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~ By Amanda Southall & Sheila Talley
 SHEILA: A little dream of mine came true when Amanda and I were asked to blind taste barbeque for this article. Imagine, getting paid for eating!
AMANDA: The only thing people like more than eating barbecue, it seems, is arguing about who makes the best. Barbecue is as much a culinary experience as it is a geography lesson. Texas, Alabama, Kansas City, Memphis and, of course, North Carolina and Virginia all have a distinctive flavor sauce and plenty of reasons why theirs is the best. For the purposes of this article, we stayed true to local favorites and sampled mostly Virginia and North Carolina recipes.
BBQ #1 (from the Parkway Restaurant)
SHEILA: Without sauce, I found it was a bit bland, but sauce #1 (Parkway Sauce) lit up my taste buds. It was sweet and tangy. I found sauce #2 (Heavenly Piglet) even better because of its smoky, rich taste.
AMANDA: Ah, tender pulled pork served with my choice of two sauces. This is already off to a great start. Parkway Restaurant offers a choice of two flavors to pair with their smoked pork. The first, Parkway BBQ sauce is traditionally tender and tangy. The second, Heavenly Piglet BBQ sauce, had a bit more spice and smoke. Parkway Restaurant serves great, traditional barbecue worthy of a summer cookout or winter pick me up.
The Parkway is located in the shopping center near Mechanicsville Pike on Cold Harbor Road.
BBQ #2 (from the Smokey Pig)
AMANDA: This barbecue has quite a reputation, and for good reason. The hickory-smoked pork is tender, and the sauce is delightful. The homemade sauce is tomato-based, and the light vinegar sweet Virginia flavor is just right. Take the North Carolina route and you’re in for a tangy dash of vinegar complemented by a mix of spice and pepper. The barbecue comes with a menu of Southern treats, including my favorite, a pair of hush puppies served as a prelude to the meal.
SHEILA: I must be a sauce person; because once I tasted the Virginia style sauce with a tomato taste I enjoyed the barbeque. The second barbeque was my favorite, a North Caroline barbeque with a vinegar sauce. Warning: go easy on the sauce. I took too much at first. The barbeque at Smokey Pig, a favorite spot for many on Route l in Ashland, is delicious. By this time Amanda and I discovered that her preference is Virginia Barbeque and mine is definitely North Carolina.
AMANDA: Built as a general store in 1927, and elegantly informal (you’ll dine with checkered tablecloths and a smile from the waitress), The Smokey Pig located at 212 S. Washington Hwy., has been serving up quality barbecue in Ashland since 1978.
SHEILA: The slaw from Smokey Pig was, in my opinion, close to what “Mama used to make.” If you like a tart flavored slaw, you’ll love this one.
BBQ #3 (from The Virginia Barbeque)
AMANDA: Just in case the North Carolina-style pulled-pork or Virginia variety doesn’t have the kick you need, the Virginia Barbeque Company, 600 England St., has a large selection of bottled hot sauces. I certainly wasn’t reaching for any extras, though. The North Carolina pork had the traditional vinegar tang baked into the meat, and the Virginia barbecue practically melted in my mouth. With a side of coleslaw or without, this Ashland restaurant was my favorite of the selections, and the corn muffin on the side certainly didn’t hurt, either.
SHEILA: I rarely choose beef barbeque, but the barbeque we tasted from Virginia Barbeque on England Street in Ashland was the best beef I’ve ever had. The North Carolina pork, however, turned out to be my over all favorite. Don’t confuse this establishment with the old Virginia Barbeque from Richmond.
BBQ#4 (from Yummy’s Catering)
SHEILA: The pinkish look of this barbecue concerned both Amanda and me, but the taste was good, even without sauce. With sauce it was excellent but a little sweeter than I prefer.
Yummy’s also provided a baked bean casserole like none I’ve ever had. It contained a variety of beans such as kidney, red, black and lima, an unusual concoction with hamburger, green peppers and a secret red sauce. YUM!
AMANDA: Yummy’s Catering opened in 2003. Known for good food and great service, owner Teresa Loew has over 20 years of catering experience. The tender pulled pork barbecue comes smothered with a thick, rich tomato-based sauce that’s sure to please any crowd.
And the best part? With Yummy’s Catering, you can order their barbecue, ditch the bags and pass the recipe off as your own. I’ll never tell.
SHEILA: Just a side note to the editor: I’m available for the assignment when Hanover Lifestyle does a seafood tasting. |
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