I left Williamson Bros. and headed east across Roswell Road towards Sam and Dave's BBQ-1 which is located right next to Sparkles Roller Skating Rink and an adjacent ice skating rink. Sam and Dave's BBQ-1 had been open for five to six years, but something didn't sit right when I first took glance at the facade of the restaurant. It appeared that Sam muscled Dave out of the business, and the joint is completely Sam's show to run now. Dave's name had been etched from the glass, but Dave's name was still carved into the wooden bench to serve as a memento for how sweet the times used to be. 
Sam, the new sole owner, is fairly competitive in the barbecue circuit, and trophies, ribbons, and magazine clippings line the walls. One magazine illustrates a Sam as a caring pet pig owner. From first look, I would estimate that his pet, Annabell, has to lead a somewhat stressful life. She can't get lost in the crowd nor can she make friends with the other swine. Seriously, any misstep could land her in the pits. And I'm curious how difficult the emotional strain must be on Sam every time he eats a pork sandwich and he thinks about Annabell. 
A pork sandwich was delivered to my table and the portions were fairly large. The pork in the sandwich had a strong smoky flavor and I was excited to see that I was served portions of the shoulder that contained a good combination of the meat towards both the inside as well as the outside including the crust. The two bottles of BBQ1's sauce that was available on the table were both decent, but I quickly got a hold of the restaurant's habanero spiced sauce once it was offered. I liberally applied the sauce to the end of my sandwich, and then covered my next bite with its rub dust. I gripped the toasted and buttered Texas Toast and took a bite. Texas Toast + Chunks of Smoked Pork + Habenero Spiced Barbecue Sauce + Rub Dust + Pickles = Great Sandwich on paper. I definitely was a fan of all the individual components that complemented the sandwich.
I then ordered a short beef rib per the employee's recomendation. The rib approximated two and a half feet long, probably weighed in at a pound and a half, and it was delivered wrapped in aluminum foil. I was unsure how to best attack the rib. I slowly peeled back he layers of beef and took notice of soft outside crust that looked perfectly smoked. The inside layers of meat near the blade lacked a solid smoky flavor and instead tasted like the meat had either been parboiled or steamed. I still continuously pulled back layers of beef to dip in the spicy barbecue sauce and was torn whether I even enjoyed the flavor. Some bites tasted great while others left me wanting me to call it a day. 
In all, the pork tasted good but the beef short rib was a disappointment. I'd consider revisiting if I heard/read incredible reviews about Sam's pork ribs but this visit that was most likely my last.
.jpg)
Try the brisket. It's tender and tastes great to me (and I'm from Texas, where they know how to do brisket). I also like their rendition of macaroni and cheese (sometimes). I've found it inconsistent, however.
ReplyDeleteI heard about a place up in Marietta Square that's supposed to be very good. Next time I'm up in that area I'll swing by Sam's to try the brisket. I did have the Mac & Cheese the last time I was up at Sam's (I since posted the picture). It was actually quite good and I apologize for the incomplete reporting in my review.
ReplyDeleteThe brisket is what Sam does best. On several occasions, I have been half way through my sandwich before I remembered that I had not yet added any sauce. The brisket is that tasty.
ReplyDelete