twoguystrybbq-blog

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Gates BBQ

Ben:

It was a big week for Leo and I. Not because anything particularly noteworthy happened in either of our lives (unless Leo got married without telling me, and in that case, I’m furious because I absolutely plan to vomit on the dance floor at his wedding). It was a big week because we were visiting another “heavyweight” in Kansas City barbecue. This was Gates week.

In actuality, I didn’t decide and suggest we try out Gates until the Sunday we did. I was feeling a little rushed, a little lazy, but mostly just hungry. And lucky for me (and Leo), one of Gates’ several locations is just around the corner from my apartment. I drive by this particular location several times a week, but I never stopped in, knowing that Leo and I would eventually give it a proper Two Guys Try, try. It would be a shame to sample Gates haphazardly; it deserves respect.

My guess is that Gates BBQ is the most widely-known Kansas City purveyor of barbecue. People in the barbecue community (yes, that exists), will rightfully sing the praises of Joe’s, or Slap’s, or LC’s. But if you have a friend from, say, Atlanta, there’s a strong chance that person knows about Gates. If your buddy has been to Kansas City just once and just for a weekend, I bet he went to Gates. Gates is Kansas City barbecue.

To be clear: I’m not saying Gates is the McDonald’s of barbecue. Far from it, nothing about Gates feels over-produced or inauthentic. They’ve just followed a simple formula to becoming KC’s most well-known barbecue: simple but classic and superb food, wildly tasty sauces, and that easily recognizable Gates BBQ sign.

Leo and I met at Gates in the late afternoon on a beautiful Sunday. In fact, it was likely one of the last truly perfect weather days we’ll have in Kansas City this year -- a light breeze, gentle sun, temperature in the mid-70s. Lucky us, Gates has plenty of patio seating.

Gates has been slinging ‘cue since 1946. I obviously wasn’t around then, but I can guarantee you not much has changed since then. Gates feels steeped in tradition. It all starts with the women taking your order with Gates’ trademark “Hi, may I help you?” (a phrase that is literally a Gates catchphrase on signage). You might not know you’re next in line, or where the line is going, but they know, and that’s all that matters. And more importantly: the way they take your order at Gates is unique to Gates and part of the experience. It’s tradition.

The Gates’ menu almost certainly hasn’t changed since the 40’s -- a testament to the quality of barbecue. Beef, ham, turkey, pork, ribs. (Gates also, obviously, offers burnt ends, but those likely weren’t around until… the 60’s?). By the pound, on white bread, or on a bun. All your sandwiches come with fries. Or, if you really want to get wild, Gates has the staples of the side game: beans, potato salad, slaw. No pickled seaweed on a bed of kale here, Gates is strictly Kansas City barbecue. It oozes history and authenticity.

When Leo and I ordered, we were siphoned off into separate lines. The wait was less than 10 minutes, but there were enough people to certainly call the place “busy.” Off on my own while Leo placed his order, I peered behind the counter to Gates’ smokers -- those wondrous caverns of smoked meat. Everytime the smoker opened, I was wafted with smokey deliciousness.

As we were at a classic barbecue establishment, I placed a classic order: brisket, fries, beans, and sweet tea. While my order was being prepared, a woman next to me picked up her “Presidential” barbecue tray and good Lord did it look magnificent -- a tray about a yard in diameter piled high with a bounty of meats. We’ll leave that for another time and when I’m ready to move up in weight class. Today, I’ll just take my typical feast.

By the time my food was ready, Leo had collected his order, extra sauces (a necessity at Gates), and made his way out to the patio. Did I mention it was a beautiful day? Because it hit me again as I sat down in the shade, surveying my plate of brisket and Leo’s plate of ribs. Time to loosen the belt.

At Gates, it all starts with the sauce. Gates is known for its sauces, and for good reason: you’d be hard-pressed to find a more flavorful sauce in the city. The Gates original sauce is about as far away from the cheap grocery store sauce you dip you McNuggets in; it’s packed with strong flavors. The original is much spicier than most, but certainly not in an overpowering way, because that spice is balanced out with plenty of tanginess (it’s a word). Nothing about this sauce is weak, and for me, it’s the highlight of every meal I’ve had at Gates -- including the several meals I’ve had there since Leo and I visited.

The spicy sauce is extra spicy; proceed with caution. But again, it’s not just some sort of hot sauce parading as barbecue sauce. There’s a delicate balance of flavors going on here. Yes, the spicy sauce has a kick, but I have had no problem slathering it on a sandwich or dunking fries in it.

Like the sauce, the beans were bursting with flavor. It had been years since I had tried Gates’ beans, so on this day I was particularly blown away by how flavorful they are. In terms of consistency, the beans aren’t thick and hearty, nor were they soup-like; they are somewhere in between but always packed with complex flavors. On the first bite, I thought the beans were spicy. On the second, I thought sweet. On the third… tangy? On the fourth bite I just knew I wanted more. All sandwiches at Gates come with fries, but I can’t recommend enough trying the beans; you won’t regret it.

When I think of Gates’ brisket, one word comes to mind. Quality. Because Gates has been at it for so long and with so many locations around Kansas City, you know their barbecuing process is down to a science. No single piece of meat will be tough, no piece lacking in smokey flavor. And again, it’s important to note that nothing about Gates tastes mass-produced. Instead, the brisket I had that day tasted like something that’s been perfected over decade after decade.

