The Slugburger
If you’ve ever caught sight of Pat Martin holding court at the upstairs bar of his bustling barbecue behemoth at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on Fourth Avenue downtown, you’d think he never had a care in the world. Surveying the assembled crowds digging on redneck tacos, fantastic smoked chicken wings and racks of ribs that would satiate Fred Flintstone, Martin exudes a calm confidence. Usually surrounded by chef friends from other restaurants in Nashville and around the world, or a cadre of amiable ex-pro athletes, Pat Martin never met someone who he couldn’t charm with his earnest takes on business, life or wrestling.
But when I recently dropped in to visit him to speak about his new burgers and barbecue project, Hugh-Baby’s, opening soon on Charlotte in the previous home of Porter Road Butcher, I noted that it was also the one-year anniversary of the opening of his new mothership of a barbecue location downtown. Instead of sensing celebration in my friend, I noted that his primary emotion seemed to be relief.
“People will never know how scared we were,” Martin shares. “Everybody thinks that we have some huge security blanket because of our relationship with Fresh Hospitality, and we sure appreciate their involvement, but they stroked their check and we cut ours. Martha [Martin’s wife] and I put 10 years of Martin’s on the line with this big ol’ place. Every single time we’ve opened a new place, we’ve gone ‘all in.’ We were getting tired of risking everything!”
Even though he had already opened successful locations in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mt. Juliet, Nolensville and Nashville, the new downtown investment was the riskiest yet. “If it hadn’t worked, it would have decimated the entire brand. But it has been fun, and I don’t regret it one bit! It took a few years off my life, but I’m just now starting to feel good about it.”
Most important to him is that “every place has the same Pat Martin philosophy that I started with."
"People say we’re a chain now, and I’ve digested that," he says. "But if you can come into each new idea, and not get too grandiose, just execute what it is, you’ll do OK.”
So it’s in this environment that Martin embarks on his latest entrepreneurial venture, Hugh-Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop. Named in honor of his great-uncle who unfortunately passed away in the past month (”RIP Uncle Hugh ... wanted you to see it,” Martin said on Facebook), this location is the first in Nashville after testing the concept in smaller food-court versions opened at West Virginia University. The opening date is only speculation, unless you’re the codes inspector who signs off on gas lines, in which case you might actually know, but Martin hopes to open the restaurant at 4816 Charlotte Ave. sometime before the end of August.
Even though both Martin’s and Hugh-Baby’s serve barbecue sandwiches and burgers, Martin promises they will be two very separate businesses; Hugh-Baby's is not just a cut-rate version of Martin's. “This isn’t a P.F. Chang’s and Pei Wei situation — they will have totally different flavor profiles. A trip to Hugh-Baby’s is meant to be a brand-new experience.”
That experience draws from Martin’s youth growing up and eating in Corinth, Miss., and Memphis. “My first experiences eating cheeseburgers and barbecue that I can remember were at places like Danver’s, Earnestine & Hazel’s, and the Germantown Commissary. And I always loved the slugburgers in Corinth and around North Mississippi.” (More on that later.)
“So we’re aiming for a $3.99 barbecue sandwich made from shoulders (instead of whole hog, like at Martin’s,) with a sauce that has a lineage in Memphis. The cheeseburger is going to be $4.29 and come with American cheese, pickle, lettuce, onion, tomato and Comeback Sauce. I promise I’m not gonna chef anything up,” Martin vows. “We’re going to focus on execution, and not cut any corners. If I have to skimp on quality, I’ll get out of the business first.”
To that end, the kitchen at Hugh-Baby’s will grind their burger meat fresh several times a day from a blend of chuck, sirloin and brisket. You won’t see any pre-formed patties coming in the back door at Hugh-Baby’s, not surprising from a man who won’t allow freezers or microwaves in any of his eponymous barbecue joints.
The simple menu is separated into Burgers, Barbecue, Hot Dogs, Fries, Shakes & Drinks, and each section has an emphasis on being able to offer good food fast. “Just because it’s fast food doesn’t mean it’s bad food,” Martin explains. “To us, the term describes speed of service, not the style of food. We want it to be fast and family-friendly. We’ve got a drive-thru, which was important to us so that families could pick up a meal on the way home. We’re aiming for a 1½-minute burger, so we’ve concentrated on working to minimize the steps that a cook has to do. One person cooks, while another one stages the toppings so we can assemble fresh burgers super fast.”
On the family-friendly side, Hugh-Baby’s will have an old-school astroturf playground for the kiddies with whimsical pig statues and decor elements all over the space. Children (and adults) should love the milkshake menu of handmade chocolate, vanilla or strawberry shakes topped with whipped cream and a cherry. The walls will be decorated with sepia prints of institutions that inspired Martin in the concept, like Tops BBQ in Memphis and local institutions Rotier’s and Brown’s Diner.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of Hugh-Baby’s and the greatest throwback to Martin’s roots will be the Friday special of slugburgers. (You thought I forgot about those, didn’t you?) For those unfamiliar to the Mid-South institution, a slugburger is a traditional meal-extended burger, alternatively known as a doughburger. Designed to stretch a dollar, the slugburger is made by mixing ground pork or beef with extenders such as cornmeal or soy meal (“whatever you had,” notes Martin) to extend the number of patties a cook could make with the precious meat available.
Martin recalls, “You bought them by the sack, like tamales. They called them slugburgers because “slug” was another name for a nickel, which is what they cost. Even today, you can buy one for 85 cents at the White Trolley Cafe in Corinth, and you have to specifically ask for beef when you order or else you’ll get a slugburger.” The legendary burger has even been the subject of a documentary by the Southern Foodways Alliance, and the organization has developed an online trail for those seeking out the traditional treat.
Hugh-Baby’s slugburger will be made from a custom blend of ground pork and soy meal and will cost $2.29 apiece. They're deep-fried to a crispy golden brown and served on a squishy bun with lots of mustard, onions and pickles; you’ll want to order more than one at a time. “These aren’t like your elementary school soy burgers,” notes Martin. “They actually taste good! They’re totally addictive, and we go heavy on the onion. There’s no pantywaisting around on these burgers. I think they’re almost like a fried pork loin or pig-ear sandwich.”
Starting out, the slugburger will be available only as a special treat on Fridays. Martin explains, “We want to see if people like them, but we especially want our friends from West Tennessee, northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama to know that Friday is their day here. We hope this will be a destination for them on that day.” Considering Martin’s track record, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hugh-Baby’s become a popular destination on a whole lot more days than just Friday.
Coming soon
4816 Charlotte Ave.
Nashville, TN 37209
