Critic's Review
Hickory Sticks has a new look and it under new ownership. A new paint job, new signed. Marketeers from Jersey are in the house.
The place is similar inside; it big enough to eat in but they haven't allocated enough room for takeout; there's a narrow area which was uncomfortable with just 3 people waiting. Luckily it was after lunch hour so I was able to go into the dining room to wait. There's a very nervous looking beancounter behind the register who is likely an owner; managers never look like this.
The kitchen is open so you can watch then do their thing. Ribs come right out of holding; Mac and Cheese requires some work as they re-heat them in a frying pan before boxing them.
They had some specials but 3 "bones" didn't seem like enough. I wanted to try the brisket but there was no cheap option to try it and I didn't want to just get the brisket because history suggests that thre's a 90% chance it will suck. So I just orders a Rib Combo which came to $13.73 with tax.
I don't live that close so it was a good 20 minutes before I got home and opened the bag.
5 1/2 bones, a good portion of Mac and Cheese and beans in a separate container to avoid getting all over the place. So far so good.
Unfortunately, everything was ice cold. Too cold to eat. I tasted the beans; no smoke at all; could have been right out of a can. The Mac and cheese has no taste at all. Its like they use low-salt cheese or something. Cold Mac and Cheese is normally fine. This was just a clump of calories.
The ribs were cooked perfectly, however then HAD NO FLAVOR. At this point I started to question my taste buds. How could everything be so bland? Maybe there's something wrong with my taste buds. I tasted some stuff in the refrigerator and it wasn't me; it was the food. The cornbread is such a joke it doesn't even deserve a mention.
I fired up my smoker and put in the ribs and beans for about 10 minutes at 160 degrees to warm them up;
I got both the house and sweet sauce and both were fine. Too bad the ribs had no taste.
Conclusion
The previous owners started out badly but really had some good tasting BBQ and was one of the few places that had excellent sides as well. They shot themselves in the foot by betting greedy and trying to open up a big 2nd location, which I suspect caused them to have to sell both businesses.
The new ownership seems to have gone the low-spice route, which is a clear mistake.
They've raised the prices 20-30%, which makes it no longer worth the trip to come to this out of the way area. Ribs went form $9.95 to $12.95. They replaced the 1/2 and 1/4 chicken options with only a whole chicken. They've eliminated the wings altogether (which makes their Game Pack a loser); the sausage platter inexplicably went from $8.95 to $13.95, a whopping 55% price increase.
New beancounter ownership: Higher prices and food that doesn't taste nearly as good.
Review 9/17/12
When Hickory sticks first opened, I checked it out and I thought the baby back ribs were terrible. The were overbrined; just way too salty for consumption. The sides were good, and the cornbread was inedible. I usually don't go back to a place so fast; not because I don't want to, but because there are just too many other places to try out. But I was lunching at Hooters down the road, so I figured I'd pick up some BBQ and have it for dinner.
Inside, the place is very rustic; with weathered woods to make it look like it's been around for as long as some of the other BBQs in town. Inside is well decorated; it reminds me more of an old time bar more than a restaurant, with a lot of space in the center of the room. I think they overdid the weathering.
Their prices are fair; $10.95 for a half rack of babybacks and $9.95 for spare ribs. I thought I'd try the spare ribs this time. If was ready quickly enough, and it was a pretty heavy bag. When I got home, I opened it, and the ribs looked different; the babybacks and the sauce I'd gotten before had a reddish color. These looked better. The cornbread however, was a soggy mess, just like before.
I got the spicy cole slaw this time, and the Mac and Cheese. I didn't really detect anything spicy in the cole slaw, but again, it's top notch stuff. These guys know how to make cole slaw. The mac and cheese, interestingly, had a bit of a jalapeno taste. It was a different flavor, not great, but I found myself eating more of it than I planned. The ribs were great; slightly smokey, just the right tenderness, and a good amount of meat. This is good stuff.
It's rare that I see this much change in just a few months, but they've clearly gotten their recipes down. Most places with good ribs have at least one bad side. Now if they could just give up on the cornbread and give some garlic bread instead; it might just be perfect.
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