In August of this year, Ray Ray’s in Granville announced the move away from their established Meat + Three concept and a shift to their classic food truck menu (currently only as a carryout and drive-through). It’s sad to lose the meat + three, but their “standard” menu is always a winner.
And fortunately the Granville space isn’t going to waste. Chef and owner James Anderson has teamed up with newcomer Chef Jacob Wilson to offer a series of ticketed, themed private dinners. These dinners are prix fixe, multi-course meals often with drink pairings. We were invited to one focused all around Carolina BBQ, and on Wednesday, Sept. 21 is a five-course, wine-pairing dinner.
Anderson says the goal is to offer these regularly Fridays and Saturdays, with a different menu each week. Get a look at the offerings at the Carolina Barbecue Dinner!
One of the great things about the Ray Ray’s Granville layout is the open kitchen, so you can watch the culinary team plate and finish the courses.
Course #1 was a grilled romaine lettuce with barbecue ranch, Millerton cheese, and smoked bread crumb.
Course #2 featured a barbecued hog hash over Carolina Gold rice with okra and fermented Habanda chili (essentially a habanero without the heat).
Course #3 was a red-dipped fried chicken served over pimento cheese grits with pickled green tomato chimichurri.
Courses were paired with a delightful mix of drinks, from a welcome spritzer to a shot and a beer with Hi-Wire Brewing’s IPA and a homemade cherry bounce, to Homestead’s Tenpenny amber ale and an especially delightful Cheerwine cocktail to finish.
Course #4 featured a Ray Ray’s signature of a whole hog sandwich with South sauce, Lexington slaw, and chow chow.
The final course was a brown sugar pound cake with maple cream, pickled peaches, smoked almond, and honey anglaise.
Anderson and Wilson make for a great duo in the kitchen, and if this Carolina barbecue dinner is anything to go by, diners are in for a real treat in Granville.
Keep an eye on Ray Ray’s social media or their news page for announcements about new dinners. So far we’ve seen Texas barbecue and Carolina barbecue, and their next dinner is a five-course, wine-pairing dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
And don’t forget: the full Ray Ray’s Hog Pit menu is available in Granville still, just as a carryout and drive-through.
Ray Ray’s Hog Pit Granville
1256 Columbus Rd.
Granville, OH 43023
(740) 920-9103
