Barbecue. It's just part of our southern make-up down here in Atlanta, which also includes an ad-hoc concoction of cornbread, fried chicken and collard greens. Rinse with sweeter-than-sweet sweet tea, and you too will be channeling Paula Dean.
(Kevin now changes his speech so it is a bona-fide southern drawl.)
Here's a round-up of BBQ joints in Atlanta.
DADDY D"S
Cinder-blocked and sticky, and just a spit away from the Braves Stadium, this down-home shack has been smoking BBQ for OH SO many years here in Atlanta. It's not unusual at lunchtime to see city lawmakers, EMT workers and business men all hunched over styrofoam plates. The smokey ribs are dry rubbed and the sauce is sweet tomato-based goodness. I myself generally opt for the pulled pork plate with sides of baked beans and fried zucchini. Locals know this part of Memorial Drive as a tough spot, even downright scary at times. My suggestion: Unless you're familiar with the area, try another place first. And don't take a date here unless she can stand the occasional fly buzzing about.
FATT MATT'S RIB SHACK
Fatt Matt's has been around for several years and has a good line-up of live music acts. The wall's are practically a shrine to the blues. The quarter bird is heavenly, but I say give way to the ribs; they are gently blessed with a deliciously tangy sauce. Rum-baked beans, potato salad and coleslaw are a must. The pulled pork sandwich is good alt for those that can't handle sticky fingers. Ignore the lines leading out; it moves fast, and is well worth the wait.
ONE STAR RANCH
One Star has its share of pork dishes, but it's the beef barbecue that makes this a Buckhead destination. Think Flintstones-sized ribs on small plates with plenty of fixn's. And order a bucket of beer, perfect. The atmosphere is a little more refined than a shack, but still manages a home-town appeal. There are about a thousand dollar bills on the walls.
ROLLING BONES
In a renovated gas station on Edgewood is the Meier-white Rolling Bones, with drive-in. There's a special technique involved in the smoking evidently, generations old. I've been here many times, and my opinion is that the sauce just tastes too much like sweet & sour.
SMOKEY BONES
Ah, the suburbs. There's good barbecue here for sure. Rather than being dedicated to a geographic region or roots, Smokey Bones instead offers you a sampling of them all. The post-modern approach to producing barbecue may not be for purists, but it is a fun experience all the same. The central focus is clearly the televisions. Where Johnny Rockets has a jukebox at every table, Smokey Bones has a sound remote that flips through every channel that's on. Look a different direction, change the sound. It's uncanny. Bottomline: Good for a silent date in Roswell, and go for the St. Louis style ribs.
Are you a BBQ aficionado?
