A TASTE OF TEXAS // DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT // I’M GOING BACK

A TASTE OF TEXAS // DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT // I’M GOING BACK

Once, I was asked by a Texan if I had ever tried Texas barbecue. I smiled and simply replied, “Have you ever tried Alabama barbecue?” I get a little defensive when it comes to Alabama food. Many would argue that Alabama has the best barbecue in the south. However, there is no exact science to what determines the best barbecue. Bringing the taste of Texas to town is Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Dickey’s provides Texas-style barbecue which is smoked on-site daily. I am pleased to say, I have tried Texas barbecue and it’s pretty darn good.
As soon as my husband opened the door to Dickey’s, I smelled the sweet and smoky aroma of barbecue. My mouth watered. The restaurant is quaint and furnished for casual family dining. The look of the restaurant was that of a western theme with wagon wheel light fixtures and distressed novelty signs. A few flat screen televisions line the walls. As soon as you enter the door your eyes hit the menus hanging from the ceiling. Ordering is done at the counter. All the obvious choices are offered, pulled pork, ribs, beef brisket, and chicken. A few surprises were on the menu, including barbecue honey ham, spicy cheese sausage, and polish sausage. As I read the menu out loud, the employee behind the counter added “and alligator and kangaroo.” His straight face cracked with a smile as he glanced over at his co-worker saying “man, I couldn’t keep a straight face!” The employees were nice and genuinely pleasant.
As appetizing as the fictional kangaroo and alligator sounded, I went with the pulled pork plate ($9.50). My husband took a chance and ordered the barbecue ribs plate ($9.50). Including two drinks the ticket came out to just under $30.
My eyes widened with excitement when we rounded the corner to fix our drinks. Sitting at the end of the beverage station were complementary ice cream cones! Barbecue and ice cream — such a treat. By the time we topped off our drinks and filled up extra cups of barbecue sauce, our food was served. My pulled pork plate was accompanied with a side of macaroni and cheese and barbecue beans. Sweet barbecue sauce was thinly spread across the pork. Dickey’s offers up two other sweet and spicy sauces for your barbecue enjoyment. The spicy sauce had a nice tangy kick to it. A little too hot for my taste buds. The sweeter sauce was a favorite, with a hint of tang. For some reason, I felt the need to start with the sides. Judging by the look of the macaroni and cheese, it was obvious that it was prepared with over-processed cheese, or, as some refer to it today, “liquid gold.” Nonethless, it was not terrible. It was warm, soft, and creamy. The barbecue beans were underwhelming. They were sweet, but lacking a complementary ingredient like bell pepper or sausage. My husband had a side of the macaroni and cheese and waffle fries. The waffle fries were seasoned and had a mild Cajun taste. They were delicious! Next came the main course, the pulled pork. I gathered a little bit of pork off of the top, dabbed it in the sweet sauce, and stabbed a pickle slice. It was very good. The pork was flavorful and honestly did not need too much sauce. My husband’s ribs were tender and had a satisfying amount of meat. The bark with a chunk of meat made the best bite. Even with full bellies, we could not resists the free vanilla ice cream cones. We really enjoyed the taste of Texas Dickey’s Barbecue Pit brings to Bama and will definitely make plans to visit again.
Dickeys Barbecue Pit has two locations in Tuscaloosa and one in Northport. They are open daily from 11:00 a.m. till 9:00 p.m. Tweet us @ThePlanetWeekly and let us know where you are eating!

Cindy Huggins, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian nutritionist, food service director, and local “foodie!” Follow her on Twitter @DietitianCindy.