Pig City BBQ..........

First off, I have to give "props" to Phil Gissen for being the first person to ever link BBQ to the NFL Wonderlink test. Well done, Sir.

So, after heated debate, I decided to try Pig City today.

Rob_DeLessio, please note that neither of my Master's degrees (don't think of that statement as elitist or of self-promotion, but rather as fuel to fire my verbal attack) was in BBQ. So, my statements my not be as "educated" enough for you to ponder.

Was it smokey enough? Did the exterior have the "crispness" that I like? Was the interior juicy and flavorful? Did the spices and sauce enhance or detract from the flavor of the meat?

Too bad, I'm too dumb to tell.

Their food sucked.

To make an over-simplified statement, Rob_DeLessio, I think the goal of restaurants is... after custumers (not certified experts) taste the food, they feel they will pay money to eat the food again.

By my definition, this restaurant failed.

Furthermore, on my short time on this wonderful forum, the thing I have enjoyed the most is the respected equality of opinion. By this I mean, someone's take on food such as Robin's ,who is far more Culinary'ly (yes, spell check says that wasn't a real word, but you get the point), educated than myself or some one such as Phil Gissen's perspective based on his year's of food experiences in places I have never been, are reviewed as fairly and with the same open mind as my "At the very, very best there might be 1% of us on this forum that could have any kind of formal ability to allow us to REALLY critique BBQ" idiotic opinions.

By he way, can I find any good BBQ in New Albany other than from my smoker?

wow

rob was right.
he did not single anyone out. he did not make any statements that werent true.
his '1%' comment was obviously pointing to what is required to 'officially' judge bbq.
his post clearly emphasized that people's tastes are subjective, and that all sorts of different people will like all sorts of different things.
and in the end he appealed to people simply not to bash those that work hard doing what they love the way they love to do it just because you may not feel the same way about their labors.
whether his food, or ambience, or service is any good, i dont know. ive never had it.
but even if i didnt like it, i sure wouldnt put something so personally, and deliberately, hurtful out there.

for so much time spent in class, you show very little.

"1% of us on this forum that could have any kind of formal ability to allow us to REALLY critique BBQ."....he came across as an ass-hole to me, so I responded........Robin, on behalf of all the forum members who post when drunk,,,,,can we please get spell check? I have more edits than Rosie O'Donell has Big Wetern Thick Burger receipts.

You are correct...."he did not single anyone out." Though, he did single 99% of us out..."1% of us on this forum that could have any kind of formal ability to allow us to REALLY critique BBQ."

Is that the new standard for discussion...'officially' judge?

I am not "officially" a seviche expert. So, I won't comment on the flawless meal I had at "Seviche A Latin Restaurent" a few days ago.

I am not "officially" a Cuban expert. So, I won't comment on the incredible meal I had at Havana Rumba today.

I am not "officially" a hamburger expert. So I won't comment on the suprisingly amazing hamburger I had at The Granville Inn tonight.

You are correct...."he did not single anyone out." Though, he did single 99% of us out..."1% of us on this forum that could have any kind of formal ability to allow us to REALLY critique BBQ."

Is that the new standard for discussion...'officially' judge?

I am not "officially" a seviche expert. So, I won't comment on the flawless meal I had at "Seviche A Latin Restaurent" a few days ago.

I am not "officially" a Cuban expert. So, I won't comment on the incredible meal I had at Havana Rumba today.

I am not "officially" a hamburger expert. So I won't comment on the suprisingly amazing hamburger I had at The Granville Inn tonight.

im pretty sure that i dont have the credentials to be a judge for any sanctioned or governed or whatever theyre called contests or competitions that go down on the bbq circuit. but surprisingly enough, im ok with that and i dont feel like less of a person because of it.
and im ok with liking what i like and someone else not liking it and i dont feel i have to attack that person because our tastes may differ.
seriously though, if you read that post and honestly believe that hes , in some way, condescending anyone or stating something that isnt true... well, theres either some comprehension or some self-esteem issues going on somewhere. or maybe both.
because even though i dont have a bunch of plaques on my wall, i can read pretty well. and nowhere in robs post did i detect ANY venom whatsoever. in fact, what i got from it was the concept that difference in opinion is ok. that we all arent experts, but thats ok too. that there are people that work really hard to share what they like with others. and that one of the very few negative things about an open forum is that sometimes some person/people think that because they see themselves as experts, that gives them the right to be cruel.

and all i saw you do in your post was make his point for him.

this forum is awesome. its a community unto itself, no doubt.
theres room for all of us to dislike and like different things. to agree and disagree
but, in my humble opinion, theres no need to be mean or vindictive. especially to someone that gives hours out of their days to offer up their wares....

just because you might not care for his ribs.

