The third stop of our trip was at Bar-B-Q Center in Lexington. Quoting from the North Carolina BBQ Trail website. "The Barbecue Center, Inc. is the oldest barbecue establishment in downtown Lexington that still cooks on pits. It has been featured in Southern Living magazine, on the TV show "Good Morning America" and in any number of newspapers."
The restaurant itself is good sized with 20 or so booths and tables. There are also six tables outside, and car service available under an old fashioned drive-in canopy. The young ladies tending to the tables were all very nice and there was no chance you would have to wait for a refill on your sweet tea or soda. In addition to the BBQ that is offered in various sized trays and plates with different combinations of fried sides, there is what I would call a basic diner menu of burgers and sandwiches. They also offer at least a dozen flavors of hand dipped ice cream.
I know I'm rambling on a out the building and the people working in it. Plus all the other things they offer, but there is a good reason for that. Given the build up, my expectations were high, and the food just simply fell short.
The GF and I both went with the BBQ Plate that comes with hush puppies, slaw, and fries. The GF upgraded her side to get the onion rings instead of the fries. So the ¢50 upcharge, you get four onion rings. They are really proud of those four onion rings, and believe you should pay for the privilege of enjoying them.
The BBQ may have been pit cooked, but I couldn't prove that claim. It was as good as any unseasoned, but properly cooked pork that has come out of crock pots all across America. The meat by itself just simply had no real flavor. It was moist, and it was tender,but beyond that, all I can say is that the service was really good.
​​​The "dip" that came with it helped, but that too was nothing amazing.
The fries and onion rings were just what you would expect from any decent diner, but nothing more than that. The hush puppies were the best thing we got with our orders, and they were just "good". Nothing wrong with them, but nothing that made them stand out either.
We did both order the homemade banana pudding for dessert. Her because she didn't eat half of the BBQ, and despite the pride taken in the onion rings, they were not that filling. I got dessert because I'm fat, and intend to stay that way. The pudding was just like the hush puppies. You weren't sorry you ate it, but it's nothing special.
So, my final thoughts on Bar-B-Q Center is simply this. If you're hungry, they have okay food and great service. You won't leave hungry, but you will struggle to remember where you ate if someone asks you tomorrow.
The restaurant itself is good sized with 20 or so booths and tables. There are also six tables outside, and car service available under an old fashioned drive-in canopy. The young ladies tending to the tables were all very nice and there was no chance you would have to wait for a refill on your sweet tea or soda. In addition to the BBQ that is offered in various sized trays and plates with different combinations of fried sides, there is what I would call a basic diner menu of burgers and sandwiches. They also offer at least a dozen flavors of hand dipped ice cream.
I know I'm rambling on a out the building and the people working in it. Plus all the other things they offer, but there is a good reason for that. Given the build up, my expectations were high, and the food just simply fell short.
The GF and I both went with the BBQ Plate that comes with hush puppies, slaw, and fries. The GF upgraded her side to get the onion rings instead of the fries. So the ¢50 upcharge, you get four onion rings. They are really proud of those four onion rings, and believe you should pay for the privilege of enjoying them.
The BBQ may have been pit cooked, but I couldn't prove that claim. It was as good as any unseasoned, but properly cooked pork that has come out of crock pots all across America. The meat by itself just simply had no real flavor. It was moist, and it was tender,but beyond that, all I can say is that the service was really good.
​​​The "dip" that came with it helped, but that too was nothing amazing.
The fries and onion rings were just what you would expect from any decent diner, but nothing more than that. The hush puppies were the best thing we got with our orders, and they were just "good". Nothing wrong with them, but nothing that made them stand out either.
We did both order the homemade banana pudding for dessert. Her because she didn't eat half of the BBQ, and despite the pride taken in the onion rings, they were not that filling. I got dessert because I'm fat, and intend to stay that way. The pudding was just like the hush puppies. You weren't sorry you ate it, but it's nothing special.
So, my final thoughts on Bar-B-Q Center is simply this. If you're hungry, they have okay food and great service. You won't leave hungry, but you will struggle to remember where you ate if someone asks you tomorrow.
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