A Prescription for Hunger Pangs

At one time it was a pharmacy dispensing medicine for various ailments. Today, it has the cure for that empty feeling in your stomach.

In business for 8 years now, little Paul's is a BBQ joint right across the street for the massive Huntsville hospital. Part of the BBQ aristocracy, Paul Sanford, great grandson of legendary Big Bob Gibson, attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. He set out to make his own name in the restaurant industry but he had pork fat in his veins and smoke in his soul. It called him back to Dixie with his wife Danielle and together they run one of the best BBQ joints I've been to.

It's location across from the emergency room of HH is as convenient as it is good. Full of patrons in their scrubs it seems that while an apple a day may keep the doctor away, pig fat and smoke lures them in.

Paul's has a nice sized menu and pretty much true to it's roots, BBQ. There are healthy options like salads but pretty much everything has some meat and most of that meat has spent time in the pit.
There is also Brunswick Stew. A hearty meat and vegetable stew popular in parts of Georgia and Virginia. Made with their BBQ it is often my choice for lunch.
They bake their own pies as well. The two I've had were very good.

First and foremost, let me tell you that Paul does the BBQ (or pulled pork if you like) right. He doesn't sauce it. He lets you do it at the table. To me, that's BBQ 101. If the meat is good enough, it won't need sauce. I do like a bit but not swimming in it like the way some places serve. It's also tender, juicy and smokey.
Mrs. Sippi's BBQ sandwich was ordered with slaw on top and proclaimed to be "Right" with that hand gesture she makes that tells you she loved it.

I had the 3 meat combo. It comes with two sides which were beans and vinegar slaw. There is also a vinegar based hot BBQ sauce and white sauce.

The slaw was really nice. It was very simple which is never a bad thing. It tasted of cabbage with a vinegar dressing. Nothing wrong with that.

The beans are fine. Not my favourite but a good solid side. Made with some of the delicious BBQ they aren't as sweet as some of the beans I've had. They don't seem to use as much molasses so they aren't nearly as thick as some either.

The meats were all good. Brisket, ribs and turkey.

The ribs are back ribs and as such, can't be my favourite. I much prefer side ribs for BBQ so they start behind the 8 ball in my books. They're still good and I love the fact that they finish them on the grill with their BBQ sauce. I love that sticky sweetness.

I'm not a huge brisket fan but I do like it. I would like to see more smokiness to it but it was very tender and juicy. I'll take juicy and not smokey over smokey and dry any day. They serve it chopped.

Absolutely the best thing on my plate was the turkey. What was selected as a "what the heck, I'll try it" option turned out to be a major surprise. They do only the breast, seasoned with the house rub and smoked. It was smokey, moist, had great turkey taste and the rub added a nice layer of flavour. I almost went back up and ordered more.

You can find Little Paul's at 815 Madison St. in Huntsville, Al. Across the street on the east side of the hospital.


'til next time.


Davwud