Fame at Fox Bros

Fame at Fox Bros

Captain

The main purpose of this journey is to experience barbecue and its placement in southern culture. In addition, we knew this journey would be a narrative of our caloric intake, our travels, and our friendships. The purpose of our blog and Facebook group was to share this story with our family and friends as well as some BBQ fanatics. As we pulled into Fox Bros Bar-B-Q at 6:15 AM, we knew this project had turned into a beast bigger than we expected. As we traveled on our journey, we would reach out to the local media outlets to inform them of our story and arrival. Some accepted our request while others decided that other stories were more important. Yea, it was fun to see our face in the local paper or have a camera in your face while chowing on a rib. But these experiences were nothing compared to the feast and frenzy of Fox Bros. We would be on live TV…I mean this was the big time. Blinky had to hold down his jokes, I had to lower my voice, and Busdriver had to censor his insults. As much as the idea of live TV hypnotized us, we stayed true to our mission. This was about the ‘Cue and nothing else.
We walked in and introduced ourselves to the Fox Bros. As we checked out the beer signs and concert posters, we inquired about the history of their joint. Justin and Jonathan are twins from Texas who started cooking barbecue on an ole’ Weber grill in their back yard. Friends and family enjoyed the all-you-can-eat feast at $10 a pop until it got too big to handle. These dedicated Drive By Truckers fans (which created an instant bond of shared passions: barbecue and DBT) decided to take their food from the backyard to the big time. One year later, they offer the best BBQ in Hotlanta. As the news crew organized their equipment, we found the contents of our feast. Take a seat because this list might knock you down: smoked wings, The Tominator (I’ll explain in a minute), beef brisket, pulled pork, pulled pork sandwich, fries, onion rings, 3 cups of Brunswick Stew, Mac and Cheese, Collards, ribs, BBQ chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, fried pickles, banana pudding, and an endless stream of sweet tea. You also have to consider that it was 7 in the morning on our 14th day and we were on live TV in the metro Atlanta area. Talk about pressure.
We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. The Tominator was amazing. It was crispy tater tots covered in Brunswick Stew and melted cheese. It sounds gross but after that first bite, you ask yourself “Why didn’t someone think of this before?” As the camera loomed over our shoulders, we held our own. I don’t have enough space to cover every item but a couple of observations: 1)if you live in Atlanta, you have to visit Fox Bros, even if you are a vegetarian 2) You have to get the Tominator, the Mac and Cheese, the Ribs, and the Banana Pudding. Period. 3) Atlanta does not have the recognition of a BBQ mecca but it should be considered thanks to Fox Bros. Karen, the Fox Five reporter and most charming person of our trip, encouraged our indulgence and even surprised us with a weigh-off (I had gained five pounds and Billy gained ten..but the accuracy of their scale is yet to be determined) and Pepto Bismol shots. After we licked the last drip of sauce, we had accomplished our mission. No goofs on live TV, a new discovery of wonderful ‘Cue, and enough energy to make it to Auburn. We thanked the Fox Bros, Blaze and Karen of Fox Five, and the other restaurant workers. It was not even 9 AM but it was already a great day. With the Atlanta skyline in the rearview mirror, Babe rolled towards Auburn. I’m not sure if the Auburn faithful will be able to get her to say “War Eagle” but if the ‘Cue is good enough, you never know.