The Brown Bag Review: 2013

Saturday, November 30, 2013

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Friday, August 23, 2013

Dick Howell Bar-B-Q, Florence, Alabama

Shoals Barbecue Trail, Stop #4

Dick Howell Bar-B-Q

Florence, Alabama – This week’s quest for the best Barbecue in the Shoals area took us to what some folks call one the “Holy Grail” sites of barbecue legends in the Shoals. Since the 1940’s there has been the sweet smell of pork being slowly cooked awash in the smoke of locally harvested hickory trees in North Florence. Nothing said you’re in the Deep South like the smell of hickory-smoked meat being converted into barbecue.

Dick Howell’s Bar-B-Q on North Pine St. is known for cooking some of the best barbecue in our area, not a large operation by any means; however, they still pay attention to details and quality. On the day we visited there was a waiting line to get take out orders as well as dine in orders, we dutifully waited our turn and placed our order to dine in.

My dining partner ordered the large barbecue sandwich along with chips and a drink, and for future reference, they do serve Golden Flake chips and Coke products. I ordered the barbecue plate and a drink, and, even with the large number of orders being placed, it didn’t take long for the kitchen to get our food ready and be brought to our table.

As you can see from the pictures below, the barbecue sandwich was loaded with a generous portion of meat smothered with Dick Howell’s signature hot mustard slaw and hot sauce. My barbecue plate came out of the kitchen in a “togo” box, which I unpacked to dine in. The plate had a good portion of barbecue pork, we estimated 6 or 7 ounces of meat, hot mustard slaw, bbq beans, and potato salad. Again, additional points were awarded because of the sauce being served on the side. The sauce being served on the side means one thing “Nothing to hide here, so dig in.”

So I dug right in, the first thing I noticed when I tasted just the pork barbecue meat was that it had a fresh taste to it. Not the stale flavor of barbecue being rewarmed or held for hours at the Health Department’s required temperature of 140 degrees. Again, bonus points awarded.

Dick Howell’s barbecue pork rated very high on both of our scorecards and was truly the star of the show that it should be. The hot mustard slaw also rated well with it blend of sweetness, tamed by vinegar and a cayenne pepper after kick. It rated right up there with some of the better hot mustard slaws we've eaten. The bbq beans again started out life as pork-n-beans but were kicked up a couple of notches with additions of brown sugar, bbq sauce and shredded pork. Not the best bbq beans I've ever eaten but still rated well. Now, that leaves the potato salad, can’t much be said about it, just run of the mill food service mediocre tater salad. It was OK, just not something to write home to Momma about. The last thing tasted was the sauce, a delightful concoction of vinegar, black pepper, tomato base, cayenne pepper and other spice blended well together. It’s safe to say you won’t get the recipe for it just by asking.

Both my dining partner and I agreed that Dick Howell’s indeed is keeping the tradition of good barbecue alive and well in North Alabama. In fact, he ordered two slaw dogs and another large barbecue sandwich to take home for him and his wife’s dinner. Now that’s showing some love for a q-joint.

The interior of the restaurant is well kept, clean and tidy with not a whole of decorations on the wall. Of course, there isn't a whole lot of wall space to decorate with as many windows as there are in the dining area. The restrooms were clean and stocked, and, all in all, they run a tight ship at Dick Howell’s as is witnessed by their health department score.

Dick Howell Bar-B-Q
1350 N. Pine St.
Florence, Al 35630
256.712.5092

So here are our numbers for the meal:

Judge 1 scoring		Score
Barbecue Pork		8
Sauce		8
Hot Mustard Slaw		9
Slaw dogs		6
Service		6
Atmosphere		6
Cleanliness		7
Style		6
Cooking Method		7
Value		7

Judge 2 Scoring		Score
Barbecue Pork		7
Beans		6
Slaw		7
Sauce		6
Service/Friendliness		6
Atmosphere		6
Cleanliness		7
Style		6
Cooking Method		7
Value		7

Overall Rating: A 7.5

(Rating Index is Here)

Overall Recommendations: Pulled Pork is excellent as is the hot mustard slaw

Facebook Page: Dick Howell’s BBQ Pit

Credit Cards		Yes
Catering Service Available		Yes
Recommendations		BBQ pork for sure
Suggestions		Slaw Dogs a buck each
Alcohol		No
Ambiance		Small town diner
Service		Country friendly
Vegetarian Friendly		Ugh, it’s a q-joint, you figure it out
Price Range		$
Health Score		97 (5-21-13)
Smoke Free		Yes, except for the hickory smoke

The opinions expressed in this review are the honest opinions of the author and fellow judge, and who are solely responsible for its content. These opinions were not influence by any third party whatsoever. If and when you visit the reviewed restaurant your opinion may vary greatly. So as always YMMV!

Dick Howell Bar-B-Q Bldg front

Interior

Dining room

The gateway to Bar-B-Q

Open the lid and this is the first thing you see

Regular BBQ Pork Plate

Dining room

Large pork sandwich w/hot mustard slaw

Getting the slaw dogs to go

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Henley's Bar-B-Que, Town Creek, AL

Shoals Barbecue Trail Stop #5

Florence, Alabama – We continued our quest this week for the best barbecue in the Shoals area when we traveled to Town Creek where the word on the street had it that there was some barbecue to be had worth the drive. So, we decided to find out for ourselves.

