
DATE: Thursday, May 8, 1997                 TAG: 9705060141

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: ON THE TOWN 

TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIEW 

SOURCE: Sam Martinette 

                                            LENGTH:   87 lines

ORIGINAL ALABAMA BARBECUE COOKING ON TIDEWATER DRIVE<

Partners Nick Georges and Tom Beers are living by the Golden Rule - The Original Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, in this case - an Alabama-based family barbecue operation founded in 1891.

They recently opened a franchise in Norfolk at the former Speedy Gonzales location on Tidewater Drive.

Georges, a Norfolk native, and Beers, who hails from the Washington area, became friends at Waterside, where both have operated since the opening in 1983. Georges was at Takis' Gyros (with his uncle Takis Karangelen), and Beers at Tom's Ice Cream.

``Last September when Pierce's Barbecue left Waterside, Tom and I were sitting at a table having coffee and I said, `You and I should take that place over,' '' recalled Georges. ``He just nodded his head, but two days later he came and told me about this barbecue from Alabama that we might bring to Virginia.''

Beers was connected through a niece to the Matsos family, who took over the Golden Rule Bar-B-Q operation in 1970, and when Georges went south to look at the operation, his Greek heritage came in handy. ``We hit it off right away,'' he said.

The partners came home and found a pair of locations to their liking, the 25-year old Speedy Gonzales adjacent to Southern Shopping Center and a second location in Virginia Beach. They operated the taco stand in Norfolk briefly, then closed and remodeled. Plans call for the Beach Speedy to convert later this year.

``It was a total interior renovation,'' Beers explained. ``We built an 8-foot-long barbecue pit that's 5-feet deep, a counter, and repainted.'' The open pit, which is visible from the dining room, is capable of cooking up to 35 seven-to-eight-pound pork shoulders. A smoker in back can handle 32 shoulders, Beers said, and both are used in the barbecue process.

``All of our pork ribs are smoked for three hours before going on the pit, while most other ribs you'll find around here are boiled first, then thrown on the grill, which is why all of the meat and gristle falls off when you eat them,'' Georges said. ``With ours, you see a red perimeter on the meat - including sliced barbecue - from smoke.''

Georges is surprised at how popular ribs have been. ``Down south they sell more sliced barbecue,'' he said. ``But here, people want it chopped and diced, and the ribs have taken off. Our first real Friday we had people lined up at the counter, taking ribs home.''

The Golden Rule seats 65, including an L-shaped counter that fronts the barbecue pit. There is a long banquette with tables under one window, and free-standing tables in the main dining area.

As for the food, there are pit-cooked barbecue sandwiches, including regular/jumbo size versions of pork ($2.59/$3.49), beef ($2.79/$3.69), chicken ($2.59/$3.49), and smoked turkey ($2.79/$3.69) sandwiches, and combo plates, such as a regular-size pork sandwich with two ribs and two side dishes ($5.50); the same sandwich with Brunswick Stew and a side order ($5.25); a grilled chicken breast sandwich with a salad ($4.75); and a cheeseburger with two side dishes. The side dishes include ``hickory pit'' beans, potato salad, fries or slaw, and all are $1.25, if not included in the meal.

Barbecue plates include two side dishes and rolls, such as the pork plate ($5.85, or $7.50 for extra pork), the beef plate ($6.50/$7.75), or a barbecue chicken plate ( 1/4 bird, white meat-$4.75, 1/2 bird-$5.85). Georges has also added a Greek Salad ($3.55/$5.75) to the local menu.

Ribs come in three sizes for in-house consumption: a regular plate with seven or eight ribs is $8.75, while a large plate of 10 or 11 ribs is $10.75. A whole slab, suggested for two people, has about 14 ribs, and sells for $16.45.

Barbecue, ribs and chicken are sold by the pound, slab or bird, and ``family paks'' such as a pound of barbecue with two sides, six rolls and sauce ($11.49), are available.

``We're bringing a barbecue to Virginia that they haven't had before,'' Beers said. ``North Carolina barbecue is great, but Deep South barbecue is especially good.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by Sam Martinette

Tom Beers, left, and Nick Georges have opened The Original Golden

Rule Bar-B-Q at the Speedy Gonzales site on Tidewater Drive.

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AT A GLANCE

What: Golden Rule Bar-B-Q

Where: Tidewater Drive at Southern Shopping Center

Information: Call 588-3585

Food: Pit-cooked barbecue, ribs, chicken; ABC-beer only

Prices: plates $3.75-$10.75, ribs $8.75-$16.45

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday