Bon's Bland Cookin'

Hmmm, do I have to say more about what I thought of Bon's? I guess the title of this post is a little harsh, but I was looking for "attention-getting" and it's not too far off the mark.

The decor was very bland. Of course, 'que joints are not Michelin star-rated French restaurants and decor is generally not their strong suit. However, this usually means that the wood panelling has been there for 50 years and will be there for another 50 years, along with the floral curtains. Bon's was white. The walls were white. The tables were white. The waitress wore a white shirt.

Even more importantly, the ribs were white.



Or maybe cream. Or vanilla. I'm not sure what color Benjamin Moore would call the ribs, but it's not good. Ribs should be dark--from the sauce, from the rub, from the smoke--from SOMETHING. The whole picture is just a variation on one color. Lars tends to order cream food (mashed potatoes, mac&cheese, beans), so maybe it's not Bon's fault.

To compare:



This is my plate: ribs, 'que, slaw, and greens. A little more color, but still lacking in zing. The ribs were disappointing. It wasn't just the color; they were tough and bland. The greens were okay. They were very...hmmm...greeny. Normally, this would be a good thing, but this is the South, where greens are porky. They were probably healthier than the greens made with hocks, but they were also less tasty.

Of course, this blog is about the pork and it is the pork reviews you all tune in for. The pork was okay. Again, it was missing the zing I expect from my 'que. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't very good.

Sarah is right; if you are on campus and needed 'que, Bon's is an acceptable Band-Aid, but it's like slapping a stick against a broken leg and wrapping some rags around it. It'll get you down the mountain, but eventually you'll have to get a cast to fix the problem.

My rating--

--Jennifer