The "Q" Review

Mac's Speedshop

6:06 PM

Derek , 1 Comment

Despite being North Carolina's largest city with a population of 750,000 people, there are a surprisingly small number of BBQ options in Charlotte. There are the usual national chains and a couple Lexington style joints, but Mac's Speedshop is the one true standout.

Mac's (now with 3 locations) is a biker bar that attracts families, executives, and bikers (of course) from all over the Charlotte metro area. Nothing unites people like good food and Mac's serves up ton's of it every day. Mac's hickory smokes some of the tastiest pork, beef and chicken in the entire region.

My best friend of nearly 24 years (and a current resident of Charlotte) introduced me to Mac's a few years ago. We've been there a few times, but not since the genesis of the "Q" review. With a free Saturday, I decided to drive down to Charlotte for a visit.

I ordered a combo platter that includes your choice of 4 meats ($16). I chose pork ribs, brisket and a double portion of Mac's signature pulled pork. Without question, the pulled pork is the best "Q" offered at Mac's. It's hickory smoked overnight and lightly tossed with their Carolina sauce. The pork is absolutely mouth watering. It's tender, smokey and juicy.

Both the ribs and brisket are slow smoked, brushed with their signature "Red" sauce and finished on the grill. The ribs were smokey and flavorful, but not quite as tender as I prefer. The brisket was exceptionally good, but it was cut much differently than any brisket I've previously seen. It was cut into a long thick strip like a wooden stake. This affected the texture of the meat. It wasn't "pull apart" tender like most brisket. It was more like slicing a sirloin.

I was more than satisfied with my combo platter. In fact, the portion was so large, that I didn't quite finish it. Those that know me well understand how rare that is. I've never left Mac's hungry. In my book, that's one of the best compliments you can give a restaurant.

One more thing worth mentioning about Mac's Southend location is that it's almost ALWAYS packed. Be prepared to wait. The place seats a pretty good crowd both inside and out, but the seats are rarely empty. Don't be discouraged by the long line. The food is more than worth the wait.

Country BBQ (High Point, NC)

12:20 PM

Derek , 4 Comments

Country BBQ opened their third location in North High Point less than a year ago. Like the other BBQ joints in High Point, Country BBQ roasts their meats in large rotisserie ovens. While I still have a difficult time understanding how these places call their food BBQ, I admit that their roasted pork is usually pretty tasty.

Country BBQ's menu is quite typical for a Lexington style joint. As is my practice anytime I visit a Carolina style joint for the first time, I ordered a chopped plate (pictured). While most joints in the area allow the choice of two sides with a plate, Country BBQ's plate comes with slaw and fries.

The pork was moist and tender. It had be tossed in a tangy finishing sauce for added flavor. Katie's coarse chopped pork, on the other hand, was quite bland. There was no evidence of any sauce being added.

While the food was decent, I would have a hard time recommending Country BBQ with so many other BBQ options in town. The prices are slightly more than Carter Brothers and Joes. While the portion sizes and quality of side items don't quite compare either.

Lexington BBQ Festival

3:41 PM

Derek , 1 Comment

The quaint rural town of Lexington is at the heart of North Carolina's BBQ trail. Every October Lexington attracts over 100,000 visitors for their annual BBQ Festival. The beautiful weather brought an enormous crowd to the downtown streets this year. Several blocks of Lexington's Main Street were lined with carnival rides, food, craft vendors, and live entertainment. We spent the afternoon taking in the sights while attempting not to get lost in the mass of humanity.

Lexington's festival is strictly a celebration...not a competition. Several of the local joints actually join forces to produce chopped pork sandwiches and plates for the hungry patrons. There are three large BBQ tents along the main drag. Each tent features dozens of volunteer feverishly scooping and plating chopped cue and slaw.

The festival offers a wide range of food options. Along with the usual carnival fare of fries, sausages, and bloomin onions, there were also vendors serving up unique specialties like cheese cake, gyros, and crab cake sandwiches. Despite all these enticing options, I simply couldn't allow myself to eat anything other than BBQ. I enjoyed two chopped sandwiches (with slaw). For some reason, the sandwiches at the festival always seem to taste better than the ones I get from restaurants. It's difficult to fathom a reason. It may just be in my head. Regardless, I always look forward to Lexington's chopped pork each October.

The festival is something that Katie and I look forward to every year. It's provides a great oppurtunity to sample great food and browse local craft merchants. Adults can enjoy the live music, classic cars, and wine tasting. Children can see live animals, experience the thrills of carnival rides, and taste a variety of sweets. Most of all, it's a great place for people watching. Needless to say, a festival of this size attracts all kinds...

