The strip shopping center location and sports décor at Holy Smokes Barbecue fit its suburban setting. But it's what's inside the smoker that counts at this Buford eatery, where pulled pork and ribs succeed as a quick lunch or dinner eaten in or taken out to a summer celebration.
It all began with a Big Green Egg smoker, said co-owner Kenny Garren. A "bright idea" to sell smoked turkey breasts to co-workers at In Touch Ministries in Atlanta a few years ago resulted in what he describes as a nightmarish experience, staying up all night to fill 28 orders before Thanksgiving.
The food was so good, folks asked for it again at Christmas, but he couldn't imagine repeating the work a month later. But that led to Garren and co-owners Brian Hume and Mat Hathaway to start a catering business. "People kept asking us, 'Where is your restaurant?' " Garren said. In October 2006, they opened Holy Smokes Barbecue on Braselton Highway.
SMOKE AND SPICE
Baby back ribs are smoked with a dry rub, then finished with a sweet wet sauce. They're cooked just right, with no effort needed for the meat to fall off the bone. The hand-pulled pork is free of fat and soaks up the sauce, which is thicker than others, with a taste of ketchup and a bit of a bite. A trendy alternative to traditional barbecue is the pulled pork taco. The pork, shredded slaw and cheese are folded into a flour tortilla to make a dish you're more likely to see on the menu at a Mexican restaurant. That idea succeeds, although we wanted the tortilla to be softer. The pork also is available as a sandwich, which comes in regular and jumbo sizes on a bun or with even more meat on Texas toast, called the Uncle Red, after Garren's uncle. The smoked chicken is tasty by itself, but even better as chicken salad on wheat bread. In a simple recipe that combines mayonnaise and a few seasonings with the chopped chicken, the smoky flavor shines. Garren originally created the chicken salad as a solution for using extra chicken at the end of the day. Now, he said he has to cook enough chicken to meet the demand for the sandwich.ON THE SIDE
The sides aren't as impressive as the pork, chicken and ribs. Good choices include baked beans and creamy slaw. The Brunswick stew and macaroni and cheese are bland and boring. They're rescued by Holy Smokes' version of sports bar fare – the loaded fries, with melted cheese, barbecue sauce and pulled pork replacing the typical bacon topping. We quickly devoured the basket of fries. Sweet banana pudding and warm Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are dessert choices.FOOTBALL AND BARBECUE
You can't miss the owners' devotion to their college football teams in the restaurant, which seats about 30. The only problem is they don't agree on whom to root for. One side of the restaurant is painted red for the Georgia Bulldogs (Garren and Hume are fans); the other side is yellow for Georgia Tech (Hathaway's team). Signs and other memorabilia for both teams adorn the walls. There also are items cheering on local high school teams.• Hours: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, closed Sundays
• Payment: Visa, Mastercard, Discover; no checks
• Reservations: No
• Prices: Sandwiches, $3.29-$5.49; entrees, $7.49-$18.99
• Recommended dishes: Loaded fries, smoked chicken salad, ribs, pulled pork plate, pulled pork tacos
• Web site: www.holysmokes-bbq.com
• Verdict: Pork and a passion for football meet at Holy Smokes Barbecue.
