After the unfortunate green sauce incident last Thursday night, Melanie and I decided to go in search of some less BLAZING, BURN-OFF-YOUR-TONGUE fare when we left the hotel for a late lunch on Friday. Since our buddy Travis grew up in North Carolina and is forever talking about Bojangle’s fried chicken – and since we don’t have Bojangle’s in our respective cities – we thought we’d give it a try.
We left our hotel and drove just a little ways down the road to the Bojangle’s. We were planning to eat inside, but before we got out of the car, I sensed a still, strong voice deep down in my heart: What if they don’t serve Coke products? I mean, I was craving a Diet Coke like nobody’s business, and quite frankly I was in no mood to settle for a Diet Pepsi. IT’S NOWHERE NEAR THE SAME. Melanie offered to swing by the drive-thru menu so that we could check out the Bojangle’s drink offerings, and sure enough, we saw a Pepsi logo.
You can imagine our disappointment. So we sent Travis a text to let him know about the SHOCKING Bojangle’s turn of events because THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
To wit, a transcript.
Me: Mel and I were about to eat lunch at Bojangle’s but we saw they serve Pepsi products. That’s a dealbreaker, ladies.
T: You r MAKING A MISTAKE.
And then, a few minutes later:
T: SNAP OUT OF IT AND RECEIVE A BLESSING.
But Melanie and I were stiff-necked. Prideful about the absence of Coke products. So do you know where we went for lunch instead?
On The Border.
Yes, that’s right: more Mexican food. It’s a sickness, y’all. We might as well wear signs around our neck that say, POINT US IN THE DIRECTION OF “CHEESE” BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THERE.
(By the way, I’m not even halfway finished with this post and I’ve already referenced “30 Rock” twice.)
(Mama here might need to turn off the TV for a month or nine.)
Anyway, we went to On The Border for lunch, and it was actually pretty tasty. Their Diet Coke was perfection (just the right fizz, plenty of syrup, nice ice-to-beverage ratio), and we had some sort of avocado-Ranch dip that was delicious. All in all it was a perfectly lovely chain restaurant experience. It didn’t have the same regional charm that Bojangle’s would have had, of course, but it DID have Coke products. And sometimes you just have to pick a restaurant based on your carbonated beverage principles.
Even still, thoughts of the fried chicken we hadn’t eaten haunted us. Travis’ words haunted us. WHAT IF WE HAD MISSED A BLESSING?
Early Saturday morning Mel and I decided that once all of our sessions were over that night, we’d pick up Bojangle’s in the drive-thru and make alternate beverage arrangements to alleviate the sting of the Pepsi. We COULD NOT WAIT to have us some hot chicken for supper. And when we ran into our conference roomie Annie later in the afternoon, we asked if she was interested in sharing All The Chicken with us. She was totally game.
By 6:30 the three of us were walking side by side out of the hotel and into the parking lot, striding confidently toward our fried chicken destiny. I felt sort of like an astronaut getting ready to board a space shuttle – only without the bulky suit and the heavy helmet. And without the space shuttle. And without, you know, space. So basically I guess I really felt like a girl who was walking out of a suburban Charlotte hotel to go get some fried chicken with her friends. But trust me: that whole space shuttle analogy would’ve been a ton of fun if I could’ve pulled it off.
Annie drove us down to the Bojangle’s, and while I don’t know what came over the three of us in that drive-thru, I do know that suddenly there was no amount of fried chicken and sides to satisfy our hunger. I’d sort of anticipated that we’d get a few 2-piece dinners and call it a day, but instead we ordered some sort of family tailgate pack that came with 12 pieces of chicken (THIS WAS FOR THREE PEOPLE, MIND YOU) and three sides. And biscuits.
While we were waiting on our tailgating feast, we felt it was only right and proper to bring the person who had inspired our meal up-to-speed. So we sent Travis another text: We are at the Bojangles getting our supper. And just as we pulled onto the main road and headed back to the hotel, we got a reply: Lord bless y’all. Be sure to get – along w/ your chicken, the fries and the boberry biscuit.
Now listen. We had twelve pieces of chicken with mashed potatoes, pinto beans and green beans. But no fries. No boberry biscuits. And while we had no idea what a boberry biscuit was, we knew that Travis wouldn’t lead us astray. So we turned around and went right back to that Bojangle’s and right back through that drive-thru and we ordered us some boberry biscuits, oh yes we did. And also: a couple of orders of fries.
Apparently we were operating under the assumption that we needed to be prepared in the event that four or five other people decided to stop by room 815 for an impromptu evening buffet.
