The South Carolina Barbecue Map

So, as promised, here is the OTHER treat of the week: my first barbecue critique post.

Let me start off by asking a rhetorical question: Who reading this is familiar with the South Carolina Barbecue Trail Map?

If you're like me and you absolutely love barbecue (there is no like or puppy love about it, you know this feeling is true love) then you are probably always up for trying a new barbecue place. If that's the case, the SC BBQ Trail Map is for you.

The map in question features all the best places in South Carolina to get barbecue. I get the feeling that they are ranked by region (our state can be divided into three regions, if you didn't already know). Now, you may be thinking, "There can't possibly be that many places worth trying in South Carolina."

You would be wrong. So very, very wrong.

According to the map, our state has 220 establishments that offer the best barbecue the southeast has to offer. 220. That's 48 in the upstate, 108 in the midlands (of course), and 64 on the coast. And it makes sense! SC is the birthplace of barbecue. We are where you can find pork and beef, mustard, vinegar and ketchup based all within one state... of course, we as South Carolinians know the best way to go is mustard base with pulled pork and you better not forget the hash over your rice, but we can't all be perfect.

So, how many of these establishments have I tried? 9 (I know, I know, kind of low. But I like what I like). There's one that I think is missing off of the map because Sweatman's near Holly Hill is some good eatin', but I don't see it on the map. That's a shame. Trust me, you will want to give them a try if you're driving through Orangeburg County around lunch time.

Anyways, if you're around the Aiken area and you love barbecue, then you know some of the ones I've tried: Shealy's, Duke's, Bobby's and Carolina. You may also know Shane's Rib Shack, Barbecue Barn, and Maurice's.

Now, I HOPE the map isn't ranked in each region because Barbecue Barn is No. 7 in the Midlands and is ahead of Carolina (No. 22)... and that just ain't right. Carolina is far and away better. It's also ahead of Shealy's (No. 92), Dukes (No. 37), and Bobby's (No. 15) which I also think are better, but not better than Carolina... And I don't think Shealy's should be ranked near the bottom of the region, but that may just be personal preference.

Anyways! There are two that folks from Aiken probably won't have heard of unless they ate there and I am here to tell you, they are worth a trek to try.

The first I don't have much to say about because I ate there last football season while my dad and I were on assignment covering a game in Swansea for the Aiken Standard and I wasn't writing this blog at the time. That one, is Country Side BBQ on St. Matthews Rd in Swansea, SC (not to be confused with the one in Marion, NC). Anyways, I loved that place and was in a food coma for much of the Aiken vs. Swansea game I was supposed to be covering. Don't eat and drive. You'll want to take a walk afterwards.

The second one is the one that I intended on writing this blog post about and that one is actually in the Mountains/Upstate region:

Welcome to No. 3 in the Upstate, but now No. 1 in my heart/belly, Black's Smokehouse (website HERE) in Seneca, S.C. What you're looking at is a little bit of everything for them. You have pulled pork, brisket and ribs all on top of some toast (it's under there, I swear). For a side, I went with their loaded potato salad and fried okra. I promise, I'll get into both of those in a second.

Let me just say, they do it right. I tackled a couple of the ribs first and they had lots of meat on them and were fall-off-the-bone. And I didn't have to add any sauce. They were already that good that I kind of wish I had just gotten a couple racks of ribs.

Then I moved on to some of the brisket and you have to admire that smoke ring. Bee-ee-ae-Uteeful. And it was so tender, didn't need a knife to cut into/pull it apart. Now, I do like sauce with my brisket, so I went with their red mild. Oh-so good. I tried a dab of each (they have four sauces, so everybody should be good to go there) but I went mild red for the brisket. And suddenly, I'm wishing I had ordered just a slab of brisket.

I finally tried the pulled pork and for that, I went with their mustard sauce, of course (let's be real for a minute North Carolina and Georgia, pulled pork is meant to have a yellow mustard sauce on it. End of debate). Again, why did I not go with just that?

