Recommended - Jackson's Brothers, Sanford

Address - 2440 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Sanford NC Map
Style - Carry Out and Drive through

For years, the barbecue sign for Jackson's Brothers has been a landmark for me along US 1 in Sanford. The building is a tiny carry-out only restaurant in the middle of a huge gravel parking lot, nestled between Jackson Brothers Produce and a manufactured home sales lot. They only have carry out, but there are a few picnic tables under a tree across the parking lot in front of Ted's Wire Art Museum and Gift shop. The place has personality and darned good barbecue.

My lunch was just a sample, a sliced pork sandwich and a dozen hushpuppies. Except for a chunk of cartilage, the pork was excellent, reminiscent of Fuzzy's. The hushpuppies were great, typical of central North Carolina style.

The business has a web-site for all of the different businesses that Jackson Brothers run. It is a relic of old farm-based Southern living.

I'll definitely be back.

Plane Crashes into McCall's BBQ & Seafood, Clayton

About 10 am this morning, a single engine plane crashed into the front entrance of McCall's BBQ & Seafood on US 70 in Clayton NC. The restaurant was not yet open, so there was nobody in the dining room. About 20 employees were working in the kitchen and got out safely with no reported injuries. It appears that the pilot was killed in the crash.

Weather conditions were not favorable at the time. There was a low ceiling, fog and scattered rain showers. Eyewitnesses report that the plane came in low, apparently out of control, clipped some trees, tried to land in the parking lot, but crashed into the building.

Coverage on WRAL is here.

It is to be hoped that this excellent BBQ restaurant will rebuild and reopen.

The BBQ & Ribs Co. Chain May Be Gone?

According to Sue Stock in the business section of the News and Observer in the article, Strategy: smaller, subtler states that the BBQ & Ribs Co. in Raleigh is closing. Then in Taking Stock, she adds more detail, that the Chesapeake location is also closing and the Graham restaurant is being sold to an employee. After subsequent investigation, she reported that the Siler City location had closed in February.

The chain's web site is down as well.

This is not good news. BBQ Ribs & Co. is my favorite fast food barbecue chain, beating Smithfield hands down in restaurant decor and quality of food.

Update: As of 09/06/2007, the Graham location is still in business as BBQ & Ribs Co, with the same decent food.