Once we hauled all of our Bojangle’s fare back to our hotel room, we settled in and ATE US SOME CHICKEN. We loved it. I still prefer Popeye’s chicken to Bojangle’s because of the crust, but the texture of the actual chicken was really similar (can you tell I’ve given this some thought?). I loved the Cajun spices that gave the chicken a little bit of a kick but not too much heat. Big score on the pinto beans, too – and I’ve never met a mashed potato that I didn’t like.
However, I cannot speak to the green beans because I didn’t eat any. Obviously I exercised remarkable food-related restraint by not cluttering my very white and beige food choices with any of that pesky green.
And then. THEN. We opened THE BOBERRY BISCUITS.
Angels sang. Stars fell. Crowds cheered. Grown men wept.
Y’all. I had no idea that putting a glaze on a biscuit was an option. I had no idea that putting blueberries in a biscuit was an option. But I’ll tell you what: now that I know, there’s no turning back. Because in all my biscuit-eating days – and I confess to you in all humility that I am no stranger to some BISCUIT-EATING DAYS – I have never encountered a biscuit that so perfectly balanced the savory and the sweet. It was a revelation. It was a special biscuit provision.
It was a BoBerry Blessing.
And I will never be the same.
Amen.
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Oh BooMama! You do make me laugh! Out loud and on purpose!!
I hop over to your blogworld regularly, but hardly ever comment, UNTIL NOW.
I live in Bojangles land. And have for about 7 years. Truth be told, when I first started seeing signs for Bojangles, I thought it was a male strip club. No lie. And I wondered why it went on those same blue interstate signs as Wendy’s and Sonic. “They must have GREAT food,” I thought. “Maybe it’s a ‘bar’ and grill?”
Notsomuch. And, you are correct, they are a BoBerry Blessing. Their Cinnabiscuits are some good eatin’ too.
Oh Hon-ey! Bo Berry biscuits are divine. Sent from Heaven itself… If I lived closer to a bojangles I’d definately have a bo berry booty to prove my allegiance. That’s one reason I’ll fly to Charlotte, that and Cook-Out.. Did you try Cook-Out?
Oh boy. That post left me clutching my sides. I’ve lived in NC for nearly 10 years now and have yet to meet the BoBerry.
I’m thinking I might just need to make his acquaintance. Hello sir, welcome to my thighs. :-)
You do know there is a Bojangle’s near me…across the street from Jim & Nick’s (I call that street “Heaven”).
So glad you got to experience Bojangles goodness. We have one about 5 minutes from our house and they get regular visits from us. We love their chicken, their biscuits, their chicken biscuits and their grits. We usually pass on the sides unless it is their “dirty rice”.
BooMama! You would have saved yourself the second Mexican meal (although, I love On the Border) had Travis told you that it is not Coke that you order at Bojangles, but SWEET TEA! Bojangles has excellent sweet tea. Nothing cured a hangover in college better than a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with a sweet tea from Bojangles.
OH.MY.GOODNESS….you make me laugh!!!
awesome.
Glad you enjoyed Bojangles. Next time get some dirty rice! It’s so good!
BoBerry Biscuits are my absolute favorite! I grew up on those things!! I’m from NC. Actually, I was at the Deeper Still Conference this weekend. Travis was wonderful! Seriously, I have to get his new cd. The music was FABULOUS!
Glad you enjoyed Bojangles.
Ps. Any morning we would go there for breakfast my meal would consist of seasoned fries and boberry biscuit and a sweet tea. Yes, super nutritional. Maybe that’s why my mom would only let us go there on Saturday morinings when she was dragging us around to yardsales at 6 am.
Now I really need some Popeye’s because … just because.
I have read your blog for months, and this is my first time commenting. Obviously, this post evoked some emotion in me!!! Ha! :-)
I am a NC girl . . . born and raised. I LOVE some Bojangles! Yes, the boberry biscuit is perfection (you can even ask for extra icing!)!!! Next time you’re up our way, you really must try their sweet tea, fries, and dirty rice. You will not be sorry!
This was a hilarious post! If you loved the boberry biscuit, you should definitely try their cinnamon biscuits. They are divine.
ok, I just snorted. you are hysterical!
Love your storytelling. No detail is left abandoned!
Have you ever had a Hardee’s raisin biscuit? The boberry biscuit look similar, only with blueberries instead of raisins. I personally loved the Hardee’s biscuit, but I believe they succumbed to the economy. I can’t find one anymore.
And is it a sickness with the On the Border Coke products because I have had the same experience? Absolute perfection!