The brisket you get at Gates is the epitome of Kansas City barbecue: thin sliced, tender but not fatty, and a distinct smokey flavor that pairs perfectly with a sauce. And for that matter, Gates is the epitome of Kansas City barbecue: Strong, flavorful sauces paired with meats smoked the same way and with the same level of care they were 80 years ago.

If you find yourself in Kansas City for just one day, Gates is on the short-list of barbecue joints you must visit.

Leo:

A beautiful day and wonderful barbecue!

Kansas City in spring and fall is a great place to be.  The air loses some humidity, the temperatures level out to the mid-70’s, and the sky is a brilliant blue.  And this Sunday at the beginning of September was near perfect.  It was also opening day of the 2018 football season and Kansas City was bristling with anticipation for the first game of the season, especially considering that Patrick “Showtime” Mahomes would be quarterbacking for the Chiefs.  I love football and play fantasy football, so I was caught up in the excitement of the day and the beauty of the weather.  I almost forgot about barbeque!

Around mid-morning, Ben texted me: where are we going to eat today?  I was pulled out of the haze of football back to reality.  We had barbeque to eat today!  The Chiefs were starting at 3:00pm, so I suggested that we grab lunch around 1:30pm.  That way we’d have plenty of time to eat and I’d be able to get back in time to watch the game.  Where should we eat, though?  Because time was a factor today, we decided to go to Gates because it was close to both of us.  

We had been waiting to go to some of the “standard” KC barbeque spots to make sure that we experienced all the variety that Kansas City barbeque has to offer.  But it had been a minute since we had been to one of the old standards, so off to Gates we went.  All this to say that we probably won’t be going to one of the standards again for at least a couple of weeks.

A few hours passed and the football season started.  My roommate Chris plays fantasy football, too, so that means that we watch a ton of football on Sunday to see our players perform.  Before I knew it, it was half-time and I needed to get going if I was going to meet Ben on time.  I hopped in Isabella (my Kia Rio), rolled down my windows, and turned the music up.  Goodness it was a terrific day!

Ben had gotten to Gates a bit before me.  We met up in the parking lot and headed in to try some of Gates’ legendary barbeque.  Now, I have had Gates’ barbeque multiple times since coming to Kansas City.  But I am always startled when the person behind the counter yells: “Hi! May I help you?”  Also, I always get a bit nervous, too!  For some reason, I feel a lot of pressure when ordering that I don’t feel at other restaurants.  

Under this pressure, I quickly scanned the menu.  I was hungry (surprise, surprise) and wanted more than just a sandwich or a combo plate.  I decided on a half-rack of ribs and a side of fries.  Not too adventurous, but I do love ribs and fries are great to try out the different sauces.  Before I knew it, I had a huge pile of fries topped with some huge ribs.  My mouth (as I write this and then) started salivating.

Ben was still getting his order, so I walked over to the sauce station.  The first thing that I noticed was a sign that said: “Please do not fill coffee cups with sauce.”  How good must the sauce be that people would fill entire coffee cups with sauce?!?  There were three sauces to choose from: sweet and mild, original classic, and extra hot.  I grabbed three sauce cups and filled them to the brim with one of each type of sauce.  Then, I headed outside (because of course we were going to sit outside).  

Ben took a little while getting his food.  I anxiously awaited him coming out so that I could dig in (I had to wait for him (1) because I am so polite and (2) he had to take a picture of my food for the blog).  It was a beautiful day to sit outside and wait, but the aroma of the ribs tortured me.  I may have had a couple of fries while I waited.  Then, when Ben finally came out, he had not seen the sauce station and had to go back in!  This was torture.  I didn’t think that I could hold out much longer.

Finally, Ben arrived with sauce, took a picture of our food, and I dug in.  Just as the aroma had promised, the ribs were delicious.  They were meaty and juicy and had a little burnt skin that was incredibly flavorful.  The ribs were good without sauce (you could tell that they had been cooked with a meat rub), but the sauces really heightened and complemented the smoky flavor of the ribs.  My favorite was the extra hot sauce.  It added a delightful heat to the ribs.  I may have overdone it a bit because I definitely got the meat sweats halfway through my meal.

We finished up and headed off to enjoy our Sundays: me watching football, Ben watching fights.  I don’t know about Ben, but I know that Gates was great fuel to cheer on the Chiefs to a victory over the Chargers (and Patrick Mahomes to a four touchdown game!).  The weather stayed great all day and I could not have asked for a better Sunday.

While it may be an “old standard” of Kansas City barbeque, that does not mean that Gates is ordinary.  There is a reason there are Gates’ barbeque joints all of the Kansas City area.  If you are coming into Kansas City to visit, it is one of the barbeque joints that you should definitely eat at.  And you could get your picture taken in front like I did!

So, I hope that you are hungry!  Gates is one of the barbeque places that solidified Kansas City as a barbeque town.  So, if you are hungry, you should go to Gates and remind yourself of the reason that Kansas City is a world-renowned barbeque town!     

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Back Porch Bar-B-Q

Leo:

It’s in a hotel!

