Pawcatuck a culinary cornucopia

October 16, 2011 12:00 am • Last Updated: October 13, 2011 11:02 am

By By JOE WOJTAS Day Staff Writer

Stonington - While finishing his 11-year stint in the U.S. Marines in Tampa, Fla., a few years ago, Hilbert Gibbs was a frequent customer of a place called Nick's Barbeque.

When the owner decided to sell the place he asked Gibbs if he wanted to buy it.

Gibbs took him up on the offer and soon called his grandmother, a North Carolina native, to get her recipes for southern style barbeque sauce and side dishes such as collard greens and potato salad.

Business remained slow for a few months until Gibbs hit on an idea - offer delivery.

"There wasn't one place that delivered barbeque in Tampa," he said. "As soon as I did that, it took off like a rocket."

He soon had four other locations. Earlier this year he and his wife Tracie sold the restaurants and moved to Shannock, R.I., where she is from and began selling barbeque out of a cart next to their house. That resulted in a controversy with some town officials and the 35-year-old Gibbs, who is a native of New Haven, began looking for a restaurant space.

He soon found one, a small storefront at 36 Mechanic St. in Pawcatuck that was owned by a friend. Last month, Gibbs and his wife opened Kit Kat's Smoked BBQ. Kit Kat is the nickname of their 11-year-old daughter.

The southern style barbeque is the latest culinary offering in downtown Pawcatuck, which already has Han's Dynasty Chinese restaurant, C.C. O'Brien's pub, the Downtown Creamery, Prime Time Cafe, Bogue's Deli and the planned opening of the Broad Street Bar and Bistro.

First Selectman Ed Haberek said last week he not only welcomed the arrival of a new type of food in the downtown but a businessman contributing to the revitalization of downtown Pawcatuck.

The most important part of Gibb's operation sits on the backyard lawn of the restaurant overlooking the Pawcatuck River.

That's where he keeps the large outdoor smoker that slowly cooks the pork, chicken, ribs and beef brisket over oak and mesquite wood at 300 degrees. Gibbs designed the smoker, and it was built by Tracie's uncle.

Gibbs said he is out tending the smoker most days beginning at 6 a.m.

"This is all old-style cooking. This takes time, aggravation and hard work. I put a lot of love into this," said the gregarious Gibbs. "What makes me and my wife happy is when people come in hungry and leave happy."

Gibbs' prices are reasonable, with dinners of pulled pork, chicken, ribs or beef brisket with two side dishes, corn bread and a drink ranging from $7.25 to $9.

Side dishes include homemade baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, collard greens, corn bread and corn on the cob. For large groups there is the half pound of pork, half pound of beef, four pieces of chicken, one rack of ribs, two large side dishes, four corn breads and two liters of soda for $46.

"We want to keep our customers happy and our prices low," he said. "We want them to feel like this is their home."

Gibbs said that he learned in Tampa to always listen to his customers.

"I'll try things they suggest. They're spending their money and paying our bills," he said.

Gibbs offers sit-down dining, take out and delivery.

The inside of the restaurant is simple but bright with lime green and red walls, hard wood floors and a few tables. A large fish tank is along one wall.

Before Gibbs could open, he spent a few months bringing the building up to code, building a kitchen and installing new plumbing and a grease trap.

He thanked town officials for their cooperation.

"They worked real hard and wanted to help me," he said. "The town welcomed us with open arms. Me and my wife really appreciate it."

j.wojtas@theday.com

Hilbert Gibbs sets up a rack of ribs for cooking in the smoker at Kit Kat's Smoked BBQ in Pawcatuck last week.