Review: Unkl Moe's

Some of the offerings at Unkl Moe's include, clockwise from bottom left, corn bread, barbecued chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens, sweet tea, ribs, yams, potato salad, fried okra and sweet potato fries. (Credit: Annette Lein)

The place
Homestyle soul and barbecue places come and go, often because owners find it hard to translate the love of feeding friends and family into a business. But Unkl Moe’s seems to have found the formula for success, which has kept them going strong for more than seven years. Run by Moe Smith and his wife, Bernice, this place succeeds not only because of the food, but also because of the friendly service, family values and attention to cleanliness.

The food
I visited Unkl Moe’s twice. The first visit was with a co-worker who joined me for lunch, and the second was for a takeout order for the rest of the staff. My lunch guest knew all about Moe’s and had told me some of the background. Moe began by building customized grills crafted from steel drums tricked out with stainless fittings. His other claim to fame is healthier seasonings made from lower-sodium recipes that don’t compromise flavor. Unk says he wants his customers to be around longer to enjoy his food.

On our in-house visit, my companion ordered the barbecue half chicken with two sides ($9.75), and I chose the beef ribs ($9.25). The chicken was cooked till tender with a flavorful infusion of smoke, then given a dip in Unkl Moe’s signature sauce, a sweet and spicy sauce that is similar to a birdland or sassy recipe, but with a darker, richer flavor. My ribs were slow-smoked and tender, too, with plenty of meat to be picked from the bones, although there was a fair amount of fat to tease away, too. The sides were absolutely stellar. We shared macaroni salad, red beans and rice, sweet potato fries and fried okra. It was hard to pick a favorite, although my guest said that he’d had okra from here to Florida, and this was among the best. Light and crispy, it was coated with cornmeal rather than a heavy batter. A quick fry gives it a hearty crunch with a firm-flesh center. The sweet potato fries were nothing short of heaven. These were crisp on the outside, moist and steamy inside. Instead of salt, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar boosts the taste.

We ordered the wings with the Moe’s special sauce on the side. While I generally like them dipped in sauce, these stayed crisp for the journey back to the office. The smothered pork chops were fork tender, requiring no knife to break off bite-sized chunks. The chops were also lean, with very little fat to trim away. A brown gravy full of diced onions covered the chops and made a fine topping but also a great dipping sauce for a side of crisp onion rings we had chosen. As we opened our meals, we noticed that some of the takeout boxes had been ventilated with a fork to keep the contents from becoming soggy. How’s that for details?

The drinks
No alcohol is served; coffee, cola products, lemonade and iced sweet tea are available.

The atmosphere
The dining areas are homey and comfortable. In the first room there is a dining and takeout counter. Red Formica booths accommodate groups of up to six. A secondary room has plenty of tables that can be used for private parties or large groups.

The service
It is friendly and attentive. Our in-house lunch included a visit and chat with Unk himself. One incident impressed us. When our waitress came to clear our plates, her arm brushed the straw in my drink. She immediately told us, asked if I was finished, and then offered to bring me a new drink. I’ve seen less concern at places with three times the tab.