The Swallow at the Hollow (Roswell, GA)

1072 Green Street
Roswell, GA 30075-3638
678-352-1975
http://www.swallowatthehollow.com/



The next stop on the Georgia Barbecue Hunt was Roswell's own, Swallow at the Hollow. Well-known for their food as well as live country and bluegrass music, we decided it was time to officially add them to the hunt. I had a little help on this tour-stop from my good friend Kenan who also shares an affection for all things BBQ. In addition to the good company, it also allows me to sample items off the menu that I usually wouldn't be able to try by myself. We met on a Friday for lunch and had both been looking forward to it all week. The best way to describe the Swallow at the Hollow is a place that you'd see tucked away in a swamp somewhere possibly surrounded by gators...and water moccasins. It has character to say the least. The old canoe filled with ice and 40 oz. beers that used to double as the bar has recently been replaced due to wood rot. I was a little disappointed, but the employee informed me that it was also removed so that they can now serve draft beer. Personally, I kind of liked the old canoe. It was just another thing that sets this place apart.

When we arrived there wasn't a wait and we were promptly seated. After speaking with our server I was informed that all meats are wood-smoked and sausage is homemade. There were also organic fruits such as watermelon that are offered daily. I decided to go with the half rack of pork back ribs and homemade sausage accompanied by baked beans and coleslaw. Kenan went with the Georiga-traditional chopped pork, mac 'n' cheese, and brunswick stew. While we waited for the food we decided to sample some of the sauces. They offer three sauces here: mustard, vinegar, and what the waiter described as a "Georgia" sauce. I'm still a little unclear what classifies it as such. I'm not a huge fan of vinegar and mustard based sauces usually and this time was no exception. The vinegar and "Georgia" sauce both had hints of Asian flavors which I found a little different. They were definitely not your traditional BBQ sauces. The mustard sauce was average.

No pink. No smoke

When our food arrived I immediately noticed that the ribs did not pass the initial visual smoke test. There was no evidence at all of spending any time in a smoker. After tasting, the initial assumptions were confirmed. What a disappointment; not to mention being lied to by the wait staff. They were either baked or boiled, finished on the grill, and then drenched with BBQ sauce...not my favorite. The sausage was below average as well. The fennel seeds were overwhelming and tasted like it needed maple syrup on top more than BBQ sauce. Maybe we can come back for breakfast. The homemade breads and baked beans were good while the coleslaw was a little dry.

Kenan had better luck with his. The chopped pork had nice smoke flavor with pieces of good bark. It was flavorful and juicy. This meat was actually given the smoky attention it deserved. As mentioned before, I've found it typical with Georgia BBQ for the pulled pork to get all of the culinary attention while other items get often neglected and overlooked. The mac 'n' cheeese and brunswick stew both did not disappoint either. I was definitely glad he came because his meal salvaged our trip to Roswell's most popular BBQ spot.

All in all, if good chopped pork, live music, and a cool surrounding is what you're in for, then the Swallow at the Hollow is your place. I wouldn't recommend the ribs or sausage though. While the pork is great, there's still a lot of work that needs to be done on the rest of the menu. I'm not sure they could hold their own in Texas, Carolina, Tennessee, or Missouri.