Athens, Limestone County
Although Lawler’s is a small chain
with currently five locations in Northern Alabama (a sixth place is already in
the making, near the new Madison
Hospital), those restaurants
are not the same. Some are quite sober, functional eateries, while others are
outfitted in a special way, with attention to detail and a whimsical touch.
Like the one in Athens
on Highway 72, were they have an actual rowing boat on the ceiling, and some
nice display cases with fishing paraphernalia on the walls. The restaurant has
about half a dozen booths on the side walls, and some tables in the center. You
order at a window in the back and while you wait for it to be prepared, you may
seat yourself on one of the two park banks there.
Adding to that homey and welcoming
atmosphere is the staff, which is very friendly and responsive.
This is the fourth Lawler’s I’ve
been in, and so far it was the one with the best atmosphere. There is not much
difference in the food between the locations, which is understandable because
the meat is usually prepared at a central place up in Tennessee
and then driven the few miles to the satellite stations in North
Alabama each morning. Although, this place in Athens has a smoking facility outside of the
restaurant, so I wonder if maybe they shifted the whole meat preparing operation
a bit south now.
Anyway, as usual when visiting
another location of a chain, I tried something else then the pulled pork plate
with slaw and potato salad. This time I opted for the half chicken plate with
baked beans and potato salad.
Well, the chicken was very tender
and succulent, but I could not detect a very prominent smoke aroma. But with
the white sauce on it – Bang! Absolutely great! I dare to say that with a
distinctive smoky flavor on the chicken, it would have not harmonized as well
with the sauce.
The baked beans were superb, too,
not too sweet and without any cinnamon. The potato salad I already had before
and I still like it very much. It is predominately on the sour side, and rich
and creamy.
So, if I had to choose from one of
the many Lawler’s locations here in the Tennessee
Valley, the one on Highway 72 in Athens would be my
favorite. It looks and feels like a good old BBQ place (only without the dead
flies on the window sills …), the food is always very good, and the prices
(under ten Dollars for the plate and a drink) are certainly acceptable. So what
if they don’t smoke the meat exactly were they sell it – as long as it is not
frozen and then put in the microwave, I don’t have any problem with it.
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