The Brown Bag Review

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!

Looking through the Dining Room

Order Counter

Drive Thru

Henley's Bar-B-Q

Seating

Large Rib Plat $10.95

Large Pork Plate $8.95

SHOALS BARBECUE TRAIL - Stop #18
Florence, Alabama – This week’s culinary excursion took us out Highway 157 (Cloverdale Road) to Wright’s Bar-B-Que located on the west side of the highway at the corner of Cloverdale Road and Underwood Drive. Wright’s has been in business for several years at this location and pretty much has the monopoly on bar-b-que in the Cloverdale/Underwood area.

We pulled into the parking lot just about noon on a Friday and other than two employee cars, we were the only customer. We went inside and one of the owners came out of the kitchen after a couple of minutes and took our order, then returned to the kitchen to resume whatever he was doing before we came in.
I ordered my usual, a regular BBQ plate and my dining companion ordered a BBQ sandwich, chips and drink. They do have Coke products available in bottles or cans and sweet/unsweet tea is also available.

All orders are packaged to go as there is no inside dining tables, however, there are three round concrete picnic tables located under a canopy outside. We chose to dine al fresco and fight the flies for our food.
It took about 8 – 10 minutes to get our lunch order since we had to wait for the fries to cook for my BBQ plate. The lady that brought our order out was friendly (as most business are when they’re taking your money) and got us rung up and ensured that we had everything.

We carried our orders outside and had the opening of the plate and sandwich (see pictures below) to see what goodies awaited us. First impression on the BBQ sandwich was meat quantity was about what you’d expect on a regular BBQ sandwich. It was topped off with their signature “mustard slaw” that we couldn’t quite figure out the taste on. It had more of a really light vinegar, bbq sauce taste than mustard flavor. Sort of a mustard slaw with a personality disorder. In our opinion, a dry mustard is used vs. regular mustard but we could be wrong. You can check out pictures of their slaw on their Facebook page which will be linked below.

On my regular BBQ plate, there was about + or - 6 ounces of pulled pork, pork & beans dressed up as BBQ beans, slaw, crinkle cut fries and two rolls. Included in the “to go” container was a fork/napkin/salt/pepper package and two packs of ketchup. No extra BBQ sauce at all, guess you have to ask for that.

The BBQ was pre-sauced and I use that term lightly because that was the way the meat was sauced, lightly. The sauce that was there was a thin watery homemade concoction purported to be BBQ sauce. I could not taste any vinegar in it, very little black pepper, nor was there any tomato base taste, the sauce like watered down ketchup with no pizazz at all.

The meat itself had been cooked and held for some period of time. It just had that day old smell and taste I associate with BBQ meat when it not freshly pulled. I know BBQ joints have to pull meat ahead of time but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

The BBQ Pork and Beans had a smidgen of pulled pork mixed in with them and some of the homemade watered down sauce added also. Again, what should have been the backup star to the meat sadly was in a weak supporting role and left untouched after a couple of bites. The other weak performer was the slaw which again after giving it a fair taste test was left to console the beans in the trash can. The crinkle cut fries was the star of the plate with the pulled barbecue pork coming in a distant second. The rolls were just fill in players at the end and didn’t account for any character addition to the plate.

My dining companion and fellow BBQ judge, was not thrilled with the BBQ sandwich either. Again, the opinion was pulled pork with age on it, tasteless sauce, and slaw with delusional aspects.

So, I guess the burning question is; “Would we drive back out Cloverdale Road to eat there again?” The answer would be “No, as long as there is another BBQ joint closer by.”

We did give a good score on style of cooking since Wright’s does smoke whole shoulders onsite utilizing a homemade wood fired smoker.

I know there are folks that swear by Wright’s BBQ and I’m not knocking them. Each barbecue lover has their own opinions and they are entitled to theirs just as we are.

Judge 1 scoring:
• Service 5
• Atmosphere 4
• Bar-B-Q Sandwich 6
• Mustard Slaw 4
• Hushpuppies 0*
• Beverages (Diet Coke) 6

Judge 2 scoring:
• Service 5
• Atmosphere 6
• Pulled Pork Barbecue 6
• Mustard Slaw 4
• Potato Salad 0*
• BBQ Beans 4
• Hushpuppies 0*
Dinner Rolls 6
• Beverages (Diet Coke) 7

*(None Available)

Overall Rating: 5

(Rating Index is Here)

Overall Recommendations:Pulled Pork is iffy, but the hamburger combo may be a better choice at lunch. If you get a Bar-B-Q sandwich, ask for the slaw on the side to taste for yourself before placing on sandwich.

Wright’s Bar-B-Que
4503 Hwy 157
Florence, AL 35633
256.764.9919
Hours 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday thru Saturday

Facebook Page: Wright’s Bar-B-Que
Credit cards: Cash or Local Check ONLY, No Credit or Debit cards
Catering Service Available: Unknown
Recommendations: Hamburger, pulled pork
Suggestions: Plan on getting orders to take home
Alcohol: No
Ambiance: Take out counter
Service: Prompt and courteous
Vegetarian-friendly: Nope
Price range: Most entrees $5 - $10
Health Score: 94

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!