The North Carolina BBQ plate offered at Hickory Hollow in Bradenton, FL
Not sure if the above sign was made from hickory
Authentic Carolina – Virginia Cookin’ is a true rarity in this part of “Dixie”
I visited Hickory Hollow BBQ in Bradenton for the first time today. Not too bad. I was greeted at the front door by a peacock — no lie! I had to shoo the crazy bird away just to get inside the restaurant. The decor inside was a little strange with butterfly art and faux flowers everywhere. A little gay if you ask me. Anyway, the place smelled good & smoky and I was impressed with the variety of side dishes offered at lunchtime. I ordered the NC BBQ pork plate with two sides (zipper peas and corn pudding). All entrees also come with giant corn fritters (hushpuppies) … each one the size of a ripe Florida tangerine.
I poured some vinegar-based pepper sauce over the “Q” and dug in. It was pretty darn good, although not as smoky tasting as I would like. The corn pudding posessed just the right amount of sweetness, but it could have been just a little warmer. The zipper peas (sort of a cross between navy beans and black eyed peas) were excellent – you could tell by the taste of the pot likker that the peas were cooked with some kind of bacon or fatback. All in all a pretty satisfying meal. I’d give them a B- which ain’t bad at all for pork BBQ in these parts. I am happy to know they are here and will probably stop in again when I’m back in the area. It’s not exactly worth an out-of-the-way trip, but a pretty good option when a major “BBQ Jones” strikes.
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