Big Fatty’s: Beyond the ‘Cue
I heard that the salad bar was back at Big Fatty’s.
Few carnivores need to be sold on the virtues of barbecue, and Big Fatty’s is known for it. I’m certainly not opposed (I filched a rib from my husband’s plate at lunch) and previously have enjoyed burnt ends, pulled pork, and other meat items on the menu. But I wanted to see what else was on offer. Can you lunch at Big Fatty’s with a vegetarian or pescatarian friend?
The salad bar is indeed back, and jammed with all the veggies and fixin’s you’d expect, plus some surprises, like Thai Beef Salad. Each dish is clearly labeled so you don’t have to investigate what’s what. And there’s soup: the day’s special was Pork Florentine, by the cup or bigger cup, tender morsels of pork and spinach in a light, milky broth. If you’re going to try to grab something from the salad bar to compliment your entree (as I did with the cup of soup), you have options at various price points and have to pay separately for the salad bar part. They’ll guide you through the process.
We were sit-down customers with table service and a delightful and welcoming server, though we watched a lively queue for takeout. My husband ordered chicken and ribs with a side of (good, lightly dressed) cole slaw. I opted for a daily special of Shrimp Fajita Tacos: seasoned shrimp, grilled peppers and onions, with a lime crema on three flour tortillas.
Beer? Quite the assortment, including several of the hard-to-come-by creations by the award-winning Hill Farmstead Brewery of Greensboro, Vermont.
Big Fatty’s BBQ is open from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, located at 186 South Main Street in downtown White River Junction, VT. It’s a welcome lunch alternative among so few. Menu is here. Next time: the cornbread, definitely.
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.