Dear Diners,

Well the local guy was in the mood for some BBQ for lunch. My first choice would have been 4 Rivers BBQ off of Fairbanks. But I had visitors with me from out of town and we did not want to blow our lunch waiting in line for 30 min and then have to eat their great BBQ outside in 90 degree weather, which  would have felt like 98 degrees with my tie on. Been  to that rodeo before.  So off we went to Bubbalou’s Bodacious BAR-B-QUE. Bubbalou’s has been around for over 20 years. Bubbalou’s is locally owned by Sam Meiner, his family has been catering in Orlando since 1907.  Bubbalous’s has several locations around the Orlando area. However, I wanted to go where this BBQ concept started out. So we went to the original Bubbalou’s location on Lee Road in Winter Park.  This is a typical BBQ joint. You walk in, place your order at the counter, they give you your drink, and then the staff brings out your food about 5-10 min later.  I must say we did not wait too long at all for our food after our orders were placed and it was extremely busy.  So service was prompt and efficient this day at lunch.  I ordered the Smoked Turkey sandwich basket $7.79 with sweet tea. The turkey is served on garlic toast  like most of their sandwiches, however you can ask for a bun instead depending on your preference.  The sandwich basket comes with 2 sides’ baked beans and French fries. I was not in a baked beans state of mind so I substituted the beans for collard greens. I also ordered a side of black eyed peas $2.29. The smoked turkey was real tender, and it was a meaty sandwich meaning they gave you plenty of turkey.   I like my smoked turkey more” smokey” in  flavor  but overall  it was still a good bbq sandwich.   I like the fact they have plenty of accessible sauces to choose from already on the table, like mild, hot, killer, mustard sauce, and ketchup, and they even have pepper type vinegar sauce for your collards, nice selection (good concept on having all the sauces at the table).   My favorite side was the collard greens. They reminded me of how my grandmother used to make collards. Bubbalous’s collards was seasoned with a ham hock. This old southern style cooking method Bubbalou’s uses  is what makes their collards so special, very impressed.  Some restaurants use nothing on their collards just salt& pepper (bad recipe) some use bacon (a short cut), some use turkey parts like turkey necks to season collards(not bad and healthier), but good ole collard greens are made with a real ham hock ladies and gentlemen.  I also added the pepper sauce to my collards for an additional kick, what can I say, I am from the south.  My sandwich basket came with French fries, they were hot and tasty, no complaints, good fried taters.  I also ordered the black eyed peas. The black eyed peas were tender and seasoned properly, again it’s all about the ham hock folks.  One of my guests ordered the fried okra. I was very disappointed is this southern side favorite. It was fried up well but it had ZERO flavor, extremely bland. Don’t understand how do you have great collards, and great black eyed peas and awful fried okra? It did not appear that salt or pepper or other spices were used before or after the okra was fried, disappointing.  I had the sweet tea to drink, there is just something right about sweet tea and BBQ, that is a match made in heaven. So is Bubbalous’s the best BBQ in Orlando, probably not as good as 4 Rivers but overall good Cue and the lines are not as long.  Diners can eat inside or outside at Bubbalou’s.  Parking can be tricky at the Lee Rd location.  The do have additional parking across the street.  Bubbalou’s is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Bubbalou’s is located at:

1471 Lee Road
Winter Park, FL 32892

ph# 407-628-1212

website: www.bubbalous.com