Girl..you are a mess. I’m bummed I didn’t get to meet you this weekend. Our paths just never crossed. But so thankful that you made that wise choice to eat some BoBerry’s. YUM!!
Oh my that was some funny stuff! The girl that sits beside me just gave me a look for my sudden, unknown to her, outbreak of laughter. I live in South Carolina where there are Bojangles everywhere, and they make the BEST egg and cheese bisquits! I don’t eat pork or beef but I’m sure the sausage bisquits are good too… anywho, haven’t ever tried the boberry bisquit…icing on a bisquit just seems weird to me and it doesn’t look very good. BUT after reading your very funny review I think I might just have to try one.
O.K., this HAS to be in your top ten for sure. That is hilarious!
I almost met you on Saturday–I was sitting behind you as you finished up your session with Lysa and then snuck onto Twitter while people were asking questions. Yes, I saw that. I would have stuck around to meet you, but I had to go to my speaker evaluation group and I would have been late if I had stayed. So sorry I didn’t meet you, but you did a great job!
So, did they bake the blueberries inside the biscuits, or bake the biscuits and then stuff them with blueberries?
One day I’m gonna go to one of those conferences with you and share in the Mexican/chicken/biscuit mana-frenzy.
You crack me up. The country ham biscuit is rock and roll, you gotta try it.
Oh, there is a God in Heaven right this very minute, because I just started a diet TODAY… and if there was a Bojangles anywhere within driving distance, it would already be OVER. I lived in N.C for about 3 years and consumed approximately 956 lbs. (give or take a couple) of Bojangles product. I cannot give a breakdown, but let’s say it was mostly evenly divided between the chicken and the biscuit. Green beans are highly overrated, and even pintos and mashed potatoes pale in comparison to the biscuit. I must stop now, or I will convince myself that it really ISN’T more than a quick drive from the ATL to the nearest spot in N.C. with a Bojangles. And if anyone knows of one any closer, please… do NOT let me know.
Ride, Sally, ride….. ;<)
Oh.my.gosh…I haven’t laughed this hard in at least a week. :) My husband went to college in North Carolina and probably single-handedly doubled Bojangles sales during his 4-year stay. We now live in TX, where there are no Bojangles to be found…so every trip to the south (NO, Texas isn’t the south)for the Smith family includes at least one stop at Bojangles. In fact, we went to his college buddy’s wedding and ate at Bojangles at least once nearly every day that we were there. It’s a sickness, I know. :)
Every time we take a trip to the Carolinas my husband will make a stop for Boberries, although we’ve never gotten them in the big box like that. One time we went to the one in Charleston and they said they’d stopped making them. I thought he was going to cry.
This was funny, and I especially loved the dealbreaker reference, as it is one of my new favorites to incorporate into conversation. And the post just wouldn’t have been the same without the text message traffic. Too bad CA doesn’t have Bojangles, or I’d be eating those biscuits for lunch (right after a run, but that’s why I workout, so I can eat…). Praise God you humbled yourselves and turned that car right around to receive the blessing!
I tell you what, one of the things I missed the most when I married my cowboy and he whisked me away to Texas was Bojangles. The sweet tea, the cajun chicken sandwich and, oh heavenly day, the beloved BoBerry biscuit. There’s just nothing else to satisfy that craving…
No worries about the lack of Coca Cola Classic if you like terrific SWEET TEA!
Also, I would just like to say that next to Jesus, BoJangles might have been the.best.thing to ever happen to me.
much love to you.
As a Carolina girl, transplanted to Birmingham, I will say that I wept for joy at the news Bojangles and their BoBerry Biscuits were coming here next year.
I also recommend the tea and the dirty rice. I once had a DTR over that dirty rice and continued dating a nice guy for too long because the dirty rice had that power over me. But I made sure the next DTR was far away from the Bow-han-glays (as we say) so the Lord could make me available for my husband.
First of all, thanks for making me blow my cover at work while I’m taking a “quick break” to check your blog. Not sure the boss is going to believe that the monthly reports are making me laugh out loud.
But anyway, I am so glad you’ve experienced the Bojangles Blessing! I live in Charlotte and would’ve given my right arm to see you ladies in that drive-thru!!
My husband is from Charlotte, and I would have recommended you get some bbq at Herlocker’s, but in a culinary travesty of justice, they closed last year. I still mourn.
Mmm, we are getting a Bojangles down here in Pelham (on 31) and I haven’t seen another Bojangles in the Bham area.