When Ben said that we would be meeting up at a hotel for barbeque, I had some concerns.  From previous outings at hotel restaurants and bars, I knew that they tended to be more expensive.  And how good could hotel barbeque be, anyhow?  Would they even be able to smoke their meat at a hotel?  Maybe this would be our first so-so barbeque experience in Kansas City (spoiler alert: it wasn’t!).

I drove out to meet Ben at the Adam’s Mark Hotel (near the stadiums and just off 70).  It was not a holiday weekend or anything like that, but the parking lot was packed!  I went inside and there were hundreds of people in the lobby.  I knew that there were fight weigh-ins going on, but it looked like there were also a couple sports camps and family reunions; it was craziness!  

I somehow found Ben in all of this madness and we headed to the hotel bar.  As we entered the bar, there was a stand that said “Back Porch Bar-B-Q” and we headed over.  No one was around the stand, but we saw several other tables with numbers and assumed they were waiting for orders.  

After a couple of minutes, a woman showed up and asked us for our order.  “Uhhhhh,” I kind of stammered, “where’s the menu?”  “Right here, sweetie,” she said patiently and pointed to a piece of paper.  I examined the menu: it wasn’t even laminated, it was just a simple, one-sided, no nonsense piece of paper listing the available options.  Of course, someone had shown up behind us, so I immediately felt a ton of pressure to order.  “I’ll have the ribs,” I blurted out without really thinking.  “Okay,” the woman smiled, “what’ll be your two sides?”  “How about potato salad and fries?” I responded.

“Uh-oh,” I thought, “how much did I just spend?”  She rang me up on an iPad (I’m still always so impressed by technology) and I braced myself for the bill.  With tip, it was under $20!  Which I didn’t think was too bad for a rib dinner (that’s about what a rib dinner usually costs, in my experience so far).  Ben ordered and we headed to the bar to get a drink.  Because it was a hotel bar, I knew it’d be expensive, so I leaned into it and got a KC Bier Co. Dunkel.  Surprise of surprises, it ended up being on special!  We grabbed a table and waited for our food.

Because it was a bar, they had a pool table, but Ben was not interested.  So we sat and talked about weigh-ins and the fights that Ben was going to cover the next day.  Interestingly, Ben had told a team that he’d be eating at Back Porch and they showed up right after we did.  The fighter on the team was a vegetarian or a vegan, though.  “Not a lot of options for vegetarians/vegans at a barbeque joint,” I thought.  But it ended up being really cool because the cook came out and worked with her on what she could order and still stick to her diet.  

The wait for the food was a little bit longer than usual, but it came out hot and steaming.  It was a bit of the opposite of what I’d expected from a barbeque restaurant in a hotel!  [Note: This was another restaurant that didn’t have sauce on the table, so if you like lotsa bbq sauce, make sure to order extra!].  

I’m noticing that, for some reason, I always dig into the sides first; maybe it is a bit of preparing my palette for the main course?  I started with the potato salad.  Hands down, it was divine.  This potato salad was everything that I wanted in a potato salad: chunky, mayonnaisey, rich, and without a lot of crunch (i.e. not loaded up with vegetables).  Needless to say, the potato salad was gone before I realized what had happened.

The ribs were amazing as well!  I got five long end ribs (meaning huge freakin’ ribs) covered in sauce.  As I had come to expect from KC ribs, these ribs were succulent and almost perfectly prepared.  They had just enough char on the outside to give the skin a smoky delicious flavor.  This also kept the tender meat together, but as soon as I took a bite, the tender meat melted and flooded my mouth with deliciousness.  Paired with a Dunkel, this was a perfect meal.

As kind of a side quest in our journey to try all of the barbeque joints in Kansas City, I’ve been taking note of the restaurants that provide you with moist towelettes for you to clean your fingers after eating barbeque.  And Back Porch Bar-B-Q is the first restaurant to provide moist towelettes.  I don’t know what it means, but I will continue to keep track and maybe at the end of all of this, we will be able to figure out if there is a distinction between the restaurants that provide moist towelettes and the restaurants that don’t.

We finished up and headed off to a Friday night of fun, but it was a great way to start the evening.  In fact, the next time I go to a Chiefs’ game or a Royals’ game and I’m not tailgating, I plan to go to Back Porch Bar-B-Q.  I think that it would be a really fun afternoon or evening to park and eat at Back Porch and then walk over to see some top-notch Kansas City sporting events.

Also, Back Porch is a step closer to Independence than we’ve gone before, so if you are reading from east Kansas City, we are making our way to you!

All-in-all, I was very pleasantly surprised by a great experience at Back Porch Bar-B-Q!  So, why not get some tickets to a home Royals’ game or a Chiefs’ game and stop by and grab some great barbeque.  Or if you don’t live in Kansas City, make a trip over here and stay at a great resort (I’m guessing) and eat some terrific barbeque.  Or go there for lunch today!  So many options, but all of these great options involve eating at Back Porch Bar-B-Q as soon as you can!  I know that you will enjoy it!

Ben:

I know we’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: the beauty of this project is that it gets us (and vicariously you, the reader) to try barbecue joints around the city that we would have never stumbled upon otherwise. That’s the case about a million times over for our Friday night dinner at Back Porch Bar-B-Q, because this fine establishment is currently operating out of the Adam’s Mark hotel just across from Kauffman Stadium. So unless you’re in town to root on an away team against the Royals or Chiefs (gross), it’s easy to miss Back Porch Bar-B-Q. But have no worries, friends; Leo and I are here for you.

