Patches BBQ & More features smoked meats and homemade desserts | Grub Scout

Summer is barbecue season, so I thought I’d get an early start on things with a trip to a restaurant specializing in that particular fare. I don’t recall how I first heard about Patches BBQ & More, but my journey took The Grub Spouse and me to an unassuming little building on Andrew Johnson Highway in Strawberry Plains.

Turns out this is the original of two Patches locations (the other is on Rutledge Pike). And in case you were wondering, the name of the establishment refers to the collection of patches displayed on one wall, paying tribute to those who have served in the military and as first responders. That wall also showcases a large collection of signatures of guests who have served in one of those capacities or another.

Of course, we were there to chow down on some barbecue, and the Patches menu lays out an interesting selection of smoked-meat dishes — some familiar, some more on the creative side. We declined to indulge in an appetizer (candied bacon or deviled eggs), nor did we opt for any of the restaurant’s signature dishes, which include an all-beef hotdog, barbecue nachos and a barbecue pizza.

The Spouse and I gravitated toward the sandwiches and burgers section of the menu, which offers nine options that can be served as either a sandwich or in platter form. Prices also allow for the inclusion of one side item or two. Examples include pulled chicken, smoked bologna, the Crazy Twisted Pig (a combo of sliced pork, pulled pork and bacon with Monterrey jack cheese), a meatball sub, a classic beef burger and the Big Patch — a patty weighing one-third of a pound and topped with Patches sauce and served on a toasted bun. Also look for daily specials such as loaded spuds, Salisbury steak, pork chops, a kielbasa skillet and quesadillas.

The Grub Spouse ordered the Big Beefy ($12.95 with one side). This is a variation of Puckett’s Piggy Mac — house-made mac and cheese topped with smoked brisket and garnished with a choice of sweet, tangy or spicy barbecue sauce on toasted (grilled-cheese-style) bread. The Spouse chose the vegetable of the day, green beans, as their side item. I got the pulled pork sandwich ($13.95 with two sides). I picked baked beans and potato salad as sides. For the record, the other available sides are coleslaw, cabbage, greens, and mac and cheese.

While our meal did not take an unusually long time to prepare, it did seem to take longer than what I recall at most other barbecue restaurants. My presumption is that most meats are already smoked and side items prepped, so I was expecting more of a simple assembly process. For some reason, however, our plates took longer.

I thought both selections were reasonably enjoyable, though neither elevated itself above the typical barbecue experience. I appreciated the smoky flavor of the pulled pork, and I thought the strips of pickled onion on top of the meat were a good touch. Similarly, the baked beans and potato salad were solid efforts but nothing that left me feeling as if I had stumbled onto a hidden gem.

The Spouse’s mac and brisket was a slightly more adventurous eat, with its cheesy macaroni and off-the-smoker meat served between slices of toasted bread. And the green beans were every bit the classic, Southern (though sodium-heavy) side item.

At Patches, they make their own desserts and cupcakes, so we tried one of each. I got the banana pudding poke cake ($5.95), while The Spouse got a red velvet cupcake ($3.95). The cupcake delivered sweet red-velvet flavor, but as impressive-looking as the poke cake was, consuming it didn’t quite match the visuals. The banana pudding itself was underrepresented as a single thin layer atop the cake, which I found to be on the dry side.

I can see Patches BBQ & More serving as a decent place where patrons in the more remote sections of Jefferson County can stop in for a barbecue meal and homemade dessert. But in my opinion, it might be a harder sell for those living in a Knoxville market where there’s simply too much competition for those barbecue dollars.

Patches BBQ & More

Food: 3.5

Service: 3.5

Atmosphere: 3.5

Overall: 3.5

Address: 2744 W. Highway 11E (Andrew Johnson Highway), Strawberry Plains

Phone: 865-465-7984

Beer service only

Department of Health score: 97

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

This Strawberry Plains restaurant covers several barbecue bases and serves homemade desserts to boot.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Restaurant review: Patches BBQ & More features homemade desserts