Bob Ross was ahead of his time. Who’d have thought TV viewers would watch someone paint a picture, literally watching paint dry. Public TV was the precursor to the reality television craze, making stars of common folks like Bob Vila and Bob Ross. Thirty years after his death, Ross is still a pop culture icon. He frequently referred to his painting errors as, “Happy little accidents.” Certainly, he didn’t foresee Batmarr and me at RD’s Smokehouse Barbecue, but a happy little accident it was.

RD’s was not in our plans for lunch, but the unexpected closer of our predetermined destination led us to their door. It resides in an old gas station with a façade of bright colors and different textures. Most fascinating is the old iron gate across the windows and doors. It’s either hefty security overkill or an historic accent.

For certain, that heavy gate will never be needed to keep people in, not when the food is this good. The pork was shredded and moist, the same way a North Carolina plate is served. It had a mild smoky flavor with a touch of heat on the back end. Most surprisingly, it reminded us of ham. I wasn’t mad at it, but I now wonder what cut they used. I’ve had shredded ham before and loved it but have never had barbecue that reminded me of ham.

RD’s had multiple sauces available, which is always fun. I stuck to their standard offering, which was already in a squeeze bottle on the table. It was very thick and sweet, with notes of pepper, garlic, and cayenne. It was good on the pork and ribs but wasn’t necessary as both were well seasoned on their own. And speaking of ribs, these were mild with a sweet bark and fall-of-the-bone tender. Some consider ribs to be overdone when you can’t pick them up by the bone and maybe these were a bit soft, but the flavor was there.

The real star was the smoked wings, which I think were flash fried and served covered in Bama Boi sauce, a combination of their original red and white sauces. You got a blast of spice from the red and the sharp, smooth bite of the white. Wow! It was one of our favorite sauces anywhere and went perfectly on the crisp skin and soft inside of the wings. That symphony of taste and texture hit all the senses. Put these on your list of things you gotta try!

As is our tradition, Batmarr and I made sure to each get different sides for a bigger sampling. This meant four different bites and we didn’t hesitate on the mac n cheese. It was baked and loose, with a soft noodle and strong cheddar flavor. The baked beans are always my choice on an inaugural visit. These were meaty and rich, flavored heavily with onion and bell pepper. I thought I tasted a citrusy note, which would be very unusual and daring. But if you want to balance the sweetness with some acid, why not? The potato salad was cool and refreshing, with a mayo dressing that may have included paprika.  The cut on the potatoes was bite-sized, with finely cut onion, celery, and relish. Our fourth side was hushpuppies, perfectly crispy outside and soft inside. I found whole kernels of corn in mine and just enough jalapeno to deliver a touch of heat with minimal jalapeno flavor.

Happy little accident? Maybe…but you also make your own luck. RD’s Smokehouse Barbecue was a thrilling discovery, one that comes from simply getting out there and making things happen. Our commitment to barbecue and barbecue adventure paid off and we’re richer for it.