First, some background about what brought us to Back Porch on this particular Friday night. When I’m not scarfing down barbecue, writing about barbecue, or thinking of where to find my next barbecue meal, I cover and write about fights for CombatDocket.com. Yeah, that gruesome, brutal, anything-goes cage fighting you’ll see on your blood-splattered TV screen from time to time. I kind of think it’s the truest, most beautiful sport in existence, but that’s a 20,000-word essay for another time. Of importance here, I was at the Adam’s Mark on Friday evening to cover the weigh-ins for pro fights that were set to take place the following night. Fighters strip down to their skivvies, stand on a scale for a hot second, then raise their fists and stare at each other in a show of intimidation; it’s fun all around.

Back Porch Bar-B-Q is on our list as a barbecue joint located in KCMO, and from what I gather from my internet sleuthing, it recently relocated from its standalone location to inside the Adam’s Mark hotel. Perfect, I thought. I can kill two birds with one stone: catch these weigh ins, then immediately stuff my face with barbecue, all without leaving the Adam’s Mark.

And it’s a good thing I had done my research, because other than a single sign in the outrageously busy Adam’s Mark lobby, I couldn’t find any clear signage leading me to Back Porch. On my way to the weigh-ins (which went off without any pre-fight shoving or drama), I took note of the sign and my growing hunger.

Leo met me after the weigh ins were complete, about 6:30. Following the sign in the lobby, we made our way to… the hotel bar? Are we in the right place? But before Leo and I could look any more lost, we noted a host’s podium with a couple Back Porch Bar-B-Q menus on it, and a few seconds later, a nice woman (who I assume is the owner) greeted us, assured us we were in the right place for barbecue, and took our orders.

Back Porch doesn’t have a huge menu by any means, but it hits all the notes you need for your barbecue joint. Brisket, pork, ribs. Fries, beans, potato salad. Obviously there’s more, but this isn’t a Top Chef competition; Leo and I are here to try the best barbecue you have and not much else. I went with the pork sandwich with fries and beans. As we were ordering, I took note of some of the fighter-types in the room: a fighter set to compete the next night (she told us she was a vegetarian… but we later saw her speaking to the cook about getting something special), the TV commentators for the fight, and the number 14-ranked middleweight fighter in the world. It made me happy to see my two worlds -- fighting and barbecue -- coming together.

Since we were in a bar, we naturally ordered beers as we waited for our food. In fact, given how busy Back Porch seemed to be, we assumed we’d be waiting for a while (several beers-worth) to get our food. But it arrived quicker than I expected, brought out by an incredibly personable server -- something that’s the norm at barbecue joints, I’m finding.

My sandwich, fries and beans came in hearty portions all together on a plate. Outside of the normal rush of endorphins that hit when barbecue is put in front of me, the first thing I noticed about my sandwich was a floss pick (rather than a toothpick) sticking out. I pointed this out to Leo, and our server was quick to jump in: “You’ll need it. Gotta get every bit.” So, you’re saying the food will be so good that I need floss it out from in between my teeth to get another taste? Sign me up.

To be honest, the sandwich obliterated my expectations. The toasted bread, rather than soft white bread, was a welcome change that added a bit of crunch to the sandwich. And that crunch played perfectly against perhaps the most tender pork I’ve had yet. Looking closely at the sandwich, it’s piled high with sliced pork. But biting into the sandwich was like biting through butter. I didn’t find myself tugging on fatty pieces of meat or working around tough individual slices of pork. Oh no, my friends, this pork was the kind that melts in your mouth -- just incredibly smooth, tender, and moist pork that’s no doubt been smoking for hours upon hours. Throw that together with buttery toast and some light, sweet sauce, and you have an ideal bite of sandwich. I have no idea if Back Porch Bar-B-Q really started on someone’s back porch, but if it did, this would be the best back porch barbecue I’ve ever had.

The fries were huge and hit the spot. The beans were my favorite variety -- extra thick, with no shortage of meat, and certainly on the sweet side. They’re the type of beans that you could realistically eat as an entire meal; they’re hearty, filling, and bursting with barbecue flavor.

As we wrapped up, Leo and I discussed our expectations going in and how it compared to our experience at Back Porch. How is this place just hidden inside this hotel? Do all these guests have any idea that there’s some excellent barbecue in their hotel lobby? It all feels par for the course -- a relatively hidden gem in Kansas City that’s turning out some of the best barbecue you’ll ever taste. So even though it might mean sitting elbow-to-elbow with some random fans in town to cheer against the Royals or Chiefs, I’d happily recommend Back Porch Bar-B-Q to any Kansas Citian.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Smokehouse Barbecue

Ben:

We’re starting to branch out a little, and I don’t hate it one bit. To be certain, we still have some barbecue in KCMO left to try and a handful of places in KCK we’ll visit, but we’re beginning to exhaust all of our very local barbecue options. And for me, this will be one of the best aspects of this project moving forward: getting into new parts of the KC Metro area, visiting suburbs I didn’t know existed, all while sampling the best barbecue in the world.

