Another weekend came and went. Tony made me one of his famous breakfasts on Saturday – this was breakfast and lunch. 
It was rainy, overcast and cold all weekend. The kind of weekend where you just want to lay on the couch, under a blanket and just watch t.v., which was pretty much how we spent our Saturday. Is it sad that today is Monday and I want to do the same thing?
But yesterday I was up early. My Mom’s church was doing their annual holiday cantata and my Mom is in the choir. It was beautiful and really put me in the Christmas spirit. Now all I need to do is decorate my house!
I did a favor for one of the members of my Mom’s church, and she handed me a bag of goodies (Hi Laura!). Guess what she got me? Hot sauces! How did she know? 
Thanks Laura, you didn’t have to, but I know these will go to good use!
A new restaurant opened up near my Mom’s church, called Piggyback Tavern. They basically had me at pulled pork! Although being our first time, and it being a new restaurant, my Mom and I decided to split a few things.
One thing I liked was that the server told us that they dry rub their ribs, etc., and let the customer apply the barbecue sauce, which are on every table.
I was partial to the Carolina sauce, which was super vinegary with LOTS of crushed red pepper. 
First up? Fried green tomatoes. I’ve never had them before. And for the record, I don’t like tomatoes nearly as much as I hate onions! But my Mom talked me into them – she said they tasted more like zucchini than a tomato.
Boy, am I glad she did! These were . . . amazeballs. A light cornmeal crust, a delicious dipping sauce, and if I didn’t know it was a green tomato, not sure I’d know exactly what it was.
We then split the trio of sliders – one chicken, one pork and one beef brisket.
There is my Mom getting busy cutting them each in half. They came with a small side of coleslaw. We tried the chicken and the pork first. Sadly, they were both on the dry side and really needed the slaw and bbq sauce to wake them up. The beef brisket though was delicious – super tender and juicy.
Next up, we each got the smoked brisket tacos. We both really wouldn’t consider these tacos, per se. They meat was tasty, but on the bland side. And topped with LOTS of white diced onion (doh!) and cilantro. I ended up giving my Mom my onions, and I put some of the Carolina sauce on the taco to kick it up.
And here is a really shitty picture, but we also split the mac n cheese. It came piping hot to the table in a small cast iron skillet – so cute! If you like super cheezy mac n cheese, this is for you. I love mac n cheese and this was delicious.
The service was excellent. They are still working out a few kinks as its just been open for a month. My mom really wanted to try the collard greens (being a Southern gal) but the server talked her out of it saying that he’d gotten some complaints on that side dish and thought the recipe still needed work.
We had no room for dessert, although their signature dessert was a chocolate molten cake baked in a cast iron skillet – they are baked fresh to order and need a 15 minute window – we both said next time we’ll come for dessert and coffee.
We will definitely go back. Next time I will try the pulled pork sandwich. My grandfather was from Eastern Carolina, so I am partial to the vinegar barbecue like they serve at Bill’s Barbecue in Richmond, VA. I’ve made it over the years, but my Aunt Martha still makes the best barbecue in our family.
It was great to see you Mom – thanks for lunch!
It’s again cold (right now its 30, but with the wind feels like 21), overcast, gloomy and we have a chance of snow showers today. I guess I can’t complain because our last measurable snow was way back on March 4!
I also have no meal plan this week, so it should be interesting! I just stopped by the store on the way back from being with my Mom and just tossed stuff in the basket. 
Off to put my stuff together – hope you had a great weekend. Make it a great day!
We have tried the Nandos brand and the Sylvias, but not those particular sauces. I saw that taco and went gross look at all that cilantro, kind of like you said gross look at those onions 😉
I’m an Eastern Carolina gal so I think our BBQ sauce is THE best! However, I don’t eat fried green tomatoes or collards…but fried pickles, that’s a different story! The weather here has been crazy…70 the past couple of days. It’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit when you are sweating in your Christmas sweater 🙂
Looks like a great place to eat and the foods look all so tasty. And so honest of the waiter to mention that the dish wasn’t the best choice to make.
Hi Vat, so glad you had a chance to hang with your Mom. Yay for the hot sauce. The Nando’s Peri Peri one is REALLY good! Have a wonderful Tuesday.
I’ve never tried fried green tomatoes either, due to my hatred of tomatoes. But you have me intrigued now…if I ever come across them on a menu, I may just have to be brave and give them a go!
Go tony!! Another delish meal. Yayyy for southern. Im not much for fried, but i make an exception for pickles and green tomatoes
The Piggyback Tavern sounds like somewhere Charlie and I need to try out when we are in Chicago next time. Did they record the concert? If so, have your mom bring it when she comes here at Christmas. Love ya!!
Definitely! I am not sure it was recorded – I’ll have to ask Mom!
What a fun day with your mom – glad you had a food adventure and a partner to split things with…more to taste that way!
I laugh that you were given hot sauce – I have to tell you that every time I go down the hot sauce aisle in the grocery store I think of you!
I think I have to hide some of them – I really do have a hot sauce addiction!! Yikes!
That mac and cheese is so cute! Why is it that tiny serving dishes are so cute?
That lunch looks awesome…it is making me hungry! 🙂
That meal looks delicious! And now makes me want mac and cheese at 8am, and haven’t had in probably 10 years. Yum!
The fried green tomatoes look yummy, says the non-meat eater! It sounds like a wonderful day spent with your mom.
Our local bbq joint also dry rubs the meat and has sauce on table, but nothing compared to the selection at Piggyback – I love vinegary bbq sauce but sadly cannot find it around here very often. Also, our bbq place has hoagie buns or Texas toast – mini buns for sliders would be an awesome addition!
Try this recipe – it’s for a mustard vinegar carolina bbq sauce – I need to make this again!
http://mybizzykitchen.com/2009/08/09/my-new-favorite-barbecue-sauce/
Ooh, thanks! Pinning NOW, and I will make a batch next time MAK smokes a pork butt!
Wonder if your cold weather is headed this way? It’s going to be 60 degrees here today but because it shouldn’t be, it’s drizzly and super foggy.
I love Eastern Carolina BBQ. The vinegar/crushed red pepper sauce is my favorite of all time. I got really spoiled when my daughter was a student at Duke University. When we went to get her after her graduation, I was so sad because I knew in all probability, I’d never get to eat at Bullock’s again!
Piggyback sounds promising, I think we will try it in the new year. Sounds like a good combo of relaxing and busy for the weekend.
Next time I am near OP we need to get together Jacky!!
We do, was going to suggest it last Sunday but I had too much going already.
That looks like a great place!!! Is it in OP?
So, I have a homework assignment for you. This week, go to Hunan Beijing. Get an order of hot and spicy chicken dumplings.
You’re welcome.
It’s actually in Forest Park, but close enough. Hunan is right across the street from my office – I usually get the beef and broccoli, but now I have to get that!! Thanks for the tip! We still need to go to Five Guys Burgers!!
Sounds like a great place! Yeah for awesome weekends! Have a great day!
All your food looks amazing, and I am a fan with anything made with cornmeal, it’s a sure thing that if a dish has cornmeal in it, I will love it.
My husband is in our church choir as well, my daughter also. Not me, I have the worst singing voice ever, but I love hearing them sing all the Christmas hymns this time of year.