Big Bob Gibson's Barbecue

I was skeptical at first. What kind of a barbecue restaurant has its own mini-documentary on its website? But my skepticism was misplaced. Big Bob's is no pretender; it is genuinely good barbecue. The restaurant even has the Memphis in May trophies to prove it, having won for barbecue and sauces several times.

Even without any sauce, the barbecue is good. It has a complex taste with a delicate smokiness, and is very tender, although a touch dry. As soon as you touch the meat with your fork you can tell that it was carefully slow-cooked for hours.

Their barbecued chicken converted a non-believer. I am usually not a fan of barbecued chicken, and would much prefer barbecue (i.e., pork barbecue). Big Bob's barbecued chicken is an exception to my rule. The meat is juicy, tender, and flavorful. It is the farthest thing from the dry, tasteless result that is typical of chicken. While the meat is tender, the skin is crispy and perfectly spiced.

Two sauces are provided for the meats: a red and a white sauce. The red sauce is tomato based and is sweet, but not overly sweet, with rich tomato and caramelized sugar flavors. It is excellent over the barbecue. The white sauce is best described as a mayonnaise-vinegar barbecue sauce. It has a mayonnaise base with a strong vinegar component, a strong black pepper taste, and a dash of spices. It is runny like a regular barbecue sauce rather than being thick like other mayonnaise based sauces (i.e., remoulade, etc.). While decent on the barbecue, the white sauce shines on the barbecued chicken. The crispy skin, the tender, juicy meat, and the creaminess and vinegar pop from the white sauce all sing in harmony to your tastebuds.

The meat at Big Bob's is hard to beat, however, I am a firm believer in the importance of sides to a barbecue establishment. For me, the sides are almost as important as the meat. Apparently Big Bob's does not share this philosophy, and the variety and quality of the sides leave much to be desired. Over the history of the establishment, sides have been overlooked. Until the 1950s, the only sides were coleslaw and potato chips. In the 1950s potato salad was added as an option. After several more decades, baked beans were added.

Perhaps North Alabama coleslaw is something you are raised to like. I am not a fan. It is devoid of mayonnaise, and consists solely of minced cabbage and vinegar. The potato salad is creamy, thick, and highly recommended. The baked beans are decent, but they have a slightly odd aftertaste of perhaps bellpeppers.

Finally, don't forget about dessert at Big Bob's. Among their choices of homemade pies, they serve an amazing lemon meringue pie. All of the pies are made early each morning by a team of pie-making ladies. I'm not sure what they put in their pies to make them so good, but they rank right up there with the best.

I recommend a trip to Big Bob Gibson's. It was not the best barbecue I have ever had, but it was quite good. Operating since 1925, they have to be doing something right to be cooking the same food for satisfied customers for nearly 100 years. The place serves delicious food, oozes barbecue history, and the staff is friendly and attentive. However, be aware that the restaurant receives mixed reviews. While I was quite pleased with my visit, some were sorely disappointed (see http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/168/968121/restaurant/Huntsville/Big-Bob-Gibson-Bar-B-Q-Decatur and http://3rddegreebbq.blogspot.com/2009/09/big-bob-gibson-bar-b-q-310-1715-6th-ave.html) and others left elated (see http://restaurantblog.spoonsaga.com/2010/04/08/bib-bob-gibsons-bbq--decatur-al.aspx?ref=rss).

For more information on the history of the restaurant, including the aforementioned video, check out the restaurant's website at www.bigbobgibson.com.

Big Bob Gibson's
2520 Danville Road SW OR 1715 6th Avenue SE
Decatur, AL
256-350-6969
www.bigbobgibson.com

Mud Creek Fish Camp

Cruising up Highway 72 and then down county roads lined with mobile homes, overgrown yards, and a one-room church, I finally found Mud Creek Fish Camp. Based on the name (although judging by the waitresses' shirts, it also goes by Mud Creek Barbecue), I expected a shack with a screen door needing oil in the hinges, warped floorboards worn from use, exposed lightbulbs, and a delicious smell emanating from the premises. Sadly, while quaint and inviting, what I found had no such character.

I wanted to like Mud Creek. I like the name, the restaurant was comfortable, it was unique in its off-the-beaten-path location, and it offered the promise of barbecue and perfectly fried catfish. But restaurants are places to eat food, and overall the food wasn't good.  The barbecue was fairly good with a strong smoky flavor and tender, although a little dry. The barbecue was served with spicy, sweet baked beans and yellow coleslaw. Yellow cole slaw is made with mustard and a little Tabasco mixed in with the very finely chopped coleslaw common in North Alabama. The yellow coleslaw was new to me, and while I enjoyed trying something new and it tasted fine, I didn't leave wondering about when I will next have some yellow coleslaw.

barbecue plate

catfish plate

Aside from the barbecue, baked beans, and fries, everything else we ordered was uninspired. The fried catfish, which the menu billed as their specialty, was bland and not crispy. The catfish needed some spice in the batter and a sauce on the side. Both the barbecue and the catfish came with a potato side and we chose fries. The fries were not homemade, were droopy rather than crispy, and were mushy on the inside. The apple pie we ordered for dessert was not homemade and wasn't properly baked because the crust was mushy.

The prices are too high for the quality of food served. A large barbecue plate runs $7.50 and a  large catfish plate with five pieces of catfish runs $10.

The service was mediocre. Our waitress mostly ignored us, but other waitresses appeared to be very busy taking care of their customers.

Mud Creek Fish Camp has potential, but doesn't live up to it. I went looking for quality country flavors, and I didn't find them.

Mud Creek Fish Camp
804 County Road 213
Hollywood, AL 35752
256-259-2493

Viet Huong

In the middle of a boring strip mall sits Huntsville's Vietnamese secret. Delicious food is served at very reasonable prices by gracious servers. I have yet to figure out how a little slice of Vietnam came to rest off the tasteless thoroughfare of University Avenue, but there it sits.

While other items on the menu are good, in what often feels like the ethnic food desert of North Alabama, upon arriving at the culinary oasis of Viet Huong, it would be a shame to order anything other than the pho.

As recounted here, I have slurped my way through many pho establishments, and, while I would not yet claim to be even proficient in the complexities of pho, I can say that the pho at Viet Huong compares favorably to others. The broth is tasty, a variety of proteins are offered --- the authentic and my favorite pho dac biet contains rare steak, flank, tendon, tripe, and Vietnamese meatballs --- and each table is stocked with all of the accoutrements you might want to spice up your pho. That being said, the pho here could be mediocre and it would still be worth your while simply because it is the only pho around.

A large bowl of pho is more than the average person would consume at one meal and costs a whopping $6. The spring rolls are good and two cost $3.

the fillings in a partially eaten spring roll

The restaurant's interior is nothing special, and perhaps even a little shabby, but it is comfortable and clean. The servers are attentive and friendly, and the food comes out fast.

Viet Huong
930 Old Monrovia Rd NW Ste 1
Huntsville, AL 35806
256-890-0104