Normally I wouldn't review a franchise restaurant, but I've been going to this place weekly for the last month or more, and it deserves mentioning. Besides, I think there are only two or three dozen restaurants in the entire chain in the country, so it hardly belongs in the same category as those fast-food joints with thousands of locations.
Since a coworker recommended it, I've stopped by Moe's every Tuesday or Wednesday on my way home for work to pick up some supper. The location itself, in a building that had housed at least two restaurants that I recall, is unimpressive, but what they do inside makes it will worth exploring. The restaurant features platters with cornbread and sides, sandwiches, or just lots of meat. Until today's visit, I'd had the pulled pork sandwich, the fried catfish sandwich, ribs, smoked turkey, smoked chicken wings, pickles, slaw, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, sweet potato casserole, fried okra, and, well, I didn't make a list, so there may have been others, but I only recently decided to visit again, try a few new dishes, and write a properly descriptive review so other folks will know if it's for them. Here it is.
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| Fried catfish platter at Moe's in Bangor |
Tonight, with great anticipation, I ordered a fried catfish platter, with which I chose to have hush puppies, collard greens, country-style white beans, and a drink, all for $11 and change. I was stuffed by the end of the meal.
The catfish came in small chunks and pieces, and it was juicy and tender in its pepper and spice cornmeal batter. The coat was crispy and did not flake off the fish at all. The hush puppies had a good onion and pepper flavor up front with a sweet corn aftertaste. They were moist on the inside. The outside is harder to describe. They held together very well--you could split one right in half--but the texture of the golden brown edges was firm and crummy like a shortbread might be. Though both of these were deep fried, they were not greasy in the least.
The collard greens were tender, but not mushy, and had a slight vinegar tang to them. They was just a bit of pork in them, enough for a touch of flavor, but not enough to make them taste fatty. Some traditional soul food lovers might see this as a drawback, but I think it's a plus. The white beans were smooth, tender, creamy, and naturally sweet with a few small chunks of ham. Delish.
Food: ★★★★☆ Ambience: ★★☆☆☆ Service: ★★★☆☆
Check, please: $
650 Broadway,
Bangor, Maine, 04401
(207) 992-9000
I've never been before, but now I want to go and try them out! What was your favorite thing that you've had so far there? (that is one thing that I always love to see in a restaurant review- the best and why...)
ReplyDeleteGood question! So much of what they offer is delicious, but my favorite so far is the fried catfish sandwich. It's crispy-crunchy, and the slaw on it is a must. As for the sides, while I normally would choose greens or slaw (both good) as they're a bit healthier, the sweet potato casserole is what I keep dreaming of. Oh, and the baked beans and hush puppies are on that list, too, oh, and the fried okra! They have some sides always on the menu, like slaw and baked beans, but then have a list of special sides about 8 or 10 items long. GREAT choices. Let me know what you think!
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