Checkered Pig (Danville, Va)

8:47 PM

Derek , 0 Comments

It's nearly midnight as I sit watching a late college football game. The final lingering moments of a wonderful Saturday are spent doing what I truly enjoy. As I reflect on the day, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to be able to fill my weekends with selfish pursuits. Most importantly, I'm blessed with a wife who indulges and supports my very narrow interests. How many wives would spend the early afternoon watching a football game and follow that up with a trip to another state just to try some BBQ....and still tell their husband at the end of the day how much she enjoys their time together? Did I mention she's 6 months pregnant? In summary, she's a saint.

I enjoy all my Saturdays, but this one was particularly special. Katie and I watched my beloved Wolverines move to 3-0 with a somewhat nerve racking 42-37 win over UMass. It was closer than it should have been, but I've learned over the last few years to simply be thankful for the win. The additional stress caused by a late Umass rally helped us both work up an appetite.

We'd discussed a BBQ roadtrip for the weekend. After some online research, I chose Checkered Pig BBQ in Danville, Va. At about an hour and twenty minutes, the drive was manageable. I was in the mood for ribs and their website promised to deliver some of the best ribs around.

Checkered Pig is the sister restaurant of Pigs R Us in Martinsville, Va. The ownership also has a nationally recognized competition team that has had very impressive showings at some of the country's top BBQ competitions. They are multiple time grand champions. They've also won many prizes for their ribs, pulled pork, and beef brisket.

Checkered Pig has the ultra casual feel of a sports bar / fast food chain hybrid. We ordered at the counter and the food was brought to our table promptly. Having recently become a brisket aficianado, Katie ordered the beef brisket dinner with green beans and potato salad. I ordered a full rack of ribs with baked beans and slaw. All dinners also included fries and hush puppies.

Katie was very happy with her brisket and I had to agree with her. Though she eventually decided that she preferred Bibs (Winston Salem, NC), I think it was the best brisket I'd ever tasted. In regard to both portion size and quality, all the side items were pretty average.

My rib plate looked promising upon delivery. The portion was substantial. When you order a full rack at Checkered Pig, you absolutely get a full rack of meaty spare ribs. It only took one bite to realize they were worth the drive. The ribs were incredibly tender, but not mushy. The flavor was excellent as well. Checkered pig uses apple wood (my preferred wood) for a sweet, subtle smoke flavor that doesn't over power the meat. The ribs were finished with just a bit of Checkered Pigs' signature grilling sauce. There were additional bottles of the sauce at our table. The sauce was pretty good, but the ribs were great on their own. I didn't feel the need to add any additional sauce.

Our BBQ field trip to Danville, VA turned out as good as we could have hoped. The BBQ was excellent. I hope to see the Checkered Pig group on the competition circuit next season. If your life's travels ever take you to Southern Virginia, I highly suggest a pit stop at the Checkered Pig. If I'm really nice to Katie, maybe I'll get to make a return trip someday too.

Speedy's BBQ (Lexington, NC)

3:30 PM

Derek , 1 Comment

In a town known throughout the South East for great BBQ, Speedy's has become a local favorite. Opened in 1963 as a drive-in, Speedy's evolved into a BBQ Joint in 1970 and has been serving hickory smoked pork shoulder ever since.

For those in a hurry, Speedy's still offers curb side service. Their website explains their dedication to the "3 Qs" - Quality, Quantity, and Quick Service. Their committment to all three were evident during our visit.

The aroma in and around Speedy's is everything that you would expect from an authentic BBQ joint. The decor within the restaurant is an odd mix of movie regalia and country art. The service was very prompt and friendly. From the time we entered, to the time we left, we were attended to with a smile.

The menu is quite simple. The BBQ offerings are limited strictly to smoked pork shoulder. Customers can choose between traditional chopped, sliced, or coarse chopped plates and sandwiches. The meat, though obviously pit cooked, wasn't nearly as smokey as I would have expected. Overall, it was good, but unremarkable. Other than the hush puppies, I found the sides to be sub standard. The beans were just canned pork n' beans and the slaw was the red, vinegar variety that I really don't care for.

The overall experience at Speedy's was positive. The food is pretty standard fare for the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The decor and friendly, small town service make it a pleasent place to gather and dine. For those looking for traditional Lexington style "Q", you could do worse than Speedy's.