All three of the main courses were so good that I literally saved enough for a second helping. That and they give you enough that you have almost no choice if you wish to actually enjoy yourself and not have an upset stomach later.

Now for the sides. The loaded potato salad, you cannot go wrong. I don't see how people mess this up, but I have been places that do. Black's did not. It was delicious. Creamy. Chunky. Crunchy. Yes. I was hooked. And the fried okra. This is where people are getting tripped up. "Those look like fries," I had a couple people tell me. But no, those are okra. They are just cut horizontally, instead of into cubes, and then breaded and fried. WHY DON'T MORE PLACES DO THIS?! Seriously, that was the main thought going through my head as I wolfed those down. FYI, the sides did NOT make the return trip home. They were too good to not eat fresh.

The one thing that I like better about our local places is that they are buffets. I just like being able to sample everything I can see and there wasn't any banana pudding. But, in my opinion, those were minor things considering how good the barbecue was. I told the one manager, "Hands down, best barbecue I've ever had" and I honestly believe that. Oh, and they are only open Thursday through Saturday. It kind of sucks... But, it is the south. And they seem to be doing pretty well.

So, now you all know what's next on my plate (pun very much intended). As I try new barbecue places (and other ones, let's be honest), I will be sure to write about them and let you know if you need to go and try them out... there are over 200, so this could take some time. If you have a place you think I should try (or avoid), let me know in the comments section and I will see what I can do!

The Wild, Wild West Culinary Experience

So, last week I promised you a bit of a treat. Funny thing is, I now have 2 treats to share with you.

I'll go ahead and reveal the originally intended treat, but the full reveal will have to wait until Friday: I plan on talking about barbecue (BBQ) next. I'll go ahead and tease it and say I had the best barbecue I've ever had a few weeks ago and I was reminded that SC is the mecca of barbecue. Sure, other states try their hand at their own versions, but SC will always and forever be where it is at for barbecue.

But, you'll have to wait a few more days before I get into that. For now, this post is going to tie in to what I am already writing about: burgers.

And you'll have to excuse me, this is going to be the longest post to date.

As you know, I've been on a quest to find the best burger in Aiken County. Burgers from places that aren't chains and that people swear by. I've had very good burgers during the past few months. But I am here to tell you, that there are others out there.

Better burgers do exist.

They are out there.

*insert gasps and dundunduuuuun music*

So, for those of you who don't know, I lived in Billings, Montana for a year (more like 11 months, but let's not get caught up on the specifics of THAT). I only lasted that short amount of time because I don't do cold. I was born and reared in Aiken, SC where we get snow once every 3-5 years and our idea of cold is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That's a warm tropical breeze out in the northwest.

In Billings, I experienced snow (true, powder snow, not that heavy sleet we get here) from mid-October all the way until May. And it has snowed on July 4 before, I was told (that's not natural unless you live in the arctic). I also experienced bone-chilling cold all the way down to (brace yourself for this) -15 degrees. I just got a chill thinking about that and remembering my nose hairs freezing and nostrils sticking together.

So, it is not surprising that this guy decided to hightail it back to the warm southeast at his first opportunity (although I do regret making such a quick exit, but that's another story for another time). But, during my time in Montana I did discover something that contributed to me wanting to return at least for a visit: more great food.

The other was a group of people (yes, Alex, you're at the top of that list) who I really am happy I met and have continued to stay in contact with. But people move and scatter, so I have a feeling I will be working on visiting some new areas as they continue down their various paths. Boomer, you and Dan better find me some good eats out there in Cali!

Anyways, back to the food as part of the reason why I wanted to return. You see, I found several places that I loved to "haunt" or frequent while I was in Billings and more started popping up as I was leaving or after I left. So, when I had the chance to go back with the girlfriend this past weekend, I made sure that we had time to eat out in Billings (and of course in Jackson/Jackson Hole, Wyoming). And you better believe we ate local.