With that said, we visited Smokehouse Barbecue in Gladstone on a Sunday. If I recall correctly, we had tentatively planned to grab barbecue on Saturday, but we unexpectedly over-served ourselves on Friday night, which spiraled into a full day of needed recovery. It seems the reality that my hangovers are never getting any better is finally sinking in. I can’t prepare for these bad boys any more. It doesn’t matter how much water I drink on Friday night, or even how little alcohol I drink on Friday night (seriously, just three drinks does the trick for me), I’m donezo on Saturday.

So, knowing that barbecue deserves our full, not hungover attention, we postponed the feast on Saturday and re-scheduled for Sunday. After combing through our comprehensive list of all barbecue in Kansas City, I settled on Smokehouse, which has three locations in the metro area. The location in Gladstone was about a twenty minute drive, but still the closest of all three. We met at Smokehouse in that sweet spot of barbecue feasting: mid afternoon. After the lunch rush, but before they’ve run out of any important items (tell a man “we’re out of burnt ends” and I’ll show you a man in despair).

I first drove right past Smokehouse, but when I circled back, I’m not entirely sure how I ever missed it. It’s a huge restaurant with -- as you may guess -- beautiful barbecuing smoke billowing out the roof.

I met Leo inside; he had already been seated and ordered an appetizer of burnt ends. I’m totally fine with burnt ends as an appetizer. Or an entree. Or, hell, toss some extra charred burnt ends on some vanilla ice cream and have them for dessert. We don’t discriminate.

As we caught up on how brutal our hangovers were, I took note of Smokehouse’s huge interior. This place is no hole-in-the wall, it’s a big restaurant made to accommodate large groups. I imagine graduation parties, company lunches, and family reunions eat here all the time. Indeed, if you’re visiting Kansas City with a large group of people and want to check out some quality barbecue, I’d probably send you to Smokehouse.

Our burnt end appetizer arrived and we ordered our main courses; I went with more burnt ends (don’t judge), sausage, baked beans, and cheesy corn.

The burnt ends at Smokehouse are fantastic -- certainly more on the meaty side than the fatty side, and still with plenty of char in each and every bite. These aren’t the type of burnt ends that just fall apart in your mouth because they’re all fat; these are the burnt ends that deliver all the flavor you need between the char and the sauce, but come in a hearty chunk of meat. The burnt ends here are substantial.

Our appetizer, as well as our entrees, came pre-sauced -- something both Leo and I have decided we don’t have a problem with. For starters, pre-sauced meat almost always come with hot (temperature, not flavor) sauce. Rather than drizzling some room temperature sauce on your ‘cue, the sauce goes straight from a warmer in the kitchen to melting into your meat. It feels… fancy? Maybe. And what’s more, pre-sauced meat allows us, as eaters, to just sit back and trust the choices of the cooks and pit master. Instead of guessing which sauce mixes best with which meat, we’re letting the professionals handle that business.

In short order, our main courses arrived. The burnt ends, I should note, were still fantastic. Smokehouse also offers pork burnt ends -- something I’ve never tried -- but I was more than happy with the traditional beef/brisket burnt ends.

The sausage was a traditional dinner-style sausage, with finely ground filling and a smooth exterior. Smokehouse’s sausage is on the mild side in terms how strength of flavor, but for me that really means I can pair it with other items and sauce without the sausage over-powering anything.

The sides at Smokehouse are what I would confidently describe as… strong. The cheesy corn was a first for me, and did not disappoint. It’s rich and creamy -- like mac and cheese. But instead of pasta, you have packets of sweetness with the corn. And while it may look a bit like that creamed corn they fed you in elementary school, this is a quality side dish that’s been prepared fresh and with care. The same can be said of the beans, which were thick, smokey, and tasted like they had been prepared low and slow for the past few days.

Even though I came into Smokehouse hungry as ever, I found myself slowing down at the end of this meal. Was I losing my fastball? Was I struggling to put away truly disturbing amounts of barbecue in one sitting? We’ll find out, I suppose. In any event, it’s safe to say that Smokehouse delivered in the portions department; I’m not easily stuffed on barbecue.

If you live in the city, make the short trip to Smokehouse Barbecue, particularly if you don’t feel like waiting in line and you’re jonesing to be waited on. The barbecue -- as you should expect -- delivers.

Leo:

A big plate of delicious food!

This experience starts on Friday night.  A legal organization that I am in had an anniversary party from 4pm to 7pm.  There was a buffet and an open bar, both of which I visited.  Around 7pm I called Ben who was just about to go to a movie on the Plaza.  “Well, don’t do that,” I said.  “Well, what should we do instead?”  Ben asked.  “Let’s meet up at O’Dowd’s on the Plaza, have a drink or two, and decide.”  

So, about thirty minutes later, we were at the bar at O’Dowd’s.  After a couple of tasty beers, we headed upstairs to the balcony because it was a semi-nice night.  Oh, and throughout all this, I’m still in my lawyer get-up: nice pants, nice jacket, and suspenders.  We are sitting up on the patio and Ben and I get to talking about other cool spots in Kansas City that we had not been to.  I mean, we’ve frequented Westport a lot, but we’d never been to the Crossroads.  So, let’s go to the Crossroads, we decided!  There’s no time like the present, right?