We arrived during the lunch hour on Friday at Henley’s Barbecue, located just a stone’s throw off of Highway 72/20 on Highway 101. They are located in the old Post Office building that has been re-purposed into a Q-joint that also serves Pizza and ice cream. At first blush you think, “Now that’s a strange combination,” but when you give it more thought the possibilities of combining the two popular food groups are unlimited. Who wouldn't like to have a BBQ pizza with real hickory smoked BBQ on it, or a smoked chicken pizza and better yet a St. Louis Rib pizza. Now you’re talking good comfort food.

The dining room was bit on the sterile side with just a few wall decorations and a single TV. It looked to be a project that had been put on the back burner and the owners just haven’t found the “Roundtuit” to complete it. However, it doesn't affect the food though, just an anomaly in the BBQ business since most Q-joints have their walls covered in pig theme items.

The lady taking our order was friendly and was prompt getting to the table and returning with our drink order while we surveyed the menu. Even though I’m committed to eating a BBQ plate at each of the places we visit, I still love to read the menu in case there is a next time. But for this trip I ordered my usual BBQ plate with beans and mustard slaw. My dining partner ordered the large rib plate with beans and mustard slaw.

The restaurant was busy with both dine in and drive through traffic and kept the kitchen staff busy pumping orders out and it took about seven to ten minutes for our orders to be delivered to the table. My barbecue plate looked great, the meat appeared moist and while pulled it had be chopped a wee bit. Nothing new there, a coarse chop does help when eating it on a sandwich or a plate. The BBQ also had a good smoke ring and the smell from it resonated with a light hickory aroma. The meat arrived on the plate un-sauced which was excellent since I like to taste the meat first before applying barbecue sauce. Whenever I’m served a BBQ plate that has been sauced, my first thought is what are they trying to cover up.

The sauce on the table was a good commercial barbecue sauce, nothing spectacular but better than a lot of the places I’ve been. I just wish they had some of it with a little kick to it
.

My buddies’ large rib plate also looked great, the ribs were St. Louis cut spare ribs that were very meaty. The ribs did come to the table with some sauce slathered on them but that is no consequence on ribs. I tried one of the ribs and it delivered on its promise of looking good and tasting good also. My bud and I both agreed they were above average in taste

Now as to sides, both were a little disappointing, the beans were called “Baked Beans” on the menu but in reality they were pork-n-beans heated up, with no meat in them. Hmm, I wish their food salesman would give them a free can of Allen Baked Beans to try, they wouldn't go back to pork-n-beans I bet.

The mustard slaw was unusual in that it was a mayo slaw with mustard mixed in. Sort of middle of the road adventure between the mayo camp and the mustard camp. Again, lots of folks like mayo slaw with a shot of mustard in it, but I keep looking for the good hot mustard slaw that was made famous here in the Shoals.

The restrooms were clean and well stocked and as a customer I do appreciate that effort.

We enjoyed our outing and will definable pay a return visit to Henley’s in the future.

Now, a word about the blog, seems the trolls have found me and want to criticize my blogging about my food adventures. I’ve been called fat, old, stupid, critic wannabe, along with varied and sundry other names by the under the bridge dwellers.

My goal with this blog is to entertain you first and inform you secondly. I plainly state that these are our opinions and when and if you go to one of the places we've reviewed your experience may be completely different and, contrary to some folks opinions I am not bias toward the small restaurant entrepreneur, hell I’ve been there and done that. However, the Mom & Pops have to serve a better product at a competitive price, offer better service and want your business to stay in business.

I’ve also stated if you go to one of the places I’ve reviewed and want to write a short review of your own about it I’ll be more than happy to append it to my review and give you credit as long as you have no connection to the business being reviewed.

I did change the comment rule to state plainly that I would delete any comment that attacks the authors of this blog or the owners/staff of the establishment we reviewed. Character assassination is never going to be allowed. Argue on the merits or don’t waste my time.

Henley’s Bar-B-Que

15908 Main St. (Highway 101)

Town Creek, AL

256.685.1133

So here are our numbers for the meal:

Judge 1 scoring		Score
St. Louis Ribs		8
Beans		5
Slaw		6
Sauce		6
Tea		7
Service		6
Atmosphere		5
Cleanliness		6
Style		6
Cooking Method		6
Value		6

Judge 2 Scoring		Score
Pulled Pork		7
Beans		5
Slaw		6
Sauce		6
Tea		7
Service/Friendliness		6
Atmosphere		5
Cleanliness		7
Style		6
Cooking Method		7
Value		7

Overall Rating: A very high 6

(Rating Index is Here)

Overall Recommendations: Pulled Pork is very good as are the St. Louis Ribs, Facebook Page: None

Credit Cards		No
Catering Service Available		Yes
Recommendations		BBQ pork for sure
Suggestions		Try the Pizza and ice cream
Alcohol		No
Ambiance		Small town diner
Service		Country friendly
Vegetarian Friendly		Ugh, it’s a q-joint, you figure it out
Price Range		$$
Health Score		95 (2-19-13)
Smoke Free		Yes

The opinions expressed in this review are the honest opinions of the author and fellow judge, and whom are solely responsible for its content. This opinion was not influence by any third party whatsoever. If and when you visit the reviewed restaurant your opinion may vary greatly. So as always YMMV!