folks to be Mr. & Mrs. Ubiquitous, but they come darned close.
Wishing To Be On 'Cue, Ort. Carlton in Wood You Believe (As Opposed To "Gas You Believe") Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I'm plumb itching to know how good the place is. It looks terrific. Do you know whether they cook on wood or gas?
P. P. S. Check out whether those chitterlings are available boiled or fried, or both. -- Glendale, Arizona for chitterlings? I've made stupider trips.

Ort. i will let you know on the chitterlings, as well as the wood vs. gas question....Ort., if it any good, it would be my pleasure to treat you to a meal there. You might want to bring Deb along! You can hit a few joints while you're here. My wife is (gasp!) vegetarian as well.


Hillbilly,

Look a little closer and you will see that the Q pics are NOT from the Carolina Joint, (it was closed) but from the Chicago-style BBQ place across the street. I promise to treat you to some (hopefully) mouthwatering pics of this oddity in the desert soon! I will keep my eye out for the Texas Pete sauce, in fact, I intend to ask for it by name!

Leave the camera at home son, if you can write it's not needed.

quote:

Originally posted by V960

Leave the camera at home son, if you can write it's not needed.

Awwww, come on, V. I was counting on your opinion of the whole mess, seein' as you're from that neck of the woods. Besides, if it is any good I will submit a formal review, gotta have pics to do that!

BTW, is Kannapolis considered east or west Carolina? Seems to me to be smack dab in the middle of the state.

The hearbreak of my cross country drive was showing up at the City Market in Luling, TX for BBQ and finding they had closed 20 minutes earlier. Bummer!
I am really looking forward to my trip at the end of this month to N. Carolina. With the description here af all 3 sauces, I will have plenty of different 'que to try!

That's some pretty interesting zoning you have down there. All the 'Cue places in one section of town. Up here they tried that, only with porn.

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

quote:

Originally posted by V960

Leave the camera at home son, if you can write it's not needed.

BTW, is Kannapolis considered east or west Carolina? Seems to me to be smack dab in the middle of the state.

Kannapolis is in the "Piedmont" section of the state (Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal). It is in the region of western (or Lexington) style of barbecue (as is anything west of Chapel Hill). I have never had any Q in Kannapolis since it is only 35 miles from Lexington, and if I'm that close, I want the real thing. Salisbury has a few good gas-burners (College BBQ being the best) but I don't know of any wood burners in that area.

I've eaten lots of Q in this grand Old North State.
I've enjoyed it all but some more than others - I like the western NC best.
There are some little known spots in the Piedmont area:
Red Pig (I hope it's still open) and Troutman's BBQ (in Cabarrus Co.) Winks and College BBQ (in Rowan Co.) Whispering Pines and Log Cabin (in Stanly Co.) I know there's more I've drawn a blank

quote:

Originally posted by Scarlett

I've eaten lots of Q in this grand Old North State.
I've enjoyed it all but some more than others - I like the western NC best.
There are some little known spots in the Piedmont area:
Red Pig (I hope it's still open) and Troutman's BBQ (in Cabarrus Co.) Winks and College BBQ (in Rowan Co.) Whispering Pines and Log Cabin (in Stanly Co.) I know there's more I've drawn a blank

I had forgotten about Wink's. I haven't been there in 30 years, but it was good back then. Hope it is still around and still good. I used to call College barbecue when I knew I would be passing through Salisbury, have them put an extra shoulder on the grill that day and take it back to Wilkes County with me for a neighborhood feast. I really like the red slaw they fix in Salisbury Q joints.

Hillbilly, Wink's is alive and well, and still kicking. The man who runs Wink's is a member of our church, and frequently provides food for congregational gatherings. In addition to the 'que, there are other roadfood worthy offerings on the menu there as well. Good food, good people preparing and serving it.

Alright,

I'm gonna be there tomorrow, thinking of ordering an eastern style and a western style to compare, along with some hush puppies and red slaw, if they got it. I'm gonna ask the owner if he uses gas or wood, and how he prepares his chitlins.

Anything else I need to cover, Tar Heels?

Did you put the sauce on that sandwich from the Phoenix?..

If you didnt, thats way too much-IMHO.. I prefer mine nekkid/without and add my own to it.
Still looks good anyway..