Yes, we indulged in the finer places and I just wanted to share with you some places that you HAVE to try should you ever make it out west. The places I will be describing are:

Uber Brew - Billings, MT
Pearl Street Bagels - Jackson/Jackson Hole, WY
Snake River Brewing - Jackson/Jackson Hole, WY (WEBSITE, must be 21 to access)
Hooligans / Montana Brewing Company - Billings, MT

They are in this order because that is about the order Laura and I ate at them while out there, but we frequented Pearl Street twice for breakfast because they were that good. But, I'll get to that in just a moment.

UBER BREW

So, Laura and I flew into Billings, MT on Friday, August 7 and met some of my former coworkers for lunch at Uber Brew. It's a micro brew that, I believe, just opened up before I left Billings back in 2012. I loved their beer (I love beer, period) and their German fare was excellent, from what I remember. But, because I'm on this burger quest, I decided to go with a burger to see how things compare out there.

And it did not disappoint for being the first burger for me in Montana in nearly 3 years.

You are welcome. This is the Whiskey Burger with bacon and a side of New England clam chowdah. You all know the drill, if you've been reading my blog, I like to change up my sides to set things apart and Laura was a little mad at me because she didn't get to try the clam chowder. That's how quickly I downed it (believe it or not, I only started eating clam chowder when I was out there because the Rock Pile - another local favorite at the time - offered it with lunch).

Anyways, the Whiskey Burger has an awesome whiskey barbecue sauce (it's in that little shot tin) that you pour onto the burger after it is presented to you.

Mm mm slap yo' momma.

Seriously, best burger I have had in a while. And I wore some of it out to proudly show. It's a messy experience because of that sauce, but it is SO worth it. The patty was thick (cooked to order, juicy and nice spices) and filled the bun, the bun was lightly toasted, the cheddar cheese was plentiful and nicely melted all over, the veggies were local and fresh... and the bacon was thick. They don't play out west with their meats. When you ask for a burger, you get a man's burger. When you ask for bacon, you don't get turkey bacon or thin-sliced. You get man's bacon.

And the sauce was sweet, tangy and had that kick of whiskey that puts hair on your chest. If you don't use the entire little tin, it better be because you're dipping your fries in it.

Flat out, this burger isn't for the faint of heart and it sets the tone pretty well or what you can find out there.

Also, it is worth noting that they have a very, VERY good selection of their own brews. I enjoyed their Alpha Force IPA (7.71% ABV) while Laura and Alex enjoyed the White Noise Hefeweizen (5.7% ABV). I had a taste of the second and I really liked it as well, but it was national IPA appreciation day, so I went IPA. For a complete list (and pictures) of their brews, go HERE.


Now then, for the "odd man out" of this post:

PEARL STREET BAGELS

We stayed in Jackson/Jackson Hole, WY two nights. Now, I do that to the name because Jackson and Jackson Hole are one-in-the-same but Laura explained that Jackson Hole is the more touristy part, I think. Anyways, Laura loves coffee, loves bagels, and, like me, loves trying new places. So, we tried Pearl Street Bagels on Saturday morning... and had to go back on Sunday. It was that good.

Saturday's breakfast didn't really warrant a picture because we both just had a bagel each with a different type of cream cheese on it (but let me tell you, their bagels are excellent, large, soft on the inside with a crispy exterior and loaded with whatever cream cheese you choose... and they have a lot of good flavors to choose from). But Sunday's breakfast for me...

Yes, you are welcome again (and yes, I was parked when I took this picture). That is one of their breakfast sandwiches. The sausage, egg and cheese on their everything bagel.

Go ahead, wipe the drool off. I'll wait.

It is a full on taste explosion in your mouth. The sausage isn't store bought (it did't seem to be, at least), there was so much yummy cheddar I was on cloud 9, and the egg was perfectly cooked. I do not recommend you eat this on the go like Laura and I did... because you may just wreck from closing your eyes due to the amount of goodness playing on your tongue. That and you'll need one hand to eat and the second hand to pinch yourself and/or bat away your companion's attempts at grabbing it for more.

