So, I've been out a whole week! I don't like to write when I'm not happy. That's the luxury of being an amateur blogger and not a paid writer.
So, nola. Saturday. We woke up. We slept in a bit. We were wondering what to eat. The Food Pimp wanted to go to his buddy's po boy shop, but we were too slow to move and didn't really have the time. So we were thinking, and then it dawned on us - Ugly Dog, Dog!
So it was just a couple of blocks down the street. Good ole Ugly Dog. I remember when it first opened. It was kinda, well, ugly. And it was in a weird area, there wasn't as much stuff down there. But then, the food turned out to be really good. Simple, but good.
So there we were. It looked a little worn for the wear. There was like a layer of smoke on everything. Even in the air. Smoke from the smoker, that is. So, we had to order up at the bar. I guess the place wasn't as busy to warrant the servers taking orders at tables. They used to be so busy for lunch. There would be like 3 servers running around like crazy with every table occupied.
So we ordered. Of course, we both had to get the ribs. This was our one shot.
So, there are only a few menu items - ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, hamburger, smoked sausage, pulled pork, brisket or chicken sandwich. Then there are sides - green salad, potato salad, smoked potato(baked), coleslaw and bbq beans, and broccoli.
Anyway, we got ribs. The FP got chili beans and potato salad. I got potato salad and slaw. I have to say, as much as I have fond memories of the Ugly Dog, they were pretty inconsistent. I think when you have products that are slow smoked, there's lots of room for inconsistency. You run out of ribs before you expect and you serve the next batch a bit before they are ready. Or maybe you get busy and don't pull them out in time. Or whatever. Maybe whoever was manning the smoker was hungover and showed up late. But the sauce was good, and when they were cooked right they were really good. So these were very cooked. That doesn't really bother me. I know when I watch Food Network, which is way less than I used to, they say that bbq is supposed to be not falling off the bone. Well, I like it that way. It doesn't bother me. These were really smokey. I guess we just don't like smoke as much as we used to. I don't like it in bars, and I don't like it in my food as much. And then the sauce was different. It was like more vinegar and less sweet. That's like SC bbq, right? I'm not a BBQologist. I'm really a novice when it comes to bbq. I like to happily live in ignorance of this subject. I want to get bbq whenever I can, and I don't want to be all judgemental. Either it tastes good and is cooked nicely or it's not. I'm not a by the book kind of guy. I'm not a guy to begin with.
Anyway, the sides are an equal part of the experience at Ugly Dog. They can be just as inconsistent as the bbq. Sometimes the potatoes are al dente. Sometimes the beans are all soupy with barely any beans. But if it's all on...It's ON!
So the beans were good - but the FP forgot he didn't like sour cream on them. When you order, they ask if you want cheese onion and sour cream. The FP said yes. But he meant no. On the sour cream. But I like the sour cream. They were good though. They are like really soupy and sweet and not really spicy, you have to add the heat. But they are just good.
So then there's the potato salad. It's herby and mayonnaisey, but in a good way. It's big chunks of potato. It's just good stuff. When the potatoes are cooked. Luckily they were cooked this time.
The cole slaw. This is like the star of cole slaws. I generally hate cole slaw. You know the stuff that comes in the tubs. The evenly shredded cabbage, purple cabbage and carrot with mayo and it's really watery. Hate it. I don't want it on my plate. I have to leave the room if someone is eating that stuff. So this cole slaw is much different.
See. It's big fat ribbons of veggies with mustard. Okay, it has mayo, but it's a thicker sauce that doesn't become a milky watery pool at the bottom. It's just so much better than that foul anemic stuff you get at KFC. It's what I base all other cole slaws against, whether or not it's fair.
So it was a good meal. And then, there was a surprise. Our old buddy was still cooking there. So actually, when we went to pick up our order, he gave us the food, but he was so serious, that we weren't quite sure it was him.
So we ate. We studied him. We were pretty sure it was him. So we finished eating, and we went up to him again. We asked him if his name was Amadou. That's his real name, because he's like a public figure who you can ask for if you ever go to the Ugly Dog. He said yes. So we said, you probably don't remember us, but blah blah. So then he said, yes, I remember you. And he smiled. And his face lit up. And then he looked like the Amadou that we knew. And so that ended a great memory and a great meal.