We Ubered to a bar called “Ruins Pub” and what is awesome about this pub is that it has a serve your own beer station.  You get a card from the bartender that keeps track of how much you spend and then you can sample from over different beers.  Ben and I ran into a group of friends celebrating a birthday and shared a Lunchbox shot, which may be responsible for how we felt the next day!  In celebrating, I remembered seeing on Facebook that one of my friends had a birthday, so I texted her.  Turns out that she was out and about at Dave’s Stagecoach Inn in Westport.  So, to Westport we went!

This all ended with me explaining to a group of my friend’s friends all about this blog and handing out our business cards (yes, we have business cards, have I mentioned that before?).  I figured I would give them a shout out in case they read this article.  So, if you see Ben and me out and about and as us, you too could be featured in our blog!!  After having some amazing street tacos, Ben got me an Uber home.

We had planned to get barbeque on Saturday, but we were both…recovering.  We would not have been in a good position to have a barbeque experience, so we postponed going to get bbq until Sunday.

Getting barbeque on a Sunday is difficult because many barbeque restaurants are closed on Sunday.  One that was open was Smokehouse Barbeque, another Kansas City barbeque restaurant that I had not yet heard of.  It is a bit of a drive for Ben and me, but hopefully we have or will have some readers in Gladstone who will appreciate our going to a restaurant outside of the city.  So, still feeling it a little from Friday night, I headed up to Smokehouse BBQ in Gladstone.

I was the first to arrive.  When I entered, I was a bit confused (imagine that).  On my right was an ordering station and in front of me was a counter that looked a lot like other barbeque joints’ ordering counter.  “Was there not dine-in seating?” I thought.  I was apparently next in line and I had no idea what I wanted to order!  The pressure was really mounting up!  I think the hostess noticed my “distress” and asked me if I’d like to be seated.  “That would be great,” I said.  She led me around a corner into the dine-in area that was quite expansive, you just can’t see it immediately from the door.  I did notice as she sat me at a booth that a group was celebrating a birthday (must have been the theme of the weekend) and we sang happy birthday to an older gentleman.

Our waiter told me that Smokehouse served sweet tea and I knew that this was going to be a great experience!  I don’t know many places that offer sweet tea, but I am always elated when I go to a restaurant that does.  The waiter came back with my sweet tea and I ordered a burnt ends appetizer.  As Ben arrived, the appetizer came out and we dug in.  The burnt ends were “fresh-out-of-the smoker” hot and steaming.  The sauce was unique in a great way: I’d say it was more vinegary/tangy, but still thick and definitely with a little bit of a kick (oh, and just an fyi, Smokehouse does not have sauce on the table, so if you are a big sauce lover, be sure to ask for extra!).  And the burnt ends were terrific little chunks of goodness.

As we finished up the burnt ends, our waiter came back to take our orders.  I got the Chef’s Special: pork spare ribs, baby back ribs, bone-in chicken and burnt ends with French fries and potato salad.  For some reason, this did not register as a lot of food, but when it came out, I was overwhelmed by the amount of food that I had gotten.  Again, you could tell that all of the meat was fresh out of the cooker and it was all slathered with a generous helping of sauce.  

I dug into the pork spare ribs first.  They were huge!  And they were so delicious.  These ribs had a perfect coating of char/burntness from the smoker that gave way to some of the most tender meat that I’ve yet to experience.  And the meat had a distinctive sweetness from the smoker that complimented the tang of the sauce very well.  

Next I turned to the chicken and I remarked to Ben my realization that I had not yet gotten bone-in barbeque chicken from a barbeque restaurant!  It was great!  The skin was a perfect firmness to hold the tenderized chicken together.  Again, the meat had that sweet, sweet flavor from the smoker; not overwhelming, but just a hint, to leave you wanting more.  

It was at this point that the realization that I’d gotten too much food hit me.  For the first time in a long time (I’m a big guy), I had to get a takeout box.  But the ribs and burnt ends I saved were a splendid dinner!

So, if you are in Gladstone, or anywhere in Kansas City for that matter, I highly recommend Smokehouse BBQ.  I hope you’re hungry and I hope that you go try some new barbeque today!!!

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

BB’s Lawnside BBQ

Leo:

What an Experience (and some great nachos)!  

Some people say that there is a reason for everything and it would seem that there was a reason that our previous attempts to dine at B.B.’s were frustrated.  Ben was leaving for Philadelphia for the weekend, so we had to get barbeque on a Thursday night.  The Kansas City sky was threatening rain, but with the overcast sky, we did get some sweet relief from the past few weeks of summer heat.  Because it was so nice, Ben suggested that we try B.B.’s Lawnside again and check out its patio.

So, without Gracie this time, we headed south to B.B.’s.  We arrived and told that there was going to be live music starting soon.  It looked like several in the crowd had finished eating and were waiting for the music to start.  I usually enjoy live music and I’ve heard that B.B.’s offers great live shows.  That it offers live music regularly (I mean this was just a run-of-the-mill Thursday night!) is a big plus and I was excited for the music as we were shown to our seats.

