Reporter Food: Bad Brad’s BBQ in Orion Township
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 22, 2020)
Orion Township, MI- After a lovely hike at Orion Oaks County Park, I decided to re-fuel with some fabulous food from Bad Brad’s BBQ.  There are locations in Clinton Township, Shelby, Township, New Baltimore, and Orion Township.
I’ve long been searching for the perfect fried chicken sandwich, so I couldn’t pass up their Southern Fried Chicken sandwich made with impeccable golden breading, shredded lettuce, pickles and mayo. I got mine traditional, but there are also sweet and spicy and white BBQ versions available. This was exactly the lunch my tummy needed. The chicken was thick and juicy, and the breading was spiced just right.
I didn’t think I’d be a very good reporter if I didn’t get something BBQ at a BBQ place, so I also took home a pizza for later. And what a pizza it was!
The Burnt Ends Pizza was luxurious. This wood-fired pizza was topped with delicious burnt ends, grilled onion, garlic, shaved Yukon potatoes, house blend pizza cheese, and tasty bites of blue cheese drizzled with a tangy sauce. I don’t even know if I can ever love another pizza after tasting this. Potatoes on pizza are amazing, and the only other place I’ve had this was the Teres Major Neapolitan Pizza at Pop’s for Italian in Downtown Ferndale.   I’d love for more pizza places to pick up this idea!
Homemade donuts were also on the menu at Bad Brad’s. These were light, fluffy, and coated with crunchy layer of sugar.  Oh yeah. Yumminess.
There are many other tempting items on the menu including St. Louis Style Ribs, BBQ Chicken, and burgers like the Black and Blue, the Crush Burger, and Bad Brad’s BBQ Burger. Appetizers include Campfire Nachos, Smoke-Fried Wings, Guacamole, and Pig Candy which is thick cut Jones-brand bacon marinated in white sugar with a hint of Chipotle, finished in the smoker.
I ordered mine for curbside pick up, and I couldn’t help noticing the details of the building – the mix of metals and artsy features. I look forward to checking out the inside at some point. Their curbside carryout was very organized, with professionally made signs numbering the parking spots, and a friendly person managing their texts.
The Orion location is at 3437 S Baldwin Rd,.  Check out more locations and the menu on their website https://badbradsbbq.com.
White Castle is the Reporter Food sponsor of Oakland County Times, supporting our quest to explore restaurants throughout Oakland County. Find White Castle locations, and more information about all their menu options, at www.whitecastle.com.
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