Hillbilly,
College Drive-In in Salisbury is a wood burner, at least as of late last year. A very good one at that. Their hushpuppies, however, are really lousy. Richard's Barbecue on Main Street in Salisbury, also a wood burner, is pretty good. Their slaw differs slightly from other Lexington style places but compliments the meat well. Pups leave something to be desired. Can't leave out Wink's. They moved several years ago, but are still reliably good.

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90

Did you put the sauce on that sandwich from the Phoenix?..

If you didnt, thats way too much-IMHO.. I prefer mine nekkid/without and add my own to it.
Still looks good anyway..

That's how it was served, Tara. I agree, less is more.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim in NC

Hillbilly,
College Drive-In in Salisbury is a wood burner, at least as of late last year. A very good one at that. Their hushpuppies, however, are really lousy. Richard's Barbecue on Main Street in Salisbury, also a wood burner, is pretty good. Their slaw differs slightly from other Lexington style places but compliments the meat well. Pups leave something to be desired. Can't leave out Wink's. They moved several years ago, but are still reliably good.

I haven't been by there in about 20 years, and I wasn't as deep into Q then. I just seem to remember them pulling the meat out of the oven behind the counter in those days and assumed that they were cooking with gas. Of course they could have been using gas then and since converted to wood coals.

quote:

Originally posted by Hillbilly

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

quote:

Originally posted by V960

Leave the camera at home son, if you can write it's not needed.

BTW, is Kannapolis considered east or west Carolina? Seems to me to be smack dab in the middle of the state.

Kannapolis is in the "Piedmont" section of the state (Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal). It is in the region of western (or Lexington) style of barbecue (as is anything west of Chapel Hill). I have never had any Q in Kannapolis since it is only 35 miles from Lexington, and if I'm that close, I want the real thing. Salisbury has a few good gas-burners (College BBQ being the best) but I don't know of any wood burners in that area.

west of Lexington makes us western style but trust me and drive to Lexington for good Q. It is worth the thirty minutes on I-85. Gary's in China Grove is barely acceptable and Porkey's is a wood burner but also barely acceptable. Wink's in Salisbury is also a wood burner but only fair. Sing to the radio and drive to Lexington.

Restaurant 28

As planned, I got back over to Restaurant 28 today for lunch, and I am soooo glad I did.



George (the owner) was there when I arrived and I announced that I was interested in trying his Carolina Style BBQ that I have been hearing so much about.


George (white shirt) and Willie


Restaurant 28 has been given rave reviews from local critics such as Howard Seftel of the Arizona Republic, Nikki Buchanan from Channel 3's Good Morning Arizona, and the afore mentioned New Times "Best of Phoenix" review.

George was telling me that he has talked to folks who have driven far and wide (Vegas was mentioned) once they heard that there was authentic Carolina Style Q to be had in the Phoenix area.

George credits the positive reviews as a blessing from God, but I would say the true blessing he has received is his unbelievable talent making delicious, down home soul food, and his easy going, pleasant character. It's obvious he takes pride in what he creates, and he talks about it with passion.

Taking his advice, I ordered the Chopped BBQ Pork, Carolina Style, with Hush Puppies and Cole Slaw. Kool-aid sounded good, so I got that as well.

I can't say as I've ever had Carolina Q, so I have nothing to base it on, but I can tell you if BBQ tastes this good in the state of North Carolina, then there are some lucky folks living there!




I was raised on KC style Q and have had my share of Texas-style, but George's Pork Butt was "knock your socks off" good! I have had hushpuppies before, but these were hot and fresh, crispy on the outside and moist and tasty on the inside. the cole slaw was creamy and delicious as well.

We got to talking about other specialties of the house and before I knew it, I had also tried a sample of some fantastic fried Catfish, excellent chopped Beef BBQ (Willie's specialty) and some unbelievably tasty collard greens, (something I've never had before, but will order next time with some fried okra.)

George also talked about his past and how he and his wife came to own and name the place. I'll save that story for him to tell you when you come in. It's a story worth hearing.


I didn't have room for dessert... but the menu looked excellent! Maybe next time.




BY the way, George smokes his butts over hickory, (no gas) and his chitterlings are served boiled, but he will fry them if requested.

He does normally serve his Q with tomatoey western Carolina Sauce, (also in a bottle on the table) cuz that's what most people are used to around here, but be sure to get it with the tangy, vinegary Eastern style, I tried it both ways, traditional Eastern is the best! What can I say, I'm hooked.