We asked to sit outside and we were the only people sitting on the patio.  The waitress came and informed us that Miller Lite tallboys were only $2, which made my drink decision easy!  I scanned the menu and the first thing I was struck by was that, besides the barbeque, the food options all had a southern/Cajun feel.  This gives B.B.’s a large variety of food options to choose from, not just the standard barbeque meat platters and dishes.    

Ben and I had quite the hunger and we decided to get an appetizer.  We went with BBQ Nachos.  Ohmigosh, these nachos are amazing!  The chips themselves were like old school ballpark nachos (before you only got a bag of Tostitos).  They were loaded with cheese, pulled pork, and beans.  And they were delicious.  The sauce from the beans and the pulled pork mixed well with the cheese and became a semi-sweet and spicy sauce.  For some reason, the aftertaste reminded me of cornbread.  These nachos were hearty and I told Ben that I almost regretted getting food and should have just ordered another serving of nachos!

The whole time we were eating the nachos, the temperature dropped another couple of degrees and the sky darkened.  It was definitely going to rain and soon.  But luckily the patio had an awning.  Within minutes of finishing the nachos, it was pouring!  The rain would be finished by the time that we left, but it was pretty awesome to be eating great barbeque out in the rain, with thunder roaring and lightning crackling.

As the rain poured down, our waitress brought out our dinners.  I got the Burnt End dinner.  One of KC’s specialties is burnt ends and B.B.’s burnt ends were no exception.  The pit beans that came with the meal were great, too.  My favorite part of the meal, though, was the fries.  I know, I know, I can hear it now, that this is supposed to be about barbeque, not sides!  Well, the barbeque was great and the experience was outstanding, but the part of the meal that really sticks out in my mind was the fries.  I have never had battered fries before, but I hope that I have them again.  These fries were potato spears that had been battered and deep fried.  They were crunchy and delicious and complimented the meal well.  

As we finished up our barbeque, there were a few moments where we were just sitting in the stillness in the rain.  Then, the live music started.  It was rockin’!  I can’t imagine a better dessert to our meal than to sit and listen to a few songs from a live band.  The music the band played was a mix-up of rock ‘n roll and jazz, with a bluesy feel.  I dug it quite a bit.  We probably would have stayed longer listening to music, but (1) we hadn’t paid the cover because we were just eating and (2) Ben still had to pack for his trip to Philly the next day.  So, as the rain had turned into a light sprinkle, we headed out.

As we drove home, I reflected on how great of an experience eating at B.B.’s had been.  It got me thinking about all of the other great experiences that we have had eating barbeque.  B.B.’s was our eleventh barbeque restaurant on our way to trying all of the barbeque in Kansas City.  Despite that, it was as unique of an experience as the ten restaurants before it.  Maybe it is because I am writing about each trip, but I remember each experience vividly.  

And I think really that is what Kansas City barbeque is all about.  We are a great barbeque town with so many terrific options to choose from (an embarrassment of riches as one of my friends would say).  I’m very glad that we write about the experience of going to these great barbeque restaurants because I would be woefully inadequate at trying to distinguish the barbeque itself or rank it, it is all just too good.  

So, I hope that you enjoy reading about our experiences as we go to every barbeque restaurant in Kansas City.  I hope that it gets you salivating and hungry for some barbeque.  And I hope that our articles prompt you to go out and try some new barbeque!  More likely than not, if you go to a new barbeque restaurant in Kansas City, you’re going to get a fantastic meal, you don’t have to worry about that (how great is it that you can randomly pick a barbeque restaurant in Kansas City and more than likely get barbeque that is some of the best in the nation!).  You’ll also have a great and unique experience.  

Our trip to B.B.’s was a wonderful experience that we won’t be able to duplicate.  But I am excited for future experiences at B.B.’s and hearing about your B.B.’s barbeque experiences.  I hope that you are hungry and why not go try B.B.’s today?

Ben:

I’ll say this up front: our trip to BB’s Lawnside BBQ was one of the most enjoyable overall experiences I’ve had so far on this endeavor. The food, the setting, the beer… BB’s Lawnside delivered. Not that you shouldn’t read to the end of this review, but those are the facts.

With me planning to head out of town for a weekend of debauchery in Philadelphia (a woefully barbecue-inadequate city), Leo and I scheduled our weekly barbecue for Thursday night. Still undecided where we’d go by Thursday afternoon, I noted that it was absolutely perfect outside. It was one of those Kansas City summer days that give you the respite from the relentless heat and humidity that you’ve endured for the past two months. We’re talking partly cloudy, high 70s, slight breeze.

With weather in mind, I proposed to Leo that we eat dinner at BB’s Lawnside, known for its patio (and, if you’ll remember, somewhere we had previously tried to go with Gracie in tow). Leo agreed and the plan was set.

Knowing that we’d be feasting that night, I had foregone a normal diet for the day, eating only one over-priced and nutrient-rich smoothie. I figured that would suffice for my serving of fruits and vegetables for the week, right? Whatever, the important part is that my stomach was empty enough and my hunger pangs were strong enough to be all kinds of ready for BB’s Lawnside barbecue.

As we arrived, pulling into BB’s huge gravel parking lot, I noted for the first time that evening that the sky had turned from partly cloudy to… very cloudy. Dark clouds, even. I commented to Leo that it looked like it may rain, eliminating the whole impetus for our trip to BB’s Lawnside. But by then, Mother Nature couldn’t possibly hold us back, as we were near minutes away from yet another barbecue feast. And besides, BB’s patio was partially covered, so we’d be fine.