So, nola. Saturday. We woke up. We slept in a bit. We were wondering what to eat. The Food Pimp wanted to go to his buddy's po boy shop, but we were too slow to move and didn't really have the time. So we were thinking, and then it dawned on us - Ugly Dog, Dog!
So it was just a couple of blocks down the street. Good ole Ugly Dog. I remember when it first opened. It was kinda, well, ugly. And it was in a weird area, there wasn't as much stuff down there. But then, the food turned out to be really good. Simple, but good.
So there we were. It looked a little worn for the wear. There was like a layer of smoke on everything. Even in the air. Smoke from the smoker, that is. So, we had to order up at the bar. I guess the place wasn't as busy to warrant the servers taking orders at tables. They used to be so busy for lunch. There would be like 3 servers running around like crazy with every table occupied.
So we ordered. Of course, we both had to get the ribs. This was our one shot.
So, there are only a few menu items - ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken, hamburger, smoked sausage, pulled pork, brisket or chicken sandwich. Then there are sides - green salad, potato salad, smoked potato(baked), coleslaw and bbq beans, and broccoli.
Anyway, we got ribs. The FP got chili beans and potato salad. I got potato salad and slaw. I have to say, as much as I have fond memories of the Ugly Dog, they were pretty inconsistent. I think when you have products that are slow smoked, there's lots of room for inconsistency. You run out of ribs before you expect and you serve the next batch a bit before they are ready. Or maybe you get busy and don't pull them out in time. Or whatever. Maybe whoever was manning the smoker was hungover and showed up late. But the sauce was good, and when they were cooked right they were really good. So these were very cooked. That doesn't really bother me. I know when I watch Food Network, which is way less than I used to, they say that bbq is supposed to be not falling off the bone. Well, I like it that way. It doesn't bother me. These were really smokey. I guess we just don't like smoke as much as we used to. I don't like it in bars, and I don't like it in my food as much. And then the sauce was different. It was like more vinegar and less sweet. That's like SC bbq, right? I'm not a BBQologist. I'm really a novice when it comes to bbq. I like to happily live in ignorance of this subject. I want to get bbq whenever I can, and I don't want to be all judgemental. Either it tastes good and is cooked nicely or it's not. I'm not a by the book kind of guy. I'm not a guy to begin with.
Anyway, the sides are an equal part of the experience at Ugly Dog. They can be just as inconsistent as the bbq. Sometimes the potatoes are al dente. Sometimes the beans are all soupy with barely any beans. But if it's all on...It's ON!
So the beans were good - but the FP forgot he didn't like sour cream on them. When you order, they ask if you want cheese onion and sour cream. The FP said yes. But he meant no. On the sour cream. But I like the sour cream. They were good though. They are like really soupy and sweet and not really spicy, you have to add the heat. But they are just good.
So then there's the potato salad. It's herby and mayonnaisey, but in a good way. It's big chunks of potato. It's just good stuff. When the potatoes are cooked. Luckily they were cooked this time.
The cole slaw. This is like the star of cole slaws. I generally hate cole slaw. You know the stuff that comes in the tubs. The evenly shredded cabbage, purple cabbage and carrot with mayo and it's really watery. Hate it. I don't want it on my plate. I have to leave the room if someone is eating that stuff. So this cole slaw is much different.
See. It's big fat ribbons of veggies with mustard. Okay, it has mayo, but it's a thicker sauce that doesn't become a milky watery pool at the bottom. It's just so much better than that foul anemic stuff you get at KFC. It's what I base all other cole slaws against, whether or not it's fair.
So it was a good meal. And then, there was a surprise. Our old buddy was still cooking there. So actually, when we went to pick up our order, he gave us the food, but he was so serious, that we weren't quite sure it was him.
So we ate. We studied him. We were pretty sure it was him. So we finished eating, and we went up to him again. We asked him if his name was Amadou. That's his real name, because he's like a public figure who you can ask for if you ever go to the Ugly Dog. He said yes. So we said, you probably don't remember us, but blah blah. So then he said, yes, I remember you. And he smiled. And his face lit up. And then he looked like the Amadou that we knew. And so that ended a great memory and a great meal.
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