On the road, looking for barbecue, checked out the reviews and menu of the #1 Rated place around…read moreme...Thatcher's.
Driving up, it looked pretty darn perfect.
It was a cute little small restaurant located far away from everything, and across from a small RV campground. The setting screamed, "come get yo-self some good barbecue."
There are certain things that I consistently order even if I know I don't need, and cheese curds are one of them. There's were banging, with a great salsa ranch sauce.
Once again, I found myself at a crossroads...
Order some crazy 3000 calorie concoction, or play it straight and just get simple barbecue.
I opted for the smoked meat platter with chopped pork, chicken, and sliced brisket.
As if that wasn't enough, I also received three sides. Three huge sides, not the little Mac-n-cheese in a cup I got a few days earlier.
The brisket: it looked a little dry, but it was not. It was very smoky. The darkness was from the smoke. They use Hickory wood. It was a tad salty, but overall really great. If I were to go back, I would only order the brisket.
The pulled pork: tasty, but on the dry side.
The chicken: less tasty, and drier.
I don't really know what to make of the pork and the chicken. It might just be a regional difference in how barbecue is prepared?
The second you start cutting into cooked meat, the juices run out and things start drying up. Anytime I smoke a pork roast, I immediately pour back all of the juices that were rendered out of the meat and into the foil from being wrapped back into the shredded pork so everything is moist. Even if it is too moist, it is still a good experience. I kind of think dry pulled pork is pretty inexcusable.
And with chicken? I have no idea.lol.
I always brine the chicken for a long time before I smoke it, and then it served as a breast to slice into.
Anyway, I would say no to the chicken, unless the plan is to sauce it up.
Speaking of sauces, they gave you three completely different flavors, which I love. And they aren't in a cup, so you won't run out.
For the sides...
A thick slab of Texas toast. Way better than the puny bread slices I received a couple days ago at the other joint.
Solid mac & cheese. You know this was homemade, because the cheese sauce had that somewhat gritty texture. No judgment here, I stopped making homemade mac & cheese myself because I could never get the consistency right. I think it is because the cheese use is either pre-shredded, or it's not stirred in slow enough...
Fried green tomatoes - not my thing, but I guess they were good. I had to try out to see what all the fuss was about.
The waitress, who was super charming and sweet, recommended the sweet potato tater tots. These were placed in front of me, which made the entire lunch smell like sweet, sugary cinnamon. They were pretty fantastic. I would definitely recommend these when side hunting.
Overall, if I was in the area or passing through, I would for sure go back. A lot of their salads and sandwiches and tater tot recipes looked pretty wild. Skip breakfast and lunch and use all of your calories for one meal here.
Prices and portions were on point. I didn't even make it through half my meal.
If I was far away, I would probably not go super far out of my way to hit this place. But then again, after a couple other places recently...I might just make that drive and enjoy me some more of this cute little place.