How many times have we passed Duck Deli on the way to our house and never stopped in? Hundreds of times? If not more? So this weekend we decided to finally turn our car to the right and try out Duck Deli’s barbecue sandwiches.
When you first enter the deli you will notice the friendly and casual atmosphere. You will also find yourself right in front of a case full of tantalizing ribs and whole barbecue chickens. As you are brought around the counter to a table, your feet will crunch on the old flooring with each step. My kind of place.
Duck deli is small but cozy. As a matter of fact, during the summer season you might choose to order “take out” rather than wait for a table. There were children throughout the restaurant, attesting to the fact that this is a great family style restaurant. The menu includes both NC and KC barbecue styles, from pork and beef ribs to smoked tuna, crab cakes and chicken.
My son ordered the Half Rack of Pork Ribs platter, which includes hushpuppies and two sides for $16.95.
I ordered the small pork BBQ sandwich that arrived with chips, coleslaw and a pickle for $6.25. My mother chose the beef BBQ sandwich platter. The sandwiches were far from small, despite the name.
Starting with the sides, the french fries were exactly the way we like them – thick cuts fried to a deep golden color. The menu says they are “Brew City Fries: Steak-cut and Beer Battered.” They were worth every penny. The onion rings were a good size with real onion slices inside. My son said the pork ribs were tender and delicious.
Both my mother and I were disappointed in the actual barbecue. My pork BBQ sandwich had one of the best barbeque flavors I’ve ever had in a sandwich, but the meat was dry and stringy. My mother said her beef BBQ was not only dry but she felt as if they had picked all the hard outer pieces off of the meat and put them in the sandwich. The flavor of hers was good as well, despite the fact that it was dry. I prefer cut coleslaw to chopped bits, which is what Duck Deli serves. No complaints in that department!
Add drinks and a side order of fries to our meal and the total came to just over $40.00. The staff was both friendly and attentive.
If I were to go again I would try the half chicken or the crabcake sandwich. Perhaps we came on just the “wrong” day when the barbecue was not its best. But we all agreed that the casual family atmosphere was just to our liking, and you certainly can’t beat the location.
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