🏀 The kid that hit the half court shot to win $200 from Full Moon BBQ last night? His family runs Dreamland.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Sorry Full Moon!

Not sure... It has been several years since I've actually been inside the Tuscaloosa location, but I only remember Bama stuff inside it. I went into their old location (tornado killed it) more than I've been in the newest one. The Hoover and Bessemer (I think?) locations had SEC themes though, if I remember correctly. I know the Hoover one did, back in the day.

 

[footballer]

My boss used to treat us Saturday workers to a box of Dreamland ribs, again on south side Bham close to Triangle Park.
In the box was a slab of ribs, sauce and 4 slices white bread. Delicious.

 

[TerryP]

My boss used to treat us Saturday workers to a box of Dreamland ribs, again on south side Bham close to Triangle Park.
In the box was a slab of ribs, sauce and 4 slices white bread. Delicious.

When we started the alumni group here we hung out at a place the local afternoon sports talk show guy owned: Bobby Hartin. His dad was a Bama fan; Bobby, UofSC (former cheerleader in fact.) Every year he'd pay to have Dreamland shipped in for a game...usually 30+ slabs.

 

[bama alum]

Full Moon on south side Bham, the original, has never disappointed me. It's the only one I have tried.

My dad worked at ACCU on 4th Ave. when I was in college. Sometimes, when I'd come home, I'd go see him at work so we could go eat lunch together. He always wanted to go there.

In Alabaster we have both Full Moon and Jim N Nicks; the latter's (former ?) owner was (still is?) a sponsor of the Shelby County Alumni Association. We'd meet there a lot about twelve years ago.

I don't have a problem with either place, but I'd sure rather be in the original Dreamland location before I ate at the other two.

One day...One day, I'm going to finally be able to go eat at Archibald's. I feel like a virgin watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show posting that statement on a Bama site. One day...

 

[TerryP]

I feel like a virgin

 

[bama alum]

You know what I mean. I was a virgin to the show when I went to see it with some friends at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater my sophomore year. The keys, the toast...When the virgins were called to the stage after the show, I didn't move. Turns out, whatever happened to the virgins was no big deal at all.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

One day...One day, I'm going to finally be able to go eat at Archibald's. I feel like a virgin watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show posting that statement on a Bama site. One day...

You won't regret it... I live 7 miles from it and am ashamed that I don't eat there enough.

 

[TerryP]

You won't regret it... I live 7 miles from it and am ashamed that I don't eat there enough.

How often do you cook BBQ at home? There are a few places around here that are world renowned. Rodney Scott is one example. BUT...big caveat on BBQ in this area. BIG.

Here's what's weird about SC. There are four types of BBQ served here. I like the vinegar and pepper. I HATE the mustard base. Heavy tomato? Okay. Little tomato? A little dry. Every restaurant is different and it all goes back to their "base," heritage. IE: Mustard, heavy German influence.

Get this. It's a "debate" that predates civil war times. I read a book about the history of BBQ in SC about 15 years ago. Boring, but interesting in the same vein.

In the end...the best BBQ sandwich is the one I've had in the crock pot all day. Pork loin was the latest.

I stand by the rule that Whitt's BBQ is the best I've had in my life. There's a place right up the street called Willie Jewel's. A HELL of a pulled pork sandwich, smoked, but your choice of sauce.

Now I'm hungry.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

How often do you cook BBQ at home? There are a few places around here that are world renowned. Rodney Scott is one example. BUT...big caveat on BBQ in this area. BIG.

Here's what's weird about SC. There are four types of BBQ served here. I like the vinegar and pepper. I HATE the mustard base. Heavy tomato? Okay. Little tomato? A little dry. Every restaurant is different and it all goes back to their "base," heritage. IE: Mustard, heavy German influence.

Get this. It's a "debate" that predates civil war times. I read a book about the history of BBQ in SC about 15 years ago. Boring, but interesting in the same vein.

In the end...the best BBQ sandwich is the one I've had in the crock pot all day. Pork loin was the latest.

I stand by the rule that Whitt's BBQ is the best I've had in my life. There's a place right up the street called Willie Jewel's. A HELL of a pulled pork sandwich, smoked, but your choice of sauce.

Now I'm hungry.

Fairly often, but not quite as much as I used to. i've been thinking about getting a pellet smoker for a while now... if I did, I'd do it more. It would also make it easier to do brisket which I enjoy, but my Green Egg isn't really set up to handle a whole one.

