Three Pigs in a Boat BBQ

This weekend we headed over to a new BBQ place in Aiken. It is on Richland Avenue in front of Roses Department Store. It has only been open a few weeks, at least at this location. The first thing I noticed was the grill in the parking lot. It had propane tanks attached. I didnt see any evidence of wood stacked anywhere. I sort of panicked a little. I calmed the nerves and proceeded in. The dining area was really small, with four tables and a small bar. Unfortunately, a quick scan of the place revealed that they didnt have any child seats. I inquired with the wife if we should leave, but she said it was OK. One of the owners quickly apologized and said that he had been meaning to bring them in. So, he hoped in his truck and went home to get them. We sat at the table and the other owner asked what we wanted to drink . He was very welcoming and pleasant. It seemed to me that he has one of those personalities and faces that people always think that they know him from somewhere. He reminded me of my cousin. We ordered, BBQ for me, and fried chicken for the wife. We of course had to wait 15 minutes for the fried chicken to cook, which I will give them credit for cooking it fresh. They brought us pig-tails and rice and some hush-puppies while we waited. I guess my wife thought he was joking about the pig-tails until she discovered it in there. She liked the rice though. He called it a bog, so I knew immediately he wasnt from this part of the state. Chicken bog is what you get on the eastern side of the state. While waiting I examined the sauce. It was thin, vinegary, and dark brown. It looked like sauces I frequently get in Georgia.

Finally the BBQ came. I got the the purple slaw, which was red cabbage slaw. It was pretty good. My wife also got the slaw and liked it. She got macaroni and cheese as her second side. It was actually very good, rivaling any I have ever eaten in a restaurant. My second side was hash and rice. The rice was well cooked, but I couldnt quite place the hash. It did not have a strong "other parts" taste, but didnt quite taste like pork shoulder either. It was different from any I had ever had. It might not be what I was expecting for hash but it was good. I think my wife might have eaten it.

OK, about the BBQ. It appeared to be pulled, in larger pieces than most restaurants but still bite size. It was tender and juicy. It had a very weak smoky flavor. It did have the vinegar taste from the sauce but it wasnt overpowering. It had a strong ground pepper (black pepper) taste. I tasted just the sauce and it had the strong pepper flavor, which is much different from any vinegar based sauce that I have had before. I found it intriguing. I actually ate most of the meat without adding any extra sauce. It might not appeal to everyone but I enjoyed it.

My wife's fried chicken was also heavily seasoned with black pepper. I think my mom would like the fried chicken, cause that is how my great-grandmother made it. I liked it too. We did get a back of fried pork skins to go. They were seasoned with pepper too. They were good. I didnt get a chance to try the ribs. I am guessing that they would also have a strong pepper flavor. They brought a rack in from the grill and it looked really good.

I would return for more BBQ from Three Pigs in a Boat. It was reasonably priced and is conveniently located near my home. I am going to tell people about the restaurant, but I cant say that it is the best BBQ out there. It is good though.