My Quest for the Best BBQ in North Georgia Continues.......

Bub-Ba-Q in Jasper

Bub-Ba-Q in Jasper, Georgia by Mountainfreak Eat & Shop Ok..I am a BBQ nut. In the 6 months I've been writing for Mountainfreak.net, I have written about BBQ during 4 of those months. I am not sorry. It seems to feed on itself to a certain extent...I write about a BBQ joint or festival, and that seems to spawn suggestions of different BBQ joints and festivals to visit. Keep them coming, by the way.
I came to visit Bub-Ba-Q in Jasper following the advice of some good friends/readers, and I have found a contender for the best BBQ in the north Georgia mountains.
Bub-Ba-Q is well known on the BBQ contest circuit and has the trophies inside the restaurant that testify to their success. The restaurant is very welcoming and clean-with plenty of seating space among all the trophies. I had been told that Bub-Ba-Q has the best brisket in 3 states..but for the purposes of my quest I have been focusing on real southern BBQ, which is, as we all know, pork. Pulled pork to be specific, sampled with the house sauces and sides and big glass of sweet tea. Bub-Ba-Q did not disappoint in any of those areas. The pork was the best I have had in quite a while, and the best I have had so far in the mountain area. The pulled pork is smoky, but not overpoweringly so..moist, and well seasoned. I sampled the three sauces on the table and found good things with all 3. The mustard sauce was very good..tangy with just the right amount of vinegar. The hot sauce was very spicy with red pepper and also had a good balance of vinegar..very reminiscent of a North Carolina preparation. I generally like the sweet sauces the least, but I found Bub-Ba-Q's version to be very tasty with a bit of a smokey flavor. After playing around with the 3 for a bit I settled on a combo of the sweet and the mustard on the majority of my pork.
The beans and slaw that came with the pulled pork plate ($6.95) were very good and a fine compliment to my pork/sauce experimentation.
I am trying to think of a good reason to go to Jasper this month (perhaps John Sosebee playing at the 3 Sisters Cafe downtown?) so I can expand my knowledge of Bub-Ba-Q fare a bit..the chicken and ribs had great potential on the smoker in back (see above)..and the little bit of brisket I conned off the pit master was actually not bad;-) Carry out and Catering are available.

Bub-Ba-Q
1976 Hwy 53 W.
Jasper, GA 30143
706.692.7929

Fast Food Decadence in Dawsonville

We haven't reviewed a chain restaurant for Mountainfreak.net up till this point, but not many fast food restaurants make the Zagat Survey while being located right on one of the major thoroughfares we use to get up into the North Georgia Mountains. Five Guys is a no frills, cook to order hamburger joint that gives you a little bit more of everything you order-almost to the point of being decadent.
First of all, the regular burger comes with two fresh grilled patties of fresh (never frozen) ground beef with an amazing number of add-ons at no extra charge. The fries, also fresh cut and never frozen. A regular order was more than I could eat on a recent visit. A large styrofoam cup is loaded with hot fries and then they throw a large handful in the bag along with your order for good measure. A large order might feed 3-4 folks. You can order your fries "Five Guys" style or cajun style. Kosher Hot Dogs and sandwiches are available on the menu-but make no mistake, this is a burger joint with the emphasis on making a good hamburger. I admit to having a little sticker shock the first time I ate at Five Guys. A burger, fries and regular drink will run you about 9 bucks. Everything is relative, however. When compared to pre-frozen then microwaved/heat lamped burgers and frozen fries that will run you close to $6 at other burger chains, Five Guys is a value.
The Dawsonville Five Guys is located in the Dawsonville Commons shopping center right off of GA 400...in front of the Walmart and across 400 from the huge gaudy outlet mall Dawsonville has become semi-famous for. Very easy access if you are heading up to the mountains west of Dawsonville or up to Dahlonega and beyond.

S.W.

Follow up on The BBQ Place in Dahlonega...

