Last night on the Colbert Report, South Carolina native Stephen Colbert continues his beef with North Carolina’s barbecue, aka that “sauceless, vinegar-based meat product”
Not only does he fire shots at NC barbecue (again), he also gets a dig in at Charlotte. Strike 2, Stephen.
Watch Stephen Colbert Hate on North Carolina Barbecue (Again)
I mean, John Oliver is British and can’t possibly know what good barbecue is. But et tu, Colbert? Skip ahead to 2:55 if you don’t want to watch the whole thing.
-Monk
Name: Bat’s BBQ
Date: 7/26/2012
Location: 1912 Mount Gallant Road, Rock Hill, SC
Order: Sampler platter with pulled pork, smoked sausage, and cajun beef brisket. Hush puppies and sweet potato fries. (link to menu)
Bill: $16.00
Speedy: I recently started doing some work just outside of Rock Hill, SC, which of course means more opportunities to eat barbecue! First on the menu was Bat’s BBQ, which was just off highway I-77 in Rock Hill. Bat’s BBQ is a pretty new establishment – just opened in 2009, and it looks that way. It’s a corner plot in a shopping center with a small indoor dining room and a few tables outside. You go order at the counter and the food is brought to you once it’s ready. The atmosphere is OK, but it’s not exactly your typical ‘cue joint. Honestly, there’s really nothing to rave about in terms of atmosphere.
Even though it was lunch time, I ordered the sampler platter in order to taste the biggest variety of meats as possible. Unlike Monk, I am truly committed to the cause.
Monk: Hey now…don’t confuse my small tummy with a lack of commitment to the cause.
Speedy: None of the sides really caught my eye, so I ended up getting hush puppies and sweet potato fries, as there was no barbecue slaw, collards, okra, or any of the other traditional sides that I’m partial to.
Monk: I see that the menu also has “Mexi-Q”…so would be fair to say that Bat’s BBQ isn’t aiming for traditional barbecue?
Speedy: That’s probably fair, though it advertised itself as having a “cajun spin.” I didn’t really see the cajun-ness, though.
The food came out quickly, and to be honest, I was a little disappointed with the portion size – which is rare for ‘cue joints. It was definitely plenty to eat, but would not have been enough for two people, which I thought it should’ve been based on the price.
Rudy: Here in Texas they charge by the pound, so you know exactly what you are getting as opposed to the varying serving sizes. I’m definitely a fan of quality over quantity though.
Speedy: I quickly dug in to taste all of the meats, first without sauce, and then with along with the various sauces provided. The pork was dry and a little bland and I definitely wouldn’t recommend eating it without adding sauce to it. The tenderness also left a little to be desired, as a couple pieces were a bit rubbery, so the meet could probably have stayed in the smoker a bit long. I had a few chunks that were also not sufficiently pulled, which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. This is also a reason why I prefer pork chopped to pulled.
The brisket was considerably better. It was cooked well, tender, and had decent flavor. It also wasn’t nearly as dry as the pork. The brisket was also pulled, which was really surprising, as I’ve only seen it sliced (which I prefer) or chopped. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised with the taste and tenderness that was there. This was definitely the best part of the meal.
Monk: Pulled brisket? I’m curious to see if Rudy has seen this before or if this might be considered heresy in Texas.
Rudy: I have never seen that before. You will see chopped beef listed on the menu some places, but every time I have ordered brisket or even seen it, it has been sliced. A quick Google search proved that it is true, but I can’t say I would be a fan of this.
Speedy: The sausage was decent, though I’m fairly certain it was not made in house. I’m certainly a sausage novice, but I’ve been ordering it more frequently lately at ‘cue restaurants. This sausage isn’t at the top of my list of favorites, but I wasn’t upset that I ordered it.
I only tried that cajun sweet and the rub sauce (as well as a Texas Pete style hot sauce they called fang sauce). The sauces were decent, but nothing I felt I really had to have again.
I was glad that Bat’s BBQ served hush puppies, and they were actually pretty good, but like I said, I wasn’t thrilled with the other choices of sides.
I did get a sneak peak at the smoker in the kitchen (see photo below), and they look to be electric, though they could be gas I suppose. I’ve defended electric smokers before, as they can put out good meats, but if you really want to be a top quality ‘cue joint, it just doesn’t cut it.
Monk: Glad to hear you have come around on this.
Rudy: I also was against this until you said that most places use them. But having a true smoker increases the rankings in my book.
Speedy: All in all, I think this will probably be my only trip to Bat’s BBQ. There was just nothing there that excited me about the restaurant, and I wasn’t that impressed with anything I tried. The meal was fine, but when you’re eating ‘cue, fine is not what you’re looking for.
Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 1.5 hogs
Pork – 2 hogs
Brisket – 3 hogs
Sausage – 2.5 hogs
Sides – 2.5 hogs
Overall – 2.5 hogs
Name: Smoke on the Water
Date: 6/30/2012
Location: 1 Augusta St., #202, Greenville, SC 29601
Order: Smoked chipotle chicken wings, Combo platter with beef brisket and pulled pork, fried okra, sugar snap peas (link to menu)
Bill: wings – $6; Combo Platter (included two sides) – $14
Last weekend, I decided to take an impromptu trip to Atlanta. And since I was driving through Greenville, SC right around lunch time, I decided to stop at my favorite Greenville barbecue restaurant – Smoke on the Water. I have been telling Monk about this place for a while, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go without him, even though he was off the grid. Just an excuse to go back, I guess.
Smoke on the Water sits next to Reedy Falls right between downtown Greenville and West End – basically smack dab in the middle of all the good stuff. I spent over a year working in Greenville, and this restaurant because a staple for me. It had been nearly a year since my last trip, so I was excited to go.
Generally, I really enjoy sitting outside at Smoke on the Water, but it was nearing 100 degrees outside, so my party decided we would eat inside in the A/C. The inside of Smoke on the Water doesn’t exactly scream “barbecue.” It’s not well lit, it has a nice, classy bar, and it just has the appearance of a more upscale restaurant. While this is certainly nice, it’s not exactly my style – especially for a ‘cue restaurant. So while the atmosphere isn’t exactly like your good ole southern barbecue, the food definitely is.
For starters, we had an order of the smoked wings. The wings come out whole, instead of split, as wings are traditionally served. The wings are marinated, then smoked, but are not sauced. However, they are still moist and are really, really good. You can definitely taste the smoke and there’s a noticeable kick in the back. I would definitely recommend these wings to anyone.
For my main course, I had the combo platter with brisket and pulled pork with sides of fried okra and sugar snap peas. In a word, the meal was fantastic. The pulled pork has a great smoke flavor, is tender, and not dry at all. You can definitely eat it without adding any sauce, but the sauce definitely enhances the flavor. My personal favorite is a spicy vinegar based sauce, but you can also choose from SC mustard, KC sweet, and a house red sauce.
Smoke on the Water is probably the only ‘cue joint I’ve ever been to where I think the brisket is better than the pork. The brisket comes sliced a little thinner than I’m used to seeing, which I actually like. The brisket also doesn’t really need sauce, but I’d recommend it. It is a bit drier than the pork. The brisket is tender and flavorful. If I could only order one meat at Smoke on the Water, this would be it. I’m no beef barbecue expert, and I haven’t eaten NEARLY enough ‘cue in Texas, but to date, I would say Smoke on the Water is the best brisket I’ve had.
The sides are good, though I’ll echo previous reviews in saying I’m disappointed that they don’t serve hushpuppies. The wait staff does bring out corn bread immediately upon seating, which is a great (and delicious) touch. The fried okra and sugar snap peas were both good, as have other sides I’ve had their previously, and they have a pretty nice selection.
The rest of my party also thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Everyone save one had either the brisket, the pork, or both for their meal. The lone hold-out ordered a salad (really, Princess Leia???) and I won’t even pretend to justify her decision. The mac ‘n cheese was a pretty popular side, but I didn’t partake due to my intolerance of dairy, but I’m told it’s really good here, if you’re in to that sort of thing. I did try some fried asparagus, which was good, but that’s not exactly a ‘cue staple. The menu does stray from a traditional ‘cue shack by offering other southern favorites like fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, fried oysters, and a supposedly-amazing pimento cheese burger, but I can’t personally comment on any of that (save the fried green tomatoes, which are excellent), as I stick to the ‘cue.
Overall, Smoke on the Water is among my favorite places. Though it looks a little fancy pants, these guys definitely know their smoke. Combine that with a great location in an awesome city, and you’ve got a restaurant most everyone is sure to love.
-Speedy
Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3 hogs
Pork – 3 hogs
Brisket – 4 hog
Wings – 3.5 hogs
Sides – 3 hogs
Overall – 3.5 hogs