You know how they say, "Good to the last drop"? Well, this was good to the last bite. And that is a bite you don't want to come. I just cannot describe adequately how this sandwich tasted, but it was good. It had slightly spicy sausage, egg, and all that cheese.

I'm drooling just remembering it, now.


SNAKE RIVER BREWING

Laura made a comment that her vacations lately have turned into brewery tours. But that isn't a bad thing. Micro breweries have some of the best beers around and, usually, some great food to match.

So, Saturday we had to continue that trend by eating dinner at a local brewery: Snake River Brewing (and FYI, they have won a LOT of awards).

Now, what is one of the better things to do while at a brewery? Why, tasting different beers, of course! And how do you keep yourself from getting absolutely shnockered while doing so? Why, by eating their food!

The first picture shows you their Old Greg IPA (6.8% ABV) on the left and their Hoback Hefeweizen (5% ABV) on the right. Now, I had to get the Old Greg because I have always laughed my butt off at that YouTube video (go ahead, give it a watch) and apparently Laura loves Hefeweizens. Nothing wrong with that at all.

In the second picture, before we get to that beautiful pile of food, is the award-winning Snake River Pale Ale (5.2% ABV) (again, I know I mentioned this before, but if you haven't downloaded it, yet, get the Untappd App and track/rate the beers you try. It's a lot of fun and you can even add friends and track what they are drinking as well).

But this is more about the food... and that, ladies and gents, carnivores and omnivores, is a bison burger. The BBQ Bison Burger, to be exact. And it is topped with Gouda cheese, thick-cut bacon, chipotle barbecue sauce and what ever veggies you want to put on it including jalapeños.

Om. Nom. Nom.

I am convinced that bison burgers are a step above regular burgers. I don't know why. I can't put a value on it, but they are just better tasting and more lean, it seems. And this one, it was no different. The meat was excellent and juicy, the gouda cheese was a nice change of pace, and the bacon was thick. The sauce was sweet and tangy and the only critique I would have about this burger was that there weren't enough jalapeños. Yes, I said it, not enough and they were the pickled kind. I think if you were to do what Whiskey Bar in Augusta does and use fresh, sliced jalapeños, and more of them, it would take this burger to a-whole-'nother level.

And that level would be Cloud 10.

Also, I loved these sweet potato fries. It seems like people out there away from SC have really embraced that and have perfected the sweet potato fry. Don't get me wrong, there are good ones around here, as well. They have just perfected it west of the Mississippi.


HOOLIGAN'S / MONTANA BREWING COMPANY

Have I mentioned I love Brew Pubs? I know I have.

Anyways, when I lived in Billings, I was introduced to Hooligan's (a part of the Montana Brewing Company which is also located next door) early on and I made it a part of every week to go there.

Big game on TV, I was at Hooligan's.

Daytona 500, I was at Hooligan's.

Celebrating a successful athletic year with the department, we went to Hooligan's.

And here is part of the reason why:

Slap yo' momma AND yo' grandmomma (sorry Gram, you know I'd never slap you).

That is the Cowboy Burger with waffle fries (and yes, I ate several fries and assembled the burger before the picture so that is why there is a gaping space there). I promise, there is a big ol' burger patty under that block of melted cheddar cheese. It's there, I promise.

This is one of the burgers by which I measure all burgers. I love melted cheese, and they heap it on there. It flows out and gets on the fries and you just have to pick at it and eat it separately before you attack that burger. And you won't be mad about it, either.

Also on that toasted bun are onion fries, thick bacon (notice the trend, here, people?), fresh veggies, and sweet barbecue sauce. It's another messy, man's burger. The burger patty is really big, juicy and well-cooked, too.

And behind that slice of heaven is a cup of ranch. I had forgotten how much they love their ranch on fries out there. So, I had to indulge in their practices. "When in Rome," after all.

