So yesterday I spoke about nitpicking the enjoyment out of a meal. Unfortunately, tonight was one of those nights.
I ate a Hog Heaven in New Phillidelphia, Ohio. Before I get started, I do want to say that the food was good, but I felt something lacking from the overall meal. I have though, eaten quite a bit of barbecue and have formed preferences in styles which puts Hog Heaven at a disadvantage because of their preparation and barbecue style.
Hog Heaven is located right across the street from the Hampton as soon as you get off the highway into New Phillidelphia. It is a decent sized establishment with a biker bar / barbecue shack appearance. The wait staff is very friendly, although not the most watchful of their tables. The couple of tables around me as well as myself did not get much attention when glasses went empty and bills were to be paid.
I ordered a half rack of ribs which came out fairly quick. The presentation of the plate as you can see is very nice. The ribs looked fresh the, fries had just came out of the fryer, and the slaw was quite bright but ever so soggy.
First lets talk about the sides:
The battered french fries are a brand I am quite familiar with from working in the food service industry. Brew City is a good company that sells very decent quality products. I had never gotten to use the type of fries Hog Heaven had, but I am pleasantly surprised with the quality that they were.
The slaw on the other hand was a little lack luster. There wasn't anything special about this coleslaw, and there doesn't have to be, but I personally enjoy when companies add their special touch to common meal items.
Onto the ribs. The ribs were pretty good. I believe when you go to a restaurant that boasts something as their specialty, such as Primanti Bro's Sandwiches or Hog Heaven's barbecue, it is blasphemous to order something other than their specialty the first time you go. The ribs were tender, very tender. I realized fall off the bone was an understatement when I bit into the ribs and a piece of the bone fell off with it.
The pork was light and fresh tasting and the sauce, quite sweet and tangy although slightly reminiscent of ketchup. The sauce was not overpowering at all and showcased the flavor of the pork quite well.
There were no bold flavors throughout the dish and the flavor was very one note. There is something to say about moist, tender ribs, but I think Hog Heaven had a helping hand with that as well. On the menu I noticed that the pork was Hormel brand. I have noticed most Hormel products, even raw ones, are brined or cured prior to distribution. If so, Hog Heaven did a good job of taking an advantage of extra flavor and tenderness, but some would argue the "from scratch" value of their pork if so. The price was not too steep. I ended up paying right at $13 with a tip. I would rate my experience at Hog Heaven a 6.5 of 10. Nothing really stood out, but I was fairly happy with my meal.
Hog Heaven is located right across the street from the Hampton as soon as you get off the highway into New Phillidelphia. It is a decent sized establishment with a biker bar / barbecue shack appearance. The wait staff is very friendly, although not the most watchful of their tables. The couple of tables around me as well as myself did not get much attention when glasses went empty and bills were to be paid.
I ordered a half rack of ribs which came out fairly quick. The presentation of the plate as you can see is very nice. The ribs looked fresh the, fries had just came out of the fryer, and the slaw was quite bright but ever so soggy.First lets talk about the sides:
The battered french fries are a brand I am quite familiar with from working in the food service industry. Brew City is a good company that sells very decent quality products. I had never gotten to use the type of fries Hog Heaven had, but I am pleasantly surprised with the quality that they were.
The slaw on the other hand was a little lack luster. There wasn't anything special about this coleslaw, and there doesn't have to be, but I personally enjoy when companies add their special touch to common meal items.
Onto the ribs. The ribs were pretty good. I believe when you go to a restaurant that boasts something as their specialty, such as Primanti Bro's Sandwiches or Hog Heaven's barbecue, it is blasphemous to order something other than their specialty the first time you go. The ribs were tender, very tender. I realized fall off the bone was an understatement when I bit into the ribs and a piece of the bone fell off with it.
The pork was light and fresh tasting and the sauce, quite sweet and tangy although slightly reminiscent of ketchup. The sauce was not overpowering at all and showcased the flavor of the pork quite well.
There were no bold flavors throughout the dish and the flavor was very one note. There is something to say about moist, tender ribs, but I think Hog Heaven had a helping hand with that as well. On the menu I noticed that the pork was Hormel brand. I have noticed most Hormel products, even raw ones, are brined or cured prior to distribution. If so, Hog Heaven did a good job of taking an advantage of extra flavor and tenderness, but some would argue the "from scratch" value of their pork if so. The price was not too steep. I ended up paying right at $13 with a tip. I would rate my experience at Hog Heaven a 6.5 of 10. Nothing really stood out, but I was fairly happy with my meal.
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