Brett eats out: Backyard BBQ

Brett Smith, Staff Writer

   Being from the south, I have had my fair share of barbecue over the years. So when Backdoor BBQ was brought to my attention, I made sure to put it on the top of my list of restaurants to try. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get there, so if you make the trek, don’t be scared that your GPS is acting up. That thought crossed my mind several time but, rest assured, the location does indeed exist. In order for the crowd to subside, we visited Backdoor for lunch around 1:30 on a Thursday. Parking was not bad at all, but on a busy weekend day it could be a problem.

   As usual, I asked some friends to accompany me for this trip. Jonathan Hane has become a constant companion for these trips because he takes such amazing pictures. Two others that joined me were Mikayla Gulley and her roommate Emily Brown. This restaurant is not unlike many other barbecue places when it comes to ordering. When entering, we walked up to the counter and placed our order there. We then sat at our choice of table and waited for our orders to be called. The wait for our food was roughly 15 to 20 minutes, which I thought was a decent time for a group of four.

   The meals were priced well for their portions. You can order signature entrées or combo dinners. Jonathan ordered the Big Okie Burger, which priced at $8.50. It definitely lived up to its name, because it was a lot of food. Mikayla, Emily and myself all ordered combo dinners. Mikayla and Emily chose a one meat combo, while I ordered a two meat combo. These came with two sides as well. The combo dinners were priced at $10 for a one meat combo, $12 for a two meat combo, and $15 for a three meat combo. For the portions, it was definitely a good price; it was so much food that I was unable to finish my order of brisket and pulled pork.

   Both of these meats were prepared pretty well. My only negative comment is that the pulled pork could have been a little more tender. Other than that, the meat was smoky and had excellent flavor. I personally enjoy barbecue sauce on my food, and I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of sauce flavors that were offered. The barbecue sauce ranged from classic, sweet and hot, to mustard and espresso. Whatever you like, they offered it. My two sides were coleslaw and potato salad. The coleslaw was made from scratch and tasted very fresh. It was a nice contrast to the acidity of the barbecue sauce and seasoning of the meat. The potato salad was also made from scratch. Creamy and smooth, this was one of the best potato salads I’ve had.

   The atmosphere of the restaurant also complimented the food. It was warm and welcoming with an old barn house feel. A range of country music was playing in the background. Some songs were popular hits, and others were fiddle melodies. Backdoor BBQ is a well-planned restaurant. I would highly recommend a visit there if you are in the mood for barbecue. It was a great experience for me, and I think I can speak for Jonathan, Mikayla and Emily when I say that we enjoyed our time there.