Summer 2009 Eastern Barbecue Tour

It's been a long time since Jeremy, Charles and I traveled west to eat at seven barbecue restaurants in six hours. Since then, inspired by that day, I started a food tour company! It's called Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours (tastecarolina.net.)

I've had this Eastern itinerary planned since last fall, and now's finally the time to do it. Here's the itinerary:

Grady’s
http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/trail_pages/gradys_large.html
3096 Arrington Bridge Rd.
Dudley, NC
(919) 735-7243

Wilber’s
http://wilbersbarbecue.com/index.html
4172 70 E
Goldsboro, NC
Monday - Saturday
6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Breakfast Served Daily Until 10:00 AM
919.778.5218
919.778.5219

Bum’s
http://www.visitgreenvillenc.com/restaurant_detail.asp?id=49
115 E Third St.Ayden, NC
252-746-6880

Skylight Inn
http://www.foodandwine.com/restaurants/skylight-inn-ayden
4618 S. Lee St.Ayden, NC
252/746-4113

B’s
http://hkentcraig.com/BBQ38.html
751 B’s Barbecue Rd.
Greenville, NC

Parker’s
http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/trail_pages/parkers_large.html
2514 US Highway 301 S
Wilson, NC 27893
(252) 237-0972

The directions are as follows:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Durham&1s=NC&1a=500+Reynolds+Ave.&1z=27707&2c=Dudley&2s=NC&2a=3096+Arrington+Bridge+Rd.#a/maps/l::500+Reynolds+Ave:Durham:NC:27707-4638:US:35.952581:-78.93217:address:Durham+County:1/l::3096+Arrington+Bridge+Rd:Dudley:NC:28333-6140:US:35.265419:-77.959461:address:Wayne+County:1/l::[4051-4199]+Us+Highway+70+E:Goldsboro:NC:27534:US:35.35215:-77.92285:street:Wayne+County:1/l::115+E+3rd+St:Ayden:NC:28513-2337:US:35.471108:-77.41757:address:Pitt+County:1/l::4618+S+Lee+St:Ayden:NC:28513:US:35.451115:-77.428826:address:Pitt+County:1/l::751+Bs+Barbecue+Rd:Greenville:NC:27834-1015:US:35.620483:-77.418124:address:Pitt+County:1/l::2514+Us+Highway+301+S:Wilson:NC:27893-8588:US:35.697253:-77.936197:address:Wilson+County:1/l::500+Reynolds+Ave:Durham:NC:27707-4638:US:35.952581:-78.93217:address::1/m::6:35.610981:-78.164533:0:::::/io:1:::::f:EN:M:/e

We're going to leave early because I hear some of these places run out of barbecue early. Also, it's really, really far.

Jimmy's, Lexington

Weeks later, I finally got a chance to stop at Jimmy's, which was on the original list. Turns out, I had been there before; it's open on Sunday and right off the highway at exit 91, and I had picked up some sweet tea on the way back from Georgia one time.

It was 10:30am when I arrived and I ordered a tray of chopped with red slaw. I had thought that Jimmy's used pits, but now I don't think so. The barbecue wasn't very smokey. Bob Garner's 2002 book said they had been tinkering with cooking methods then, so maybe they switched over. The sauce was peppery and similar to Smiley's. The hushpuppies and sweet tea and slaw were all very good.

Everyone else was eating breakfast, and it looked amazing. Biscuits and gravy, grilled smoked sausage, lots of eggs and french toast. Also, it was Sunday, so it was barbecued chicken day (Thurs.-Sun.). Apparently, it's worth a stop for on weekends. Jimmy's location, hours, and great food make it well worth a stop!

Speedy’s, Lexington, NC

Knowing that Speedy’s doesn’t pit its own ‘cue, our expectations were low. But the pork, while it didn’t have much of a smoky flavor, was tasty, juicy, and very fresh. I liked it. The three of us had a total of, like, 5 bites. Total bill, $6.38. Jeremy estimated we left at least 70 hushpuppies in our wake today.

High-fives all around. We left to head back to Durham, belts a little looser and me feeling lightheaded but strangely hungry.

We missed you, Gabby!

