Acceptable - Lexington #1, Lexington NC

Address: 10 Highway 29-70 South, Lexington NC
Style: Table Service

Here I am back in Lexington, trying to find decent barbecue. Maybe I just favor the vinegar tang of Eastern barbecue, but I find the Lexington meat bland. The Lexington branded restaurants are well spoken of, so let's try one out.

I ordered the sliced tray, which should be enough for lunch. The tray is small, not much larger than the tray of hushpuppies. It contains one quarter decent red cabbage slaw and three quarters chunks of pork. The pork is soaked in liquid and a bit bland. The meat is cooked well, but there is no personality. I douse a little of a bottled (not made in house) sauce to give it some pep.

The hush puppies are decent. They have a corn meal coating, which makes them crunchier than eastern puppies. The waitress brings me a second tray, which is nice.

Maybe next time will be the charm for Lexington.

Acceptable - Bob's Barbecue, Creedmoor NC

Address: 1589 NC Highway 56, Creedmooor NC
Restaurant Style: Steamtable Service

Bob's was the first BBQ restaurant that I ever ate at. I was still living in Michigan, but was on a business trip to RTP and visiting a plant in Creedmoor. The guys from manufacturing took me there to introduce me to NC barbecue. That was fifteen years ago. I did not know anything about barbecue. I had not been back and had not wanted to rate this place until I visited it again.

The restaurant is very much a working class lunch spot, with bare tables and minimal ambience.

I ordered BBQ and Stew combination. It came with slaw and hushpuppies. All were served from a steam table in styrofoam dishes, as is usual in such a place.

The barbeque had a decent body to it, but was a little bland. Adding a little of the table BBQ sauce made it quite nice. The hushpuppies were dry after too long on the steam table.