For openers, if you believe the best barbecue is always found in the worst part of town, in a place with bars on the windows and just enough grease on the tables to write your initials - then, this isn't it.
What it is, is the second rendering of what has become a very popular place for barbecue... and where it is, is in a strip mall along a not so glamorous strip of Peachtree Industrial.
Pig-n-Chik #2 (hereafter referred to as PnC2) opened its doors with a reputation already made... PnC1's (on Roswell Road inside the perimeter) pulled pork is generally recognized to be among the best, if not The, in the area: nice, juicy, smoke flavored 'cue with occasional bits of great char.
The sides are basically the same: great stew (bits of a lot of things floating about - all of which combine to provide a unique flavor), just average slaw (no real identifiable or unique flavor), baked beans that are about the same as you find in most places), French fries (crinkly, fresh from the freezer), excellent fried okra and some really good collards...
The real advantage PC1 has over number two is two fold: First, Peachtree Industrial doesn't have the great seasoned pork rinds that come as a side, and the folks on Roswell Road don't serve their ribs smoking hot.
Our rib order at #2 was literally too hot to eat when the friendly server brought our order. Why? Probably because they were being kept "warm" in a too hot warmer. And what's the problem with that? Well, it cooks them all over again. So instead of getting good smoke flavored ribs, you end up with what can best be described as stew meat with bones - that all but falls off the bones.
Tourists who don't know any better think that the ribs they're eating must really be good if "the meat is falling off the bone." The meat on ribs cooked low and slow should be tender, but not falling off the bones.
PnC2 has a great staff, friendly folks at the counter and delivering the food to your table. Their sweet tea matches up with most all others in Atlanta and they offer a small, medium and large option on most plates - touching all the bases as they pertain to appetite and cost.
They have three sauces: a spicy that really isn't; a Carolina mustard based that is fairly good if you don't mind the esthetics, and a solid sweet sauce... almost thick enough to hold your fork (plastic) upright. A distinct flavor that is unique to PnCs 1 and 2. Have several bottles on the shelf at home.
The Brown Shoe Gourmet has spent a lifetime in pursuit of the perfect barbecue... Peachtree Industrial's PNC2 isn't it... but if you're up for some good pulled pork, you won't be disappointed. Looking for pork rinds or some decent ribs - you will. read more