Good food, and good people...

Hello everyone...

I went to a restaurant I had never visited this weekend. Well, at least it somewhat resembled a restaurant. It is definitely worth mentioning though.

The place is called Mel's Famous barbecue. I happened to see it mentioned in some online reviews I was reading a while back, so we decided to give it a shot.

The location is very small, located in an older strip mall. It is truly a bare-bones operation. No decorations, no amenities, and three tables. Total seating capacity: 10 persons. Most business appears to be carry-out. The menu has seven entrees, four sides, and canned soda. There are no real plates, and no real silverware. Everything is served in styrofoam containers with plastic knives and forks. Mel's son works the counter and does most of the cooking, while Mel and his wife serve and bus tables. Both Mel and his wife are older people, in their mid-70's.

The food is reasonably priced, and good. They offer ribs, rib-tips, pork steaks, chicken wings, burgers, hot links, and brats. Side options are potato salad, slaw, baked beans, and green beans. They offer pulled pork also, but only on Wednesday and Thursday. All entrees are generously covered in homemade sauce, which is thick and sticky, with strong hints of molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, and perhaps chili powder.

Is it the best barbecue I've ever eaten? No. But I've had some really mind-blowing barbecue before. There truly was nothing to complain about though, and the potato salad was nearly worth the trip alone.

The absolute highlight, however, was Mel.

While I suspect that the son is the owner and does most of the work, the family patriarch hangs around and helps out. But mainly, he likes to talk to people. And talk he does.

After bringing out our food, he disappeared until we were finished. But soon after, he re-emerged, and sat down at our table. If this sort of behavior turns you off, you probably shouldn't go, because Mel simply does not hesitate to sit down, make himself comfortable, and begin telling wild and entertaining stories for half of an hour.

While we found this behavior odd, the old man was simply too charming and entertaining to resist. He told slow winding tales covering a wide array of topics, including but not limited to: Growing up as an African American in pre-civil rights era Mississippi, being beaten for stealing apples, eating roasted barn-rats as a child, his life and career as a professional cook, secretly feeding his wife raccoon meat concealed in stew, raising his children, making barbecue sauce, and his battle with cancer ten years previous. He is one of those rare old people who possess the ability to be funny, touchingly sad, and wise all at the same time. We talked with him for some time, and when we finally bid him farewell, he thanked us, wished us a blessing, and promised to give me a mason jar full of sauce the next time I came in.

All things considered, Mel's has the combination of things I enjoy in a restaurant; good food, odd location, and interesting proprietors. It was a very good experience, and as long as you won't be freaked out by a socially-forward old man, I suggest you pay them a visit.