Smiley’s, Lexington, NC

We rallied. At Smiley’s, we sat at the counter, which gave us great insight into the Lexington Barbecue scene. For instance, we were told that John Wayne’s and Speedy’s no longer pit their own pork (decidedly unlexington).

More sides at Smiley’s, so we ordered a vegetable plate with turnip greens, fried okra, and mac & cheese. The okra ruled the world with its cornmeal crust. The barbecue was a bit too peppery—Charles thought a bit too salty, but it was good, as was the barbecued coleslaw, and it all grew on me as I took my total of 5 bites. The tea was strong and not as sweet as some and the yummy hushpuppies had the bits of onion we saw at #1.

Right down the road, Speedy’s was calling out to us—finish your tour here. Who could resist?

Downtown Lexington: Walking Off Some Calories

We just took a very nice walk through downtown Lexington, where we came upon 10 or 15 dressed up pigs—you’ll see later. Also a pig-themed sandcastle. The Lexington Barbecue Festival is Saturday. (Why didn’t we just do that, you ask? Charles leaves on Friday.)

I’ve talked the others into two final stops. Jeremy has a glass-eyed, blank stare about him, which is a little scary considering he’s driving. I’m confident he’ll pull through.

John Wayne’s Barbecue, Lexington, NC

I had heard that John Wayne’s is known around town for its sides. It was a tough decision, but green peas, which turned out to be brown, called out to us, as did the potato cake, which was described as mashed potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, mashed into a flat disk and fried. That’s pretty much exactly what it tasted like. Good enough.

We went with the coarse chopped barbecue—chunks sitting in a sweet, tasty sauce that probably would have been too sweet for minced. Charles and Jeremy were looking for more fat in the chunks, but I was happy not to see too much of it. Hush puppies tasted like donuts, which is always a good thing.

I fell into a fit of giggles upon tasting the sweet tea—possibly twice as sweet as its nearest competitor—and switched to water.

We’re off for a walk now. I want to hit two more places before heading home, but the boys might not be up for it.

Lexington Barbecue #1, Lexington, NC

More breaking news: Charles ordered the fried pork skins. OMG, sooo good (and good for you.) Yes, I took a picture of them.

This place is triply awesome. The pork has some light, subtle sauce which allows the very smoky taste to come through the very minced meat. The hushpuppies have some onion in them, and the coleslaw is as good as coleslaw can be. Even the sweet tea isn’t too sweet.

I’m really full. Off to the next spot.

Lexington

We're in Lexington now, where I found some wireless access. The breaking news is that Jeremy just announced that he's not sure how many more restaurants he has in him. Not good. BTW, I've been taking pictures, too, but I won't be able to post them until tonight.

There are 5 restaurants I want to go to in Lexington. More details to follow. Now off to my favorite: Lexington Barbecue #1.

Stamey’s, Greensboro, NC

We found our way to downtown Greensboro to Stamey’s, located next to the Coliseum there. We again split a small plate of pork with coleslaw and hushpuppies (salty, not sweet… interesting.) This barbecue was somewhat drier and a little bit smokier. I thought it was mainstream for around here but good. Charles was happy with less sauce so that he could taste the pork, including some crunchy bits, more.

The coleslaw was vinegary and pink and good. We also tried the Brunswick Stew, which was a nice change of pace. It included chicken and pork and lots of peas, beans, corn, and potatoes. Vegetables are always a good thing on a day like today.

Sweet tea was fine. Total bill: $8.38, down from the $12 and $14 tabs from the first two places.

Short Sugar’s, Reidsville, NC

We drove north to Reidsville, through the tobacco fields and past various beckoning (no time to stop!) barbecue restaurants, a karaoke biker bar, and the Broken Arrow taxidermy shop.

Short Sugar’s gives new meaning to the sweet in sweet tea. I guess they have to live up to the name. And speaking of sugar, the barbecue was in a thin sauce that was also quite sweet—cinnamon-like. It was very good and, again, different than what we’re used to. The coleslaw was unremarkable. Wet and vinegary. Yummy hushpuppies make me wonder if there are any hushpuppies worse than any other.

