New Ideas But Same Traditions

We were not sure how to get through Virginia Beach without getting lost let alone finding the best BBQ. We took a chance off of a recommendation on the Internet and went to Whitney’s BBQ. This contemporary version of an old BBQ house sits in a strip mall and is entirely staffed by young people. The decor is modern, but humble with chalkboard menus and plank board tables made to look old. The menu claimed old fashioned roast BBQ. The contemporary presentations, such as pork rolled up in tortillas or BBQ and sausage combos, had me wondering what we were going to find. Luckily, the friendly demeanor of the cashier put me at ease as we decided on our choices. I got the BBQ plate with collards and slaw. Sarah gambled a bit and got a burnt ends and sausage sandwich with mashed potatoes. We sat down.  A server brought the BBQ to the table after we ordered at the counter. The first thing I noticed was the extreme brown bits in the BBQ and the overall sun burnt color that differentiated it from the classic North Carolina BBQ. We had crossed the state line and my fears were realized. The BBQ had changed. Although it claimed to be North Carolina eastern shore style, there was clearly something different that was happening on this plate. I sighed and prepared to take a bite… would it be desperately sweet with slimy tomato sauce that messed around with my pork?  The first bite revealed that appearances weren’t always what they seem. The delicate caramelization of the meat yielded a rich roasted flavor that was a delight. The bite of the meat was again tender but not squishy. It was gently pulled into bite-sized pieces and not senselessly chopped. The unusual dollop of some sort of tomato sauce added to the flavor when in fact I was quite expecting it to put acid back in the mouth that would ruin the meat. While the slaw looked like it was going to have that stringy slimy feel, it was surprisingly light. The recipe contained the right amount of vinegar to make it pleasantly crisp but not too sour. Sarah’s sandwich was non-traditional, but surprisingly nice. The pickles, burnt-edges, sausage, and slaw really fashioned the ideal sandwich that still had some traditional value, but with it’s own modern twist. The collards, while not too spicy and not too sweet, were cooked well and delicious. We both agreed, real butter, and not your traditional pork fat, might have been in play at this restaurant. I looked forward to trying the other tempting things (such as the dirty rice, pork, and collard roll up) on a return visit.
No sauce needed! Authentic, if playful, bbq atmosphere.