DD

www.restaurant28bbq.com

Restaurant 28
5025 W Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302-3524

Phone: (623) 934-0920
Fax: (623) 937-0816

CLOSED MONDAYS

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog


Restaurant 28

As planned, I got back over to Restaurant 28 today for lunch, and I am soooo glad I did.

Now those pictures made sense. If I were you I'd ask for a look or sample of the catfish. NOT the fillets but the bone in, smaller the better. This will get a grin from the owners as that is a NC native type request. The smaller ones are sweeter, IMHO.

The sample of the catfish nugget he gave me was outstanding. He told me I haven't had good catfish until I had tried his, he was right!

I'll be sure to ask him for "bone in" next time...really can't wait to get back there.

desertdog-
Thanks for the fine review of this place and the excellent photos. I am typically skeptical about a regional cuisine traveling very well. But my recent experiences with Carolina BBQ at Hocutt's in Moundsville, WV tell me that in the right hands, it is possible.

How did you get the owner to pose? Did you tell him you were going to review his place on Roadfood?

Great review and great looking menu.

I love the line about the food being a blessing from god...a typical statement of a good southern cook.

A good friend of mine is a pastor at a church in NC. My wife and I spent many a sunday sitting in his church waiting patiently for the food. Church in the south can be an all day event with worship services wrapped around a dining event..which is typically fried catfish/chicken, bbq, and excellent sides like collards seasoned with smoked ham/pork, corn pudding, snap beans, and more.

Every sunday at his church was like going to a southern family reunion. (if you haven't been to a southern family reunion, I highly recommend you crash one soon before all the good grandma's are gone).

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

desertdog-
Thanks for the fine review of this place and the excellent photos. I am typically skeptical about a regional cuisine traveling very well. But my recent experiences with Carolina BBQ at Hocutt's in Moundsville, WV tell me that in the right hands, it is possible.

How did you get the owner to pose? Did you tell him you were going to review his place on Roadfood?

When I first went in, I told him that I had heard good things about the place, and that I also participate in a food forum, and that I wanted to try the place out because I hear so much about Carolina Q on the site.

His southern hospitality was a real pleasure to experience, you could tell he really enjoyed and was proud doing what he did. As I was leaving the guys just happened to be standing together at the register, so I asked if they would mind me taking a picture of them. No Problem was the answer.

I thanked them for the great food, said I would be back and headed out the door.

The last few comments make me laugh. Our church is in China Grove, NC...may or may not find it on a map...and the four times per year church dinners are unreal. Our family makes cookies, pies, breakfast casseroles, gumbo, and my speciality...stuffed tomatoes. Hundreds come from ten AM till late at night. Nothing special...just the way it is done in the South in a small town.

We also prepare full meals for the "there but for the Grace of God go I" on holidays. Too infrequent for my taste but I strive to convince to unconvinced. I hold tight to our Lord's statement that when you see a beggar, a bum, a drunk or any number of modern descriptions...there walks Jesus. AHHH...get off the soap box you idiot.

Funny thing was my plate of sushi did not go over well w/ the over twenty five crowd. Just an experiment and one that was not repeated although some of the teenagers were disappointed.

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

quote:

Originally posted by V960

BTW, is Kannapolis considered east or west Carolina? Seems to me to be smack dab in the middle of the state.

Dessertdog,
Kannapolis is right smack dab in the middle, part in Cabarrus County (seat Concord) and part in Rowan County (seat Salisbury).
There's some fine local livermush in those parts... just look for Frank Corriher's, made in nearby China Grove (if my memory serves me right).
BTW, it's an old company town, plotted out by Cannon Mills, once the world's largest manufacturer of towels.
Joining The Entral Nous Club, Ort. Carlton in Ever-Amazing Athens.
P. S. It was Kannapolis where I had my first livermush (for breakfast), back in 1979 at 4:15 A. M. after driving all night, bound for Athens from Richmond, Virginia.

Dearfolk,
Oops, sorry to be the second on my block to reveal the whereabouts of Kannapolis. That's what comes when ya don't scroll all the way down, y'know... silly me, tryin' to hurry.
Thanks for your description of Restaurant 28! You're making this poor Georgia boy HONGRY! Rumbly stomach or no, my appetite isn't suffering!
More tomorrow when the library returns to normal hours.
Wishing I Was On 'Cue, Ort. Carlton in 30601-land.

desertdog:

What did you think of the "Texas Pete" sauce? I notice that it is in one of your pictures.