Not to stray back on subject, but the proprietor of Pig City announced at the opening that all of his product would be smoked with cherry wood, which is a little more subtle than hickory. I thought that was daring for Louisville, but BBQ is intensely regional, and maybe that's what they do down there.

As for Mark's Feed Store, their original mustard based sauce is one of my favorite treats and can be found at local stores. What they advertise as burgoo would not fit the Owensboro definition, but it is a tasty and filling stew. Other than that, Mark's ability to put lukewarm food on the table within five minutes of ordering makes it a good place to take the kids, which is why I do not go there by choice.

Taste, like emotions, are both subjective things. What makes me mad may perfectly well roll off another's' back. What is a gastronomic paradise for me may very well be a trip to culinary hell for another. I do think posting a dislike for any food or product here is fair. And I would hope - as is usually the case - that it's done in a constructive manner. I started reading Robin's site because his tastes are a good barometer for ME. I find myself agreeing with Robin on matters of flavor many times so I can reason that when he recommends something I've never had, chances are, I'll like it too. If he says it sucks , I'll still try it, just not as readily as I may have had he liked it. Especially with $ being so tight now. As I've read additional posts from others I make similar mental notes on their likes and dislikes and choose to dine or not in the respective restaurants they may have mentioned. In this instance (not that it matters at all) I come down on the "not liking Mark's Feed Store, Juicy's or Pig City " side. I liked Pepperwood, for what that little bit of info is worth (which isn't much) but I am free to express it.
I think we're all adult enough enough to "post responsively" and at least politely. The fact of the matter is that restaurants owners live in an extremely competitive world and if they're going to survive they need some broad shoulders and a set of cojonies in addition to their skills in the kitchen. When something negative about them is posted on these boards I hope they have the common sense to evaluate the post and ask themselves, " Is there is a need for improvement in my restaurant? Can we do it better? Was this a legitimate complaint?" and then act accordingly. As opposed to just getting their feeling bruised and sulking. (Again, I'm NOT talking about any restaurant specifically but rather all restaurants in general.)

Bottom line, this board not only serves as a great socializing place for people with similar interests, it's also a fantastic tool for restaurants to view candid feedback. This isn't just a stroke fest here folks, it's the real world - at least to a degree. I hope any restaurant that sees anything negative posted on these boards is clever enough to use it to their own advantage to help improve their product or service.

"Robin, on behalf of all the forum members who post when drunk,,,,,can we please get spell check? I have more edits than Rosie O'Donell has Big Wetern Thick Burger receipts.

Hmmmmm....and I thought I was the only one who posted after getting toasted.

Was it smokey enough? Did the exterior have the "crispness" that I like? Was the interior juicy and flavorful? Did the spices and sauce enhance or detract from the flavor of the meat?

Too bad, I'm too dumb to tell.

Their food sucked. So does Mark's. Puttimg BBQ sauce on meat doesn't make it BBQ.

To make an over-simplified statement, Rob_DeLessio, I think the goal of restaurants is too have custumers (not certified experts) taste the food and to then feel they will pay money to eat the food again.

By my definition, this restaurant failed.

This is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that I speak of. There is no real discussion to be had from "their food sucked"....what a great addition to this site. Thanks!

I am not "officially" a seviche expert. So, I won't comment on the flawless meal I had at "Seviche A Latin Restaurent" a few days ago.

I am not "officially" a Cuban expert. So, I won't comment on the incredible meal I had at Havana Rumba today.

I am not "officially" a hamburger expert. So I won't comment on the suprisingly amazing hamburger I had at The Granville Inn tonight.