When I go to a BBQ restaurant, my default is almost always their pork sandwich... especially if I've never been there before. I really don't mind the different types of sauces, but I usually don't like anything too thick or too sweet. I was a huge fan of Ollie's and their sauce back in the day... it is water thin, almost more of a mop sauce. IMO, too many places these days have a sauce that hides the flavor of the pork.... sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. But man, I love a good, freshly pulled pork sandwich. Even sliced or chopped, I'm fine with it many places.

I've done the crock pot thing too, but it's been a while. Started doing those when I lived in an apartment for a bit after moving to Tuscaloosa... periodically will still do it that way.

 

[TerryP]

I've done the crock pot thing too, but it's been a while. Started doing those when I lived in an apartment for a bit after moving to Tuscaloosa... periodically will still do it that way.

I'm. Still. Single.

 

[AFF]

I stand by the rule that Whitt's BBQ is the best I've had in my life

That honor goes to Thomas Pit BBQ (RIP) of Madison. Was on 72 between Athens and Huntsville.

There ribs were great but what made them superb was their red sauce. A light tomato with heavy vinegar and LOTS of black pepper. Loved it.

Also, they had a way of cooking their chicken...perfectly brown superbly crackle-ey, crispy crisp skin. I wish I could replicate that. I'm thinking they must have started it very low to render the fat under the skin? If somebody knows how I'd love to find out.

For the record - I too HATE mustard based sauces.

They had an interesting potato salad. Wouldn't call it my favorite but it was different and pretty good.


Terry - I'm thinking you HAD to have had Thomas' at some point being from that area. What did you think?

 

[TerryP]

When I go to a BBQ restaurant, my default is almost always their pork sandwich.

That's what I like about the Willie Jewels place.

Do you remember what it was like smelling the bread, in the morning, on campus? Or better yet, where my house was? (Just off 15th.) Imagine that at 3-4AM in the morning...but it's BBQ.

 

[TerryP]

Terry - I'm thinking you HAD to have had Thomas' at some point being from that area. What did you think?

Oh yeah. No doubt. Sunday afternoons after church with pints when mom was attending Mt. Pisgah just outside of Athens (at that time.)

(Oh shit, I'm laughing as I'm about to type this.)

Part of my family are White's, part Whitehead's, and there's a relationship somewhere with the Whitt's. I'll have to find out. But...it made the family gravitate towards Whitt's vs Thomas's.

 

[AFF]

Oh yeah. No doubt. Sunday afternoons after church with pints when mom was attending Mt. Pisgah just outside of Athens (at that time.)

(Oh shit, I'm laughing as I'm about to type this.)

Part of my family are White's, part Whitehead's, and there's a relationship somewhere with the Whitt's. I'll have to find out. But...it made the family gravitate towards Whitt's vs Thomas's.

I love Whitt's and Greenbriar also. One of my brothers-in-law's first cousin owns Lawlers BBQ which is local to that area also.

No option for Thomas' these days as it was torn down several years ago (sniff). I used to pick up quarts of their sauce to bring back to ATL with me. I've tried recreating their sauce. Close, but... not the same.

Hate they tore it down. Also hate they tore down my favorite Hsv Mex place - El Palacio. Loved their rellenos and their cheese enchiladas!

 

[AFF]

There's a place right up the street called Willie Jewel's. A HELL of a pulled pork sandwich, smoked, but your choice of sauce.

There's a Willie Jewel's over in Marietta. Never tried it.


I have to say though - that place in Charleston called Lewis BBQ has a brisket that is pretty dang good.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

This thread has me thinking about some of the "worst" BBQ I've ever had... and I don't mean Winn Dixie deli pulled pork... I mean from legitimate BBQ places. While Dickey's probably takes the top spot, back when I lived in auburn on a tight budget we'd go out with friends a few nights a week. Monday nights were wing nights at Buffalo Connection... .10 wings, and they were incredible. Thurs night were $5 burgers at Niffers... also really good. On Wednesday nights though, Country's BBQ had all you could eat ribs... can't remember the price but it was a college special. We'd go about once a month or so. There is no doubt they used some low quality ribs on those nights, and they cooked them hot and fast to keep up with demand. Hardly any meat on them to speak of... and because of how they were cooked, the meat that was to be had was shoe leather tough... you had to work them like vultures. We'd all leave an hour or so later with our teeth hurting from the struggle... not a great feeling and not worth however little we paid.