On October 28, 2021, I woke up and said, “I’m gonna go to Huntsville and each lunch with my buddy, Lamarr.”  Lamarr Chaplin that is.  He and I have worked for the same company for the past 18 years and have become good friends during that time as we kept each other’s spirits up during some tough transition periods on the job.  Lamarr thinks he’s Batman, which is terribly amusing for a man in his mid-50s.  His more realistic identity is that of fellow barbecue lover, which makes us a better duo than Batman & Robin ever hoped to be.  (Although Lamarr might not admit that.)

My entire drive to Huntsville I put on my playlist and just chilled.  It was the most relaxed I’d been in a long time.  Lamarr, on the other hand, was feeling the pressure to pick a good restaurant.  I don’t know if Boarhog’s was his first choice but it was definitely the right choice.

Pulling up the first thing I noticed was all the blue-collar work trucks, always a good sign.  Walk in the front door and the place is packed.  There are two registers going and each one is six to eight people deep.  I didn’t mind that because it gave us time to look over the menu, which was nice sized.  There’s a big variety of meats and sides and selecting the right combination is a measured calculation when Lamarr and I go together.  When trying a new place, we both get a combo platter making sure everything is different on both orders.  Then we split everything in half so we get to sample twice as many things.  It’s a technique that’s a little awkward at first but now we have the procedure down.

The dining room is fun because there are a few really long tables that have eight to ten seats on each side.  So you have these huge groups of strangers sitting side by side and everyone is acting like they’re family.  It’s really cool and I think the food is a huge part of that.  I mean, in what other type of restaurant would you find that kind of bonding?

The food…I believe we had ribs, brisket, pork, and chicken.  All of it…amazing!  I can’t say a bad thing about any of it.  The meat was tender and juicy.  There was so much flavor that I think I ate most of it without any sauce.  In fact, I was so focused on the meat that I don’t remember anything about the sauce.  I just remember all the meat glistening and being able to tell, before I took the first bite, that it was gonna be special.  I don’t remember all the sides we had but I do know I had the baked beans.  Yep, they were a fitting partner for the pork, meaty with all the flavors melded together for a deep, hearty flavor.

If Boarhog’s was closer to my house I’d be in serious trouble.  I’m not sure I could resist going there weekly and rotating through all the options.  The joint is so comfortable.  After our meal Lamarr and I just sat and talked for an hour.  Worth the trip every day and I can’t wait until I get to go back.

Bonus points for:

Order at the counter

Self-serve fountain drinks

Sauce on the table

TV with sports