I would love to hear those kinds of reviews, or even maybe why a meal you had, wasn't enjoyable. An adjective simply doesn't get it done sometime.

****Sidebar, I have nothing to do with Pig City, or any other BBQ restaurant in our wonderful city.****

I think it would do well to remember that every persons posts should carry a simply phrase that the internet has now shortened to 4 letters

IMHO

also known as

in my humble opinion

or if your not humble

In my opinion.

Person A might love location A, Person B, may have had the worst dining experience in his life for what ever reason and loathes Location A.

is it person B's new duty in life to trash Location A back to the stone age?

we are all responsible adults, and if you like something why did you like it, if you didnt like it, why didnt you like it

brandishing a FAIL as your sum total review does nothing for anyone.

and and by the way, this is all in my opinion.

[Robin Garr]

This is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that I speak of. There is no real discussion to be had from "their food sucked"....what a great addition to this site. Thanks!

Rob. Please keep the forum rules of civility in mind.

Whether you are happy about it or not, it is okay to express strong opinions about food and restaurants here. It is NOT okay to launch personal attacks on fellow forumites. Please don't make me put on my censor's hat. It doesn't fit well, and I hate to wear it. And I'd much rather have you (addressed in the plural, to the choir) behave well in the forum because I have to tell you to.

One quick note, that has nothing to do with bbq, is for those in need of spell checking.... try Firefox as your browser. It has an automatic spell check option that puts that nice red line under your misspelled words that has helped catch my bad spelling many a time. It would probably be worthless to those too inebriated to see the red line or even type a coherent sentence, but its nice when you are in decent shape

[Robin Garr]

One quick note, that has nothing to do with bbq, is for those in need of spell checking.... try Firefox as your browser. It has an automatic spell check option that puts that nice red line under your misspelled words that has helped catch my bad spelling many a time.

Google Crhome ... oops, Chrome! ... does the same.

This is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that I speak of. There is no real discussion to be had from "their food sucked"....what a great addition to this site. Thanks!

Rob. Please keep the forum rules of civility in mind.

Whether you are happy about it or not, it is okay to express strong opinions about food and restaurants here. It is NOT okay to launch personal attacks on fellow forumites. Please don't make me put on my censor's hat. It doesn't fit well, and I hate to wear it. And I'd much rather have you (addressed in the plural, to the choir) behave well in the forum because I have to tell you to.

So let me get this straight.....we can bash restaurants, etc.....but we can't call a post ridiculous? Is that right?

Look, there are some on here who know, and most don't. I don't have to defend what type of person I am. I have a great career, friends, family, and my savior Jesus Christ, to validate my character. There have been some in this thread, after me, who realize the point I was moving towards. If you don't like a place, fine, buy why? They sucked, doesn't really get it done, and can sometimes be viewed as piling on, or simply exorcising a vendetta. The end all be all goal for all of us, I would hope, is that our local establishments succeed. To beat the proverbial dead horse, "They Sucked" doesn't help anyone stay open, nor make themselves better.

One quick note, that has nothing to do with bbq, is for those in need of spell checking.... try Firefox as your browser. It has an automatic spell check option that puts that nice red line under your misspelled words that has helped catch my bad spelling many a time.

Google Crhome ... oops, Chrome! ... does the same.

I'm a horrible speller (inebriated or not! probably spelled that wrong) What is Google Chrome, and how do I use it, and/or Firefox? I'm on ie7 currently.

[Robin Garr]

So let me get this straight.....we can bash restaurants, etc.....but we can't call a post ridiculous? Is that right?

That's about the size of it, Rob. Calling a post ridiculous is tantamount to calling the poster ridiculous.

We're here to debate food and dining. At the same time, like any bartender in a real or virtual pub, one of my tasks is to keep the barflies from fighting. Just. Don't. Do. It.

I'm not sure about the point of the rest of your post, but I'm not calling your personal ethics or your religion into it, and I have no idea where that's coming from. I'm just saying again: You are correct. We can bash restaurants, if we feel a need to, but we don't bash each other. I don't know what's complicated about that.

No response needed. I think I've made this as clear as I can, and repetition would only be boring.