After earning a reputation for serving quality smoked meats and sides from its previous home in a Murfreesboro gas station, pitmaster Ray Clark has relocated his local barbecue business’s base of operations to Lascassas.
Now working in the large white house near Lascassas Self Storage, Clark and his crew continue serving fantastic smoked pork, chicken, ribs, beans, brisket, taters, banana pudding, sausage, greens, and much more at the restaurant, known as Fatguy Southern Kitchen.
Visitors to Fatguy can smell the savory scents pouring out of the smokers upon arriving at the restaurant, situated on Highway 96 in downtown Lascassas.
A large, metal, bull-shaped smoker sits near the road, welcoming visitors, with the restaurant sitting back off the highway just a bit, a large grassy area separating this smoky retreat from the rest of the busy world. The downstairs dining room currently contains only five tables, but the building has room to expand the available dining space for customers upstairs as needed, according to staff.
Plus, the Lascassas location has a beautiful, expansive outdoor seating area with numerous sections, each one containing a couple of tables and lounge chairs and a shade covering, and each one of these sections has an attractive wooden fence neatly surrounding it. This scene would make a very comfortable place for groups to enjoy an outdoor barbecue picnic when the weather is pleasant.
“You must try this place,” said Fatguy patron Dorinda Dawn. “The outdoor space is my favorite!”
In contrast to most restaurants within town, the rural Fatguy Southern Kitchen site boasts a massive front yard area—a fine place to let the kids run and burn some energy well away from any traffic, to throw a ball or Frisbee, or take a walk.
The Fatguy ribs burst with smoky flavor. They are not at all “fall-off-the-bone” (which is overdone, according to many rib enthusiasts); rather, they have an excellent snap to each bite as the carnivore rips the meat from the rib bone, and remain quite juicy.
The place also serves some fantastic smoked sausage—just greasy, salty and smoky enough.
Diners find the pulled pork juicy and smoky as well, and one fan of Southern-style vegetables says the turnip greens are just about perfect, all about well-cooked, tender greens, not overly meaty, seasoned, vinegary or salty.
Robert, a Fatguy team member, says they aim for consistency with all of their offerings. He will sit with Clark at all hours of the night tending to the meat on the smoker as the smoke from hickory and pecan wood bombards it with flavor.
“They honor the smoke here,” posted another pleased customer, Tania, regarding the barbecue establishment. “It’s not about the sauces, but about that nostalgic flavorful smoke in the meat.”
Find all of the staples—pulled pork, brisket, chicken wings, sausage, campfire (quartered) chicken and ribs—during most operating hours at the Southern Kitchen.
But Chef Clark, a.k.a. Fatguy, gets quite creative with all manner of flavorful and meaty culinary inventions. Daily specials could include burnt end tacos, jambalaya, Brunswick stew, fried catfish, ham, a loaded baked potato, Cajun salmon, cowboy nachos, bologna, chicken and dressing, or smoked spaghetti.
“I’ve gotten a smoked turkey from Fatguy for the holidays for several years now; it’s always moist and delicious and a hit with my family,” reported Thomas Blackington. “They also have great brisket and pulled pork.”
The place sells a monster of a sandwich creation known as the Fatguy Slammer, containing brisket, pork, chicken and sausage.
The meats are tasty and moist enough to not require any sauce or topping, but Fatguy typically sets its sandwiches off with a bit of pickle, pickled onion and barbecue sauce.
“It was the most juiciest pulled pork I have ever had,” said Brianna Robinson. “You didn’t need a lot of sauce and the meat was so tender and yummy. I got the potato salad and it was a huge side portion. The portions in general are very generous. The atmosphere was homey and comfortable and everyone was so nice. I will be coming back for sure!”
All of the barbecue platters come accompanied with a slice of sweet and moist cornbread, almost like cake.
Clark said that for decades he dreamt of creating a place that he could call home to his award-winning, slow-and-low smoked meats, a place where friends and families gather and relax over a hearty, home-cooked meal.
After partnering with Daniel Annenkoff, who owns and operates Munch—a Murfreesboro restaurant on Medical Center Parkway that specializes in natural, keto-diet-friendly veggie and protein bowls—Fatguy’s Lascassas eatery has become a spot where good food comes with Southern hospitality on the side.
“Burnt end tacos—so tasty,” said Beth Wrigh, also complimenting the “excellent ribs, yummy blackberry tea and very nice and friendly workers” at the Fatguy Southern Kitchen.
Fatguy Southern Kitchen
6854 Lascassas Pk., Lascassas, Tennessee
Tues.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
615-273-2808
Smoked wing plate (six wings and two sides): $14.99; Pork sandwich with one side: $10.99; Full rack of ribs: $19.99; Fatguy combo platter (any two meats, two sides and cornbread): $16.99; One pound of smoked sausage: $12.99
fatguysouthernkitchen.com
