Yes. In the large corner building where Minor Furniture was and more recently, Bentley's at the Outhouse, a Moe's Original BBQ is in the works for downtown Hartselle, Alabama.
Knowing that and after hearing a friend I admire very much say that Moe's was probably her favorite restaurant in Decatur, I decided that it was worth a try.
I noticed two things immediately when Steve and I walked in for lunch after church a few weeks ago. 1) The aroma was absolutely incredible. Ahhhhhh. Smoked meats! And 2) There was an abundance of University of Alabama signs on the walls. Ugh. Well, my friend is an Alabama alum and in reading about the history of Moe's, I learned that the three guys who started it met in Tuscaloosa. One is from Tuscaloosa, one from Athens, and the other from Huntsville. They learned the tricks of their trade from Moses Day in Tuscaloosa and began smoking meats with fruitwood and then slathering it with two different sauces in 1988. Voila! Something special emerged that quickly gained steam and a clamoring clientele.
Moe's locations (not to be confused with the Moe's Southwest Grill franchises) are now in 60 locations scattered across 14 U.S. states. Alabama has the most of any state, and Hartselle's will be Alabama's newest. Auburn even has two Moe's restaurants. War Eagle!
My friend who claimed Moe's as her favorite mentioned the "sides" in particular. I've learned that the sides and the desserts are made fresh every day using recipes that have been passed down for generations. Six sides are called "everyday sides." They are baked beans, potato salad, marinated slaw, mac n' cheese, chips, and banana pudding. An additional 33 possibilities are considered "special sides" and change daily from store to store. Moe's does a giant catering business -- perfect for hosting a game day event.
This is a casual cafe where you order at the counter then take your seat and wait for your name to be called.
Steve chose the smoked turkey platter with slaw, mac n' cheese, and cornbread.
I had heard good things about the catfish, so I chose that with potato salad, beans, and hushpuppies. We both enjoyed our meals very much.
Nearby, you can visit Moe's in Decatur at 202 East Moulton St. (a few steps from the Princess Theatre) or in Priceville at 3524 Deere Road. Watch for an announcement about Hartselle's location opening soon. I have it on good authority that it will be open by late February or early March.
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