With my dinner, I first tried an Angy Hank's (other micro brew) Fighting Red. Then I tried a Montana Brewing ale. Funny thing about Angry Hank's, they A) have amazing beers that are very high in alcohol content. Some, so high, that when you go to Angry Hank's to drink, they give you a wrist band and allow you just 3 beers (unless you get a growler or two and plan on going home). And B) they do something that I wish more places do and they send out their brews to other places so you can enjoy them at other local restaurants.

Montana Brewing also does that, but they own both the Brew Pub next door and Hooligan's.



So, there you have it. My food/culinary experiences while out in Montana and Wyoming. If they were to be rated, I'm sorry Magnolia's, but all three burgers would be atop my list. They really are just that good and diverse. The wild, wild west knows how to make burgers. And bacon. And beer.

If you ever get the chance to go out to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks, do it. And stop in either Billings, Red Lodge (another great location of amazing beers), and/or Jackson for some awesome food and brews. And let me know what you think.

Best Burger in Aiken Part 12 - Midway Grill

So, I'm getting close to the end of the quest for the best burger in Aiken. Therefore, I exercise my right to take it slow and savor each and every bite. What? Did you think I was going to say I exercise? I probably should considering the number of burgers I've had. But that can wait.

Now, before I get into this most recent entry for the burger quest, let me just say I have something in the works for next week. It's not something big and earth shattering (where are you Food Network? Heck, I'd even take a local network at this point!). It's just the next phase of this project, if you will. I've already said I wish to keep blogging about food following the burger quest; therefore, I am going to start next week with another facet/phase/idea what ever you want to call it. But, you have to wait until I get back from Wyoming and Montana to find out what it is (and no, this trip doesn't have anything to do with it... yet).



So, I have been overlooking one of the first mentioned places for this challenge. When Dyer posted about this originally, I believe one oft he very first comments was something to the effect that "Midway Grill is awesome." So, they obviously have to be on the list. And they are actually No. 2 on the list when I drafted it (apparently I suck at following my own orders/lists).

Location - Midway Grill, 2060 Augusta Rd., Warrenville, SC 29851
Facebook Page

So, today for lunch I went to Midway Grill in Warrenville, SC. For those of you not familiar with the Aiken area, we have what is known as the valley and it is comprised of Graniteville, Warrenville, Gloverville, Langley, Clearwater, Mixville (OK, even I have no idea where Google Maps got THAT one), Stiefefltown, and probably another couple burgs that I am not familiar with.

The area gets a bad rap because it hasn't developed like the rest of the areas around (and no, I don't mean Aiken is a booming metropolis, but it just seems like the valley is stuck in time). However, if you're from Aiken (or lived here at any point during your youth), you've been down to the valley a time or two for more than just passing through and you have friends from the valley. Yet, if you're not from the valley, you still refer to it with a sense of disdain and call people there "Valley Rats."

I'm guilty of this, yet I still love it because, like I said before, it's a bit of a blast from the past. It's made up of old mills (many no longer operating) and family-run business. The homes feature a lot of "cookie cutter" features because a lot of them were mill-houses. It's really an interesting place, and just today I was reminded of a huge event for those of us in Aiken, the train derailment of January 2006. It's hard to believe that we're coming up on 10 years since that in about 5 months.

ANYWAYS, I tend to ramble, as you can tell, but this is supposed to be about Midway Grill. Like most of the businesses around the valley area, it's a staple. I actually ate there a few times back in high school when I had a couple summer jobs doing lawn care with Eddington Sprinklers and Cold Creek Nursery (and probably Kimball's knowing that crew). But, I had forgotten all about it until I walked in.

For those of you who love holes in the wall, you have GOT to make it to Midway. It's an interesting place that features a grill-style restaurant with a drive-through, ice cream parlor and some arcade games (not originals, but heck, it's still fun to see places with arcade games). It should probably only hold 20-30 people, but they pack it in. If you're like my friend Cliff, it passes the car test (that means there are more than just a couple cars out front). I went around noon and I was actually worried I wouldn't have a seat inside (this is not a bad thing at all. This is a VERY good problem to have, particularly for a non-chain restaurant).

