I decided after some busy weeks I needed to shake things up and see if I could find someplace worth a write up.  I knew about Brasstown from a colleague’s recommendation.   It’s out in the country about 30 minutes from me and I do mean country.  You can see the foothills rising up as you’re getting near it and woods all around.

It’s built in a log cabin style, a large log cabin with a big open dining area. They have rustic farm decor and a corner paying homage to a service member who I assume is related to the business. There is a back porch area with seating and a stream running out back for a really nice atmosphere.

BCGP, as the merch has it, is open 2 days a week, Friday & Saturday. Summer hours are 4-9 and winter hours are 4-8. I’d been told they will run out of items so best to get there early. I made a plan. I ate a late (for me 7:30 is late) breakfast and skipped lunch. I did have some garlic parmesan jerky a couple of times to quiet the stomach’s whining. Anyway I arrived at 4:02 and the parking lot already had twenty or so cars sitting there. I entered and was met with a line of people stretching into the dining area on my left and a counter and kitchen area to my right. I walked to the back of the line and just to make sure I understood checked with the gentleman in front of me about the process. It seems you order at the counter (menus are available to peruse while you stand in line), pay with cash or personal check (none of that electronic nonsense) and they fill your order right then. They keep the meats in a warmer with a rotating rack so the meat dude can get whatever he needs to slice, chop, or score. The sides are prepped in little containers ready for the packer to grab and plate. Everything goes into a Styrofoam clamshell so whether you are dining in or taking out you are ready to go in short order.

I had every intention of dining in when I left home but as I was in line I heard people ordering the sampler and thought that was the ticket for me. I got to the menus and discovered the sampler was $35. Well that seemed a bit steep but it did come with 4 meats so I decided I’d still do it. Then I saw it came in two clamshells and that changed my plan to sampler and takeout. Here’s what I got.

I weighed this when I got home, including the piece of Texas toast, it was right at 5 lbs. As you can see there is a huge chicken breast, a half rack of ribs, pulled pork and sliced beef brisket plus 2 sides and some BBQ sauces. I took a sample from each protein plus the sides as dinner and separated the rest into a start for 6 more meals and I probably could have stretched it to 8 or 9 without being stingy.

How did it taste you might wonder. Well all of it was good, not great, but quite good. The chicken had the best seasoning. The other meats did benefit from a sauce. The sauces I got were the hot and what was supposed to be Carolina mustard, it even had CM on the lid, but it was in no way mustard based. I think it was maybe what they call St Louis style instead. It was sweet, which is not what I wanted. Whatever it was turned out to be ok. The sides you see are potato salad and Brunswick stew. These were actually very pleasant. The potato salad was relatively plain, which works for me, although they could have used a tad more mustard. The Brunswick stew was flavorful and loaded with meat. That piece of Texas toast was just dry white bread and I didn’t even bother with it. Oh and that hot sauce of theirs honestly tasted like a doctored up Tabasco or Texas Pete sauce. Again not bad but not outstanding either.

At the end of the day would I recommend Brasstown Creek Gathering Place? Yes I would. It is a different experience than most of the BBQ places around. There is a good value for your money. The food is cooked well, even if I think they could work on the seasoning and sauces. The atmosphere in the restaurant was one of community and there were some long rows of community tables as well as smaller 2-6 place tables. When I go again I think I’ll try to make in during the fall or early winter and go for the outdoor dining to enjoy the scenery and listen to the creek.