Being a big BBQ fan, I always like to try out different independent BBQ places and Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in Shelby, NC seemed like it was a can't miss option. Their web site touted the fact that they had been in business since 1946 and were family owned and operated.
We both had BBQ sandwiches with BBQ slaw. The meat had very little smoked flavor AND speaking of very little - there was very little meat on the sandwich. I'm not one who has to have a large quantity of food to be satisfied, but at $3.95 each, I felt like I was getting "ripped off".
On the other hand, the hush puppies - 12 for $2.25 were priced right and mighty tasty. The potato salad also tasted homemade and was quite delicious.
On the table was a small card advertising their homemade banana pudding and we decided to give it a go, since sometimes a great dessert can help overcome a mediocre meal. The above photo makes the dish look very appetizing. The hardest thing to try and figure out is how someone could make a banana pudding and have it taste of "nothingness"! Besides the two vanilla wafers on top, nothing else about it had any taste - not the whipped cream, not the pudding, not even the bananas. I think Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge should be given some kind of special award for being able to make a banana pudding taste like nothing - I mean it had to be hard to accomplish!