The first thing you'll notice about the place and people is that there are definitely regulars. The guys and gals behind the bar know a lot of their customers by name - probably even nicknames - and they cut up with them and give each other some grief. I'm not one to poke fun at the people handling my food (I've worked in a kitchen, I've seen the movies) but some of the regulars were dishing it out a bit towards the one guy. Brave souls. Then again, they wouldn't still be around (either Midway or the customers) if anything ever happened more than a chuckle and a slap on the back.

So, because of that, you know it's friendly. It doesn't take long for you to figure out that the patrons and the workers are good people. Even if there was some Carolina Gamecock stuff on the walls. At least they corrected it a bit with some Clemson orange and paws. (funny story, I actually sat right in the area of the Clemson orange and didn't even realize it. You know you're from SC when...)

So, I've given you quite a bit to munch on about just the place itself. How about I show you what I munched on during my lunch break. This was the bacon cheeseburger basket:

So, let's get down to business. The first thing I noticed was it very much resembles the Blue Top burger. Nothing fancy, but good meat, fresh veggies, and probably cooked on a similar grill (one that has never been cleaned and was installed when the building was first erected in the 40's or 50's if not earlier.

However, you can see that the patty is rather... small. It was a fat patty (I feel like that will have some of you chuckling for some reason), but it didn't fill up the bun (again, keep your minds out of the gutter, people). I was a little disappointed in this because the taste was very good. The bacon was a little over-done and the tomato was a bit on the over-ripe side, but the taste all around was good. Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, ketchup, mustard, and the patty. Nothing fancy about it.

I hate that it seems like I say this so often, but it was a solid burger, just not a great burger. I left full because there really is a fair amount of food there (plenty of warm, crispy crinkle fries along with a thick patty) but I would have liked it more had the patty filled up the bun AND been thick.

And I hear a few of you saying, "And if they had just toasted the bun!" Maybe that's what I'll name my food show when I get one. "Toasted buns" or "I like my buns toasted."

If I had to rank it, I'd say it's right there with Red Shed (R.I.P.), City B's and Blue Top... but if I had to go off of how full I am right now and add in the atmosphere, I'd say it's probably ahead of those (but not by much... and honestly, I guess Red Shed should be a bit lower, now).

I hope you don't let this "low ranking" talk you out of going here. It's not like I'm giving this place a "C' a "D" or even an "F". Everywhere I have been has been very good, clean, and definitely worth visiting to make your own assumptions. This is purely on what I think is the best burger in Aiken County (sorry Dyer, but your hangover-curing burger at Waffle House will have to wait).

Price: As far as prices go, this was definitely one of the better ones. I paid $7.77 for the bacon cheeseburger basket and all the sweet tea you can guzzle. (Side note, I think this is my favorite thing about the local joints... everywhere has pretty much been under $10 and for what you get, you cannot ask for better. Sure, you could hit up Wendy's, Burger King or McDonald's - I may just hurl thinking of that last one - but it won't be the same, won't be as good, and you won't get the same service).
Ambience: I've already described it at length above. Great, hole-in-the-wall-type place. Clean, lots of customers for the small space, fun environment.


Your current rankings:
1) Magnolia Cafe & Market
2) Betsy's on the Corner
3) Brew Pub
4) Ray's
5) Playoffs
6) Malia's
7) Grumpy's
8) Midway Grill
9) Red Shed
10) City Bs
11) Blue Top


So. Make sure you visit all of these 11... OK, 10. As Stoplight and Red Shed have just proven, these little holes in the wall can't last forever in this day and age. Well, they can, we the customers just have to make sure we eat local. It's not difficult, people. Enjoy what is around you! And be on the look out next week for that new series I'm starting. I think you'll like it (it's about food, how could you NOT like it?!).