LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE - ASHEVILLE, NC

Every time we have passed this restaurant the parking spaces are  filled  plus more cars squeezed in at odd angles and folks milling about outside. but we figured on a Tuesday we might have a chance to be seated pretty quickly. which we were.

The restaurant was very very noisy - not helped by the tile floors.

And i was disappointed after all that anticipation built up in part by the  constant crowds around the building. We shared a 3 meat combo meal which consisted of beef brisket, pork ribs and smoked turkey. I didn't care for any of the meats. The ribs weren't tender enough (the best so far on this trip was in smyrna, GA; the baby backs! wow; they fell and leaped into your mouth; all you had to do was hold the bone.) and the brisket was very chewy (i had never ordered brisket in a barbeque place but i tasted Bill's entree once at R & R in Tucson and i was hooked. That meat was absolutely delicious; no fat and no gristle and flavorful. They used to be at Speedway and Wilmot and then moved when the lease amount got raised to a hole in the wall, unappealing building off of 22nd and Kolb i think. they didnt' stay in business long there and were just doing catering by the time we left on this trip.) and the turkey was too "wet". I like poultry on the dry side.

And continuing with my culinary chagrins: i didn't like either of the sauces; one was the carolina thin mustard sauce and the other was too sweet. Am not fond of hush puppies and i've tried them at several venues. They are all just balls or oblong shapes of calories which i should paste right on my thighs. Bill enjoyed his collard greens. The other 2 sides were potato salad (pretty good) and a green salad (quite good; ingredients fresh and the ancho ranch dressing was delicious; just a hint of a kick).

And our waiter never checked back with us and never told us about the daily side specials which included garlic green beans, fried green tomatoes and a pineapple casserole which i probably would have tried. The prices were very very reasonable, however.

We assuaged my unsatisfied tummy (Bill enjoyed the food more than me but also said it wasn't in the top 10 bbq places by any means.) by walking across the parking lot to Yolo for some yogurt. We each had key lime pie and triple chocolate. I left smiling and full. All Louella resentment gone!