I love finding a one-off restaurant when out traveling. You know, the place that the locals frequent, the "hole-in-the-wall" place where everything isn't prepackage and/or frozen when it arrives in the kitchen. A place where the waitstaff calls people by their name and knows most of the customers. Well, I found such a place in northeast Mississippi.
From gas station to High On The Hog BBQ
High On The Hog BBQ resides on the north side of US 72 approximately 9.4 miles east of the intersection of US 72 & US 45 in Corinth, MS or about 15.8 miles west of the and US 72 intersection in Iuka, MS. The restaurant is a converted gas station. The pumps have been removed but the awning is there and the space is used for parking.
The people are friendly and welcoming. A smile and "hi" will greet you as you enter. The menu is simple and direct. They want to provide great food not an abundance of choices. You can have sandwich, a plate, family pack or buy the meat by the pound.
Some tasty options
As I was meeting a friend I had not seen in 8 or so years I was "eye-balling" the plate options while I waited. I figured I should try the bbq pork and as I thought about it I don't think I have ever tried bbq in Mississippi.
My friend Stan (on the right), we are ready for some bbq and conversation!
My friend Stan arrived and we stepped up to the counter to order. Once again the friendliness of the staff was authentic and appreciated. We both ordered the pork plate. I had white beans and potato salad and an iced tea.
We sat down at a booth. The place is not heavily decorated but the simple decor provides a country feel appropriate for NE Mississippi. What it might lack in decor is overcome with service and flavor. After a short time the server brought our Styrofoam plate full of what we ordered. A good helping of pork whas dished out on both plates as well as a tasty side portions. Stan had coleslaw and onion rings. They must have been good because there were no leftovers.
Tasty looking lunch served with a smile
Two bbq sauces were on the table. One labeled "Heat" and the other "Sweet." I tried both. The "Heat" was not spicy hot in my opinion (a lot of Tex-Mex may have tempered my opinion). It was not thick at all and I could taste the vinegar base more than I prefer. The "Sweet" was thicker but not by a lot. It had a sweeter taste, but I would not classify it as really sweet. It was my favorite of the two and I used it on the pork.
The pork had a light smoked flavor (not as pronounced as Texas bbq) and a good texture. I really enjoyed it and think next time I will try it as a sandwich. The white beans were cooked with pieces of pork and light seasonings. A big bowl of the white beans and cornbread would be great! The potato salad was not like any I had before. It was mayo based with tasty potatoes. Very different but good flavor and complimented the pork very well.
If you are out riding (or driving) around Corinth, Mississippi and it's lunch time or early dinner stop by and have some High On The Hog. If you leave hungry it's your own fault.
Note hours are Wednesday 10:30am - 6:00pm, Thursday - Saturday 10:30am - 7:00pm and closed Sunday - Tuesday.