Charles had never heard of pimento cheese, so we ordered a sandwich. It was full of velveeta and pimentos and came cold on toast. I had one bite, but Charles kind of went to town.

Continuing with the sweet theme, we split a piece of chocolate pie. It was creamy and chocolaty and had a graham cracker crust. It lived up to the hype.

A&M Grill, Mebane, NC

We got a late start so decided to skip the first restaurant on our list, Allen & Son in Chapel Hill. That’s OK, we can always head there for dinner.

Too bad our dog couldn’t join us today. He’s a lot of fun, and I could end every post with, ‘the dog ordered the fried fish and liked it.’

So we headed west out of Camp Bow Wow to downtown Mebane, where we passed some beautiful old houses heading into town. If I ever got a job in Greensboro, Mebane would be tops on our list, after Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough.

A&M Grill, Mebane, NC
Very nice place with great service. We ordered a small plate of chopped barbecue to split with two sides—coleslaw and mac & cheese. We all got sweet tea, which was not too-too sweet and enjoyed the yummy, crunchy hush puppies.

The barbecue was quite delicious but strange in that it came with lots of thick, red sauce on top. Unusual for these parts. I thought the flavor was subtle and smoky, and the sauce was a nice change of pace from the typical sauceless grub we usually see. Jeremy and Charles wanted more pork, less sauce. Coleslaw was a little mayonnaisey and peppery for me. The mac & cheese was, well, perfect—if you like mushy noodles and lots of butter and cheese, which I do.

Big Eyes, Stomach Size Unknown

Here's the plan:

Allen & Son
http://wikitravel.org/en/Chapel_Hill
919) 942-7576
6203 Millhouse Rd
Chapel Hill, NC
Opens at 10am and closes at 5:00 or 8:00. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

A & M Grill & Bar
Phone: (919) 563-2230
402 E. Center
Mebane, NC
Open breakfast to dinner
http://www.travelandleisure.com/restaurants/aandm-grill-mebane

Short Sugar’s
1328 South Scales Street
Reidsville, North Carolina
(336)342-7487
Open 6am to 9pm
http://shortsugarsbar-b-q.com/

Stamey’s in Greensboro
2206 High Point Road
Across street from Greensboro Coliseum
Phone (336) 299-9888
Open 10am to 9pm
http://www.stameys.com/

Richard Childress Racing Museum
(800) 476-3389
Open 9-5, Closed on Sundays
425 Industrial Drive
Welcome, NC 27374
(336) 731-3334 x3101
http://www.rcrracing.com/museum/

Richard Childress Winery
1000 Childress Vineyards Road
Lexington, NC
336-236-9463
Daily hours from 10:00 or noon to 5:00 or 6:00. Lunch served.
http://www.childressvineyards.com/home.asp

Lexington Barbecue #1
Hwy 29-70 South, Lexington
(704) 249-9814
http://www.ibiblio.org/ch-scene/bbq/lexington.html

John Wayne’s Barbeque
601 W 5th Ave Lexington, NC
(336) 248-5482
6am until 8pm weekdays, 8am until noon Saturdays, 11-3 Sundays
http://www.johnwaynesbbq.com/

Barbecue Center
900 N. Main Street
Lexington, NC 27292
(336) 248-4633
http://www.barbecuecenter.com/

Speedy’s Barbecue
1317 Winston Rd.
Lexington, NC 27295
(336)248-2410
(336)248-209
10:30-9:00. Closed on Sundays, y’all.
http://speedysbbqinc.com/

Smiley's Lexington BBQ
917 Winston Road
Lexington, NC 27292
336-248-4528
6am ‘till 9pm. OPEN on Sundays, closed on Mondays
http://www.smileyslexingtonbbq.com/

Jimmy’s
1703 Cotton Grove Road (right at I-85 exit 91)
Lexington
(704) 352-2311
http://www.foodandwine.com/restaurants/jimmys-barbecue-lexington-north-carolina

Map

Here's the planned itinerary. I created a map here: http://www.mapquest.com/mq/1-DAVVvMqRuqxQ*4Dy2PzG and also have in hand written directions to each place and a document with hours, websites (which are few), and addresses.