Relish: Hickory Hollow hoedown

By Tim Pawul & Mimi Arnold     12/3/09 6:00pm

This week's restaurant pick preaches to the saying "Quantity is quality." For all you barbecue lovers out there who disregard dietary needs and enjoy devouring amounts in enormity, Hickory Hollow Barbecue is the place for you.By now almost every Rice student knows about Goode Co. Barbecue and Pappas Barbecue due to their close proximity to campus. But variety is the spice of life, and we figured that students need a new venue to try for the remainder of their Rice careers. Despite the 15-20 minute drive, Hickory Hollow proved to be on par with the other Houston barbecue joints - though not necessarily at the top of the list.

Ambiance

At first glance, Hickory Hollow may deflate your restaurant morale. Its drab, dilapidated exterior prompted Tim to mistakenly proclaim, "Well, it looks like we could have our first bad restaurant review."

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However, in spite of the initial impression, the atmosphere proved to be both personable and comfortable, the characteristics of a long-running family restaurant. Country music filled the air while all manner of Texas paraphernalia covered the walls. Guests could even sit family-style, sharing a table with other patrons. Texan authenticity sometimes gets lost in a city as expansive as Houston, but Hickory Hollow makes sure to revamp your Lone Star spirits.

Food

Having eaten at Pappas and Goode Co. in years past, we felt we had a familiar grasp of what, and how much, we would be served. But like our initial impression of the dour exterior, we found ourselves mistaken yet again. Both of us ordered meat combination platters that are offered as either two-, three- or four-meat combinations, all of which come with two sides, and all of which are far too large for one sitting.

Mimi ordered the two-meat platter of sliced beef and pork ribs, with a side order of coleslaw and fried okra, as well as the mandatory slice of white bread. The ribs were savory and the sliced beef was juicy and tender. The fried okra was plain but still tasty, yet the coleslaw was little beyond mediocrity, lacking any sort of exceptional seasoning.

Tim ordered a three-meat platter with pork ribs, chopped beef and smoked barbecue chicken, with a side order of spicy tots and grilled zucchini. The chopped beef resembled the innards of a sloppy joe but the taste couldn't escape the realm of the generic. The same, unfortunately, could also be said of the barbecue chicken. The meal was saved by the spicy tots - jalapeño and garlic mashed potato balls deep fried in oil - which were incredible. Likewise, the grilled zucchini was original, juicy and flavorsome with a riveting combination of textures.

For dessert we ordered a huge wedge of blueberry pie, which was served cold. Although we found most of the food delicious, we were nowhere near joining the Clean Plate Club. If you plan on ordering a combination platter, the two-meat platter should be sufficient.

Service

Hickory Hollow, like most other barbecue venues, does not include table service. Instead, customers order and pay at the register; after your name is called, you return to the register to pick up your food and bring it back to your table. The system works elsewhere, and it holds true here.

Price

The pricing on this menu is average, with meals costing around $7-$12, depending on the size and type of entrée. Nevertheless, in terms of bang for your buck, you are receiving a ton of food, probably enough leftovers for another meal.

Tim + Mimi's recommended dish

Between the two of us, we agreed that the pork ribs were the highlight of the meat platters. The combination of tender, fall-off-the-bone pork, complemented by the fantastic special house barbecue sauce, rendered the ribs delectable. In regard to the side orders, the spicy tots were unconventional and delicious, a tasty treat that, in a gratifying way, was quite a departure from the servery's standard variety.

Tim Pawul is a Sid Richardson College junior and Mimi Arnold is a Wiess College senior.

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