"We are preparing barbecue, southern style, with attitude, a little different, great food," Slawik pointed out as he described Mel's Red Hot Chicken dish. "It is a half a chicken, marinated with French red hot, cooked on a wood-burning grill. It is a fabulous dish, melts in your mouth."

"Barbecuing is a style, a technique. I have done smoked items at every restaurant - fish, meats, ribs, chicken," Chef Chris noted. "I worked at the Forge in Miami. I have been around barbecue my whole life."

The theme is all-American, with state flags hanging all over the building, a new bar, televisions, salad bar, dance floor and porch seating.

The menu has some different nibbles, fried green tomatoes, Tex-Mex pizza, catfish fritters and Mel's favorite, mom's mac n' cheese. Wings, cheese fries, blossoming onion, smoked St. Louis spare -ribs and buffalo shrimp are other choices.

"Cajun fried pickles were in a lot of restaurants when I was younger. They are coming back," Chef Chris said.