I was by there a few days ago and it looks like The BBQ Place is no more. Totally cleaned out and up for rent. That's too bad-N Georgia needs more good BBQ joints and The BBQ Place had a chance to be pretty good with a few changes here and there. We are trying to get up to Blairsville this month to check out a new BBQ joint there that comes with some pretty good recommendations..stay tuned!

The World Famous Yonah Burger

Ok..maybe not "world" famous..but in the world around Cleveland and Helen in the north Georgia mountains, everybody knows about the Yonah Burger. For 40 years, the Yonah Burger restaurant has occupied the same spot on Georgia hwy 75 just north of Cleveland and in the shadow of Mt. Yonah. My father used to bring me here when I was a child-and very little has changed. It was a globally warmed 31 degrees with a little snow on the ground when I visited the Yonah Burger in early March on my way to Helen for a little hiking at Unicoi State Park-I needed some fuel. I didn't have to look at the menu, I ordered the Yonah Burger deluxe with fries for $3.99. Yonah burgers do not hit the grill until you place your order, no heat lamps or microwaves-just cooked to order on a very well seasoned steel griddle that imparts the flavor of every burger that has gone before, and that is a good thing. I had mine all the way and it was ready in about 5 minutes. The fries are sprinkled with a special seasoning salt as they come out of the deep fryer which helps distinguish them from your run of the mill burger joint fries. Service is quick and friendly and business is always brisk.
Burgers are not the only thing the Yonah Burger is "world" famous for...they serve a full breakfast that includes home made biscuits with "city" ham or "country" ham, bologna, tenderloin, steak, eggs, hot links and about 10 other options which can also be ordered on white bread toast as a sandwich. Biscuits and sandwiches run around $2 and a full plate breakfast can be had for less than $5. If you are not in the mood for a Yonah burger at lunch, other options include salads, hot dogs, deli sandwiches, bbq and chicken. Ice cream and shakes are also available. My one complaint with the Yonah Burger are their "world" famous fried pies...they are a tad greasy and the fruit filling comes out of a can..very average to me, but they have been serving and selling them since 1968 so I must be one of the few. The Yonah Burger is located at 2051 Helen Hwy. (GA 75), Cleveland, GA 30528. Phone-(706)865.4791

The BBQ Place

The BBQ Place is tucked into the end of a small strip mall just north of the square in Dahlonega off Hwy. 19. The menu includes your basic bbq joint fare: Pulled pork, chicken and ribs cooked over hickory in an outside smoker, beans, slaw and stew. (For the full menu-www.thebbqplace.net)
My first impression as I walked in for a late Saturday lunch was "clean and friendly", which is always a good start. I ordered the pulled pork plate with Brunswick Stew, slaw, and some very tasty iced tea. The pork is offered in sauce or dry, and upon the recommendation of the owner I opted for "in sauce". The small portion of pork was excellent-very tender and smoky, and the sauce was a well balance vinegar based with a good amount of tang but not overpowering. The requisite slice of white bread was nice and fresh....This part of the meal was just fine.
I have had much better Brunswick Stew and cole slaw, these offerings were average at best. I'll admit that I'm pretty picky when it comes to my stew-and The BBQ Place is not far away from having a good stew. Something needs to be done, however, to balance the acidity and "tinny" taste of the canned tomatoes used in the stew-the aftertaste totally negated the seasoning and smokiness of the meat and what I think would otherwise be a nice flavor. The cabbage in the slaw is overprocessed and the seasoning is bland. Visually, the slaw could pass for a helping of greenish grits. A good dose of salt and pepper from the table helped out with the seasoning, but the consistency is that of a hot dog condiment rather than a side dish. I will give the stew another try when I return to The BBQ Place (and I will), but I'll opt for chips or beans instead of the slaw.
My total bill for the pork plate and tea was $8.50..which is about average for a good que joint in north Georgia. I do generally expect larger portions for that price based on my dining at other bbq restaurants.
The BBQ Place has very good, well cooked pork..which is the first priority for a bbq joint, and the service is efficient and friendly. A little...no, a lot of attention to the side dishes would go a long way.

S.W.

The BBQ Place is located @ 2065 Hwy. 19, Ste. B in Dahlonega
Phone- 706.864.8819