Dining Critic

When you mention barbecue in the South, you're liable to get in a long discussion involving everything from the right type of sauce to whether or not pork or beef is true barbecue.

True barbecue lovers can argue for hours about the ingredients for a good vinegar-based sauce and whether a mustard sauce is for our newcomers from the north.

We're truly blessed on this side of town to have some of the best barbecue joints in the region. For my money, one of the best and this month's Citizens' Choice award for dining is Du-Roc Barbecue in Fayetteville.

Du-Roc serves some of the tastiest 'cue around by not sacrificing quality. The cooks at the restaurant barbecue the pork and beef over wood, which gives the meat a wonderfully smoky flavor.

While their barbecue is wonderful, I think their Brunswick stew is the best I've sampled in a restaurant. The stew features a mix of meat and vegetables in a rich tomato-based sauce that has me ready to order another bowl when I finish my first helping.

Du-Roc also makes wonderful cornbread, which is a perfect accompaniment to the stew.

After having a plate of the 'cue and stew, you may think you're full, but try and save room for dessert.

The restaurant makes a delicious cobbler. When topped with ice cream, the cobbler serves as a perfect end to a meal that virtually screams Southern.

The decor of the restaurant is distinctly Southern, with signs illustrating many businesses and products that used to give the region a unique flavor.

If you want to sample some of the area's best food, make a beeline for Du-Roc and take a big bite of the region that we call home.