My excitement, it overfloweth…especially after your mentioning the Boberry Biscuits, which I must now try. Thank you very much.
After attending one of the blog session this weekend, I had to stop at your blog and see what it was all about! You truly have a gift in your writing!
As a northern girl, turned southern by marrying a mountain NC boy, I can attest that Bojangle’s biscuits are THE BOMB!!!! Their tea’s pretty good too. Next time you are in our neck of the woods, make sure you pass on the deal breaker and try the tea! You won’t be disappointed!
Those look amazing.
Those biscuits made me cry.
I’m from Texas and never had a Boberry bisquit. Now I am wanting one!
pepsi is awful and i feel sorry for the people up north who have a preference for pepsi
Your boy Travis knows his stuff.
Carrie in NYC wrote my precise thoughts. Bojangles is the BEST Sweet Tea, period. And it’s true, bacon egg & cheese biscuit and a large sweet tea is PERFECTION when hungover. It’s a truth every NC college graduate knows all too well…
There is so much I want to say over this food…first of all…the dip from On the Border made my mouth water…next, never had Bojangles either..not in West TN…next, the text message are hilarious….next, the drink scenario is brilliant bc Pepsi stinks….next, the fact that you turned around just made my day….and finally, the biscuits look like heaven.
What about the biscuits?? I want more detail on the biscuits.
Ya’ll are so hilarious with your food choices. No, we don’t get to hear about the weekend and those blessings, we just get an update on the FOOD! Ha! So, I haven’t been to a Bojangles in ages & surely have never had the Boberry biscuit, but I know I would love me one! I did have another sweet roll on Sat. from Bogues, so that will have to do me for now. Thanks for the linky update! ;)
So… you betrayed a diet coke for a boberry biscuit? They better be worth it!
(If I go where they serve pepsi products I just get water…)
BooMama, you are a woman after my own heart! Sadly, I live in MI…far from the land of Bojangles, but thanks to your other posters I’ve found out where I can get me some BooBerry biscuits. I have family in Pelham, AL! Run, y’all….Andi’s comming for a visit!
oh man! i do love ME a boomama post!! :)
I, too, get annoyed when Pepsi products are on tap instead of Coke. Today I went to a restaurant that served DIET RITE. Huh? What’s up with that?
And I can’t wait to visit the Land of Bojangles…the biscuits sound divine!
I have to tell you that Pepsi got it’s start in NC, as did Bojangles. I have known people to get their Coca-Cola elsewhere and then head over to Bojangles for chicken is they aren’t a sweet tea or Pepsi fan. I am also a fan of Biscuitville. The BLT biscuit is divine. Glad you enjoyed it!
Heh. Heh. Heh.
As a NC girl, welcome to our wonderful, wonderful world.
Come back!
Hopefully for She Speaks again – because I THOROUGHLY enjoyed hearing from you this past weekend….I may never check my stats again…(oh, and I’m going to keep having fun blog titles that I like – SEO be darned…Thanks.)
But I WILL go and myself some Boberry love before the week is up.
Love,
jess
Only you could make a post about going to the Bojangles drive thru so Coke-snorting-out-the-nose funny. I live in Charlotte and pass by the Bojangles multiple times a day, never giving it much thought. But tonight, this family’s having chicken, dirty rice, and sweet tea (followed by bo biscuits, of course) for suppah.
Before transplanting up here to DC, I lived in Huntsville and would pass by a Bojangles at least once a week. Never gave it much thought until I read your post. And of course, I went directly to the Bojangles website to see if any are located up here. You would think that Virginia would qualify as somewhat Southern and would carry this chain, but sadly no. The closest place is, oddly, Maryland. Good thing my hubby works over that direction. He will be stopping to get us some Boberry biscuits in the near future…along with some sweet tea!
In case you feel compelled to try your own, here’s a recipe:
http://pickygourmet.blogspot.com/2009/05/boberry-biscuits.html
I lived all my life in Charlotte until I got married, and now you have made me wretchedly sorry that I live 2.5 hours from the nearest Bojangles. My favorite is those seasoned fries, have mercy. (And I probably should just keep this information to myself, but my 13-year-old son has begun referring to his um, well, some of his boy parts as “bojangles.” It just ain’t right.)
Oh yes my friend! We just moved away from NC and we had a bojangles exactly 1 mile from our home! 2 of those for .99 cents called our name often! That and cheerwine! I sure hope you got some of that while you were there! If not you must have someone send you some. We are having it sent to us by the case!
I’m sure you already know this but your BEST posts are when you write about food. And now I’m hungry. Again.
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