JOHNSON'S BBQ SHACK IS SMOKIN' GOOD!

Lining up for some tasty 'Que in Hamilton Town Center

My place of employment has recently opened a new location at the Hamilton Town Center in Noblesville.  Previous to this, I had never visited this shopping destination.  I'm really not a mall person, be it inside or outside, but this place is very nice and kind of entertaining when I think of it as a little "pretend" city!  The dining options here are limited to national chains, with a couple of exceptions which I'll review later.  A few weeks ago there was a Holiday Festival on a BEAUTIFUL Saturday afternoon.  As we were setting up out little promotional table out in the street, I was thrilled to see some food trucks pulling in.  I made the rounds and saw some interesting choices, but as the wind shifted my nose stood attention as the intoxicating aroma of BBQ smoke grabbed me by the nape of my neck and pointed me towards a Harley Orange trailer with a giant smoker protruding out the back end of it!  There were some stick-on black vinyl stickers on the side announcing some of their specialties.  And a fold out dry mark sandwich board announcing what was on the menu that day.  This mobile wonder is Johnson's Bar-B-Que Shack.  Owned and operated by two brothers and their lovely wives, this relative newcomer to the Indy Food Truck Scene is a very welcome addition.  Well over an hour before the official start of the festival, there was a line forming at Johnson's.  I was super curious how this BBQ would stack up against some of my favorites, so I jumped in line and, shortly there after, placed my order with Johnson brother #1.  Pulled pork is my litmus test for BBQ.  Their sandwich, with a choice of two sides, was $8.  A few minutes later the other brother that had been manning the smoking beast came out and handed my more than generously proportioned meal.  A small table was set up with a nice assortment of sauces, many of them homemade, but before adding any sauce I took a bite and was hoping for something special.  WOW, I was not disappointed.  Perfectly smokey, moist, and amazingly tender, with just the right amount of fat for that extra flavor kick but not greasy.  The sounds of ecstasy spewing from my vocal chords while my mouth was full and still chewing must have been very entertaining as my two co-workers watched with wonder and curiosity what all the fuss was about.  I explained how fantastic this sandwich was, having not even sauced it yet, and they soon hopped in line to verity my experience.  Not only did they agree, but while we were sitting there, savoring our meal,  I saw several people make an extra trip back to the truck to express their complete satisfaction.  Checking out their website, it appears as if Johnson's BB Shack is a regular at the First Friday Food Truck Festival an it looks like they do a substantial catering business as well.  It is that time of year when a kick ass smoked turkey or duck would be a great addition to the holiday spread!  ENJOY!