Moe's Original BBQ - Matthews, NC

Pulled Pork Platter with sweet potato casserole, marinated slaw and green beans with Texas toast. 

Moe's Original BBQ has locations - they call them "joints" - in 9 states, with the majority of the restaurants located in Alabama. I was invited to try the location closest to me (Matthews, NC) last fall. While I am not in the Matthews area often, we were thoroughly impressed by Moe's and enjoyed every bite. I wish they would open another Charlotte location closer to uptown - maybe this is a possibility?! Everything we tried was truly delicious. I also like the fact that Moe's has special side dishes each day, so there is always something different to try in addition to the regular tasty sides that they have. We tried both the pulled pork and the ribs and we also had a few wings. The pulled pork was great and the ribs were extraordinary. My favorite sides include the sweet potato casserole and the marinated slaw. Even my son who wasn't quite 1 year old at the time, loved it and ate the BBQ and the green beans.

In addition to the regular menu, which includes smoked turkey, smoked chicken, a salad and even a smoked tofu sandwich in addition to the pork and ribs, there are daily specials and brisket is featured on a weekly basis. You can check out Moe's Original BBQ Facebook page for more information on the daily specials. Even vegetarians would be happy here with either the tofu sandwich or a veggie platter since there are so many sides to choose from. Some recent side specials include cornbread dressing, squash casserole, roasted brussels sprouts and Mississippi mud pie - yes desserts count as sides! There are also party packs available for small or large groups and catering is offered as well. Click here to see the Events Calendar for the Matthews location - there is a kids eat free night as well as other special events listed.

 

This photo, taken the same day we ate at Moe's back in October, demonstrates how long I took to get this post up. I promise I will try to be a better blogger!!

Moe's Original BBQ features indoor and outdoor seating.

Ribs platter with banana pudding and cabbage. Yes, you can get banana pudding as a side dish! YES! The ribs were fantastic - tender and juicy.
 

Fries, crisp and tasty.
 

Wings.

Next time I am in Matthews I will definitely seek out Moe's again, but in the mean time I will be hoping to hear about a location closer to home!

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Simmons Soul Food Restaurant

Baked chicken with stuffing, mac & cheese and greens.

Following a recommendation we recently tried out Simmons Soul Food Restaurant. When we arrived the place was empty and we found a seat at one of the simple tables. The decor is not much to look at, although some interesting pieces of memorabilia line the walls which contain some famous and not so famous patrons' signatures! The food was definitely not as impressive as we had hoped. The best thing we tried was the baked chicken and the collard greens and mac & cheese were good. The ribs were horrible with mostly fat and the fried fish was just decent. We did enjoy the cornbread, though. Overall I think Charlotte can do better. I am still on the lookout for my favorite Soul Food dining destination!

Cornbread.



Ribs with green beans and fried okra.




Fried fish with mac & cheese and greens.

Mac's Speed Shop

Small BBQ platter with onion rings and slaw.

We ventured into Mac's Speed Shop recently on a Friday night around 9:30 PM. The live music was just gearing up and the patio filling but we sat inside at one of the front booths. Mac's is a neat place and its motto "Beer, Bikes, BBQ" truly fits. The Southend location is located on our way home from I-77 so we often pass by and see motorcycles lined up. Steele Creek and Lake Norman locations also exist and a new location opened recently in Greenville, SC. In South End Mac's is open until midnight Sun. - Tues. and until 2 AM Wed. - Sat.

Service was attentive and obviously knowledgeable. The waitress recommended the onion rings over the fries and they were a good choice with my pulled pork platter. The pulled pork was pretty good although the portion wasn't that big (of course it was the small platter) perhaps the better to try one of the delicious sounding appetizers or the hush puppies, which we skipped this visit. Calvin enjoyed the fish po'boy also. I was a bit skeptical of him ordering fish at a place with BBQ in its name but it was actually quite tasty and I enjoyed that it was blackened instead of the usual po'boy fried. We did sample the banana pudding for dessert - a worthy rendition including some tasty real whipped cream on top. It was such a good portion that I even took some home for later. Calvin enjoyed a couple of the beer selections, which are varied and include the usual and the unusual. We also noticed that Mac's offers half price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4 - 6 PM - we will definitely be back soon! I am looking forward to trying the chili and the Brunswick stew.

4 sauce options - my favorite: the Carolina BBQ Sauce.



Fish Po' Boy with rice & beans.



Delicious banana pudding.