We went into BB’s relatively busy interior and told the guy at the door we wanted to sit outside. Apparently, there was live music that night (something that happens nearly every night -- BB’s Lawnside is a blues bar, after all), but because we didn’t plan to stick around all night, we could forego the $10 cover charge.

Since we were both starving, Leo and I quickly decided to order an appetizer. BB’s menu has the barbecue basics -- brisket, pork, ribs, etc. -- but also plenty of other options, many of which are cajun and creole inspired. We decided on the bbq nachos: chips (duh), pulled pork, pit beans, and chili cheese sauce. I also decided on my order: the rib dinner with “skillet fries” and pit beans. And to top it all off, we ordered tall cans of Miller High Life (note: Leo remembers this as Miller Lite, but I think that’s just the beer talking), which just so happened to be my beer of choice in college. Nostalgia and what not.

Our nachos arrived quickly -- a paper boat of all your favorite ingredients thrown together. I snapped a couple pics and dug right in. It’s safe to say now that ordering those nachos was one of the best decisions I made that week. These nachos weren’t anything fancy, but I think that’s part of what made them so good. I told Leo that they reminded me of something that someone would bring to a backyard barbecue, and it would be the one item that everyone at the party raves about. These are your Aunt Kathy’s nachos that everyone talks about. “Is Aunt Kathy coming? She’s bringing those barbecue nachos, right?”

Seriously, though, the nachos were delicious. There were hints of sweetness, I imagine from the beans and barbecue sauce (I think), but they were hearty, as well, with plenty of pulled pork and chili cheese sauce. I’m tempted to go back to BB’s just to order the nachos as my meal, that way I wouldn’t have to share.

As we waited for our entrees, it began to drizzle a little, then rain, then really rain. No worries, we were protected by the patio roof. And as it started to rain, the band inside began to play. Between the Miller High Life, the nachos, the rain all around us, and live blues music in the background, it couldn’t get much better.

Actually, it could, because our food arrived.

Like the nachos, the entrees weren’t short on portion size. The ribs came slightly sauced over a pillow of white bread, a mountain of potatoes nestled next to a cup of beans.

Also like the nachos, the ribs reminded me of something I’d eat a backyard barbecue -- from that one guy that’s incredibly good at barbecue. The ribs were extra smokey, with a pretty distinct flavor. Of course, the meat itself was tender, but the big takeaway for me was BB’s smokey flavor that permeated the ribs. Again, maybe it was just because we were sitting outside, drinking my favorite light beer, but everything on my plate reminded me of the best backyard barbecue you’ve ever been to.

The “skillet fries” were chunks of fried potatoes that served as an ideal conduit for BB’s original and hot sauces. The beans were extra thick with plenty of meat, certainly more on the hearty rather than sweet side of baked beans.

As we finished up, I could barely finish my ribs, which prompted some expected teasing from Leo; finishing your meal is both American and manly. The rain had mostly died down, making it safe for us to walk back through the interior and out to the car. As we stopped inside, the band was going full steam ahead with some quality blues music, and the restaurant was bustling -- a stark contrast to our solo patio experience.

BB’s Lawnside has an excellent patio, live music, and all the tastes and feelings to remind you of the best backyard barbecue you’ve ever been to.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Plowboys Barbecue

Ben:

The night we went to Plowboys we had a plan. And, if I can pat myself on the back a bit, everything went according to that plan. On Friday after work, we were going to meet at my apartment and enjoy a handful of craft beers while we designed and ordered business cards for the blog. Yes… business cards. (How we’re going to turn this thing into a “business” is something we can figure out down the road, right?). From there, we’d head out to Plowboys -- a short drive from my apartment -- and from Plowboys we’d hit the town (i.e. our favorite Westport watering hole).

Leo arrived to my place after work, greeted Gracie, we designed and ordered business cards (which turned out well!), guzzled a couple beers, walked Gracie, and just like that we were set to embark on yet another barbecue feast.

Plowboys is not a little roadside shack. It doesn’t have the feel of a backyard barbecue. Instead, Plowboys is smack in the middle of the Power and Light District in downtown Kansas City on the first floor of an office building. In that sense, Plowboys is an atypical barbecue joint. But while it may be atypical, it highlights something I’ve written several times on this barbecue journey: Kansas City barbecue comes in all different shapes, sizes, locations, buildings and atmospheres. It would be foolish to dismiss Plowboys just because it has a clean cut, modern look to it.

Inside, Plowboys has a clean and efficient feel to it -- the type of place I imagine moves tons of meat over a busy lunch hour. It’s counter service, and it’s the kind where you watch your order be assembled in front of you -- always a plus for me.

As Leo ordered, I noticed Plowboys rather large trophy cabinet; Plowboys appears to compete regularly in barbecue competitions, and certainly takes home the hardware. And later, while we were eating, I spotted a wall of ribbons and awards Plowboys had won. We haven’t yet dipped our toes into the competition barbecue scene, but I can only assume there’s no way Plowboys is producing mediocre barbecue with such an extensive competition track record.

I ordered burnt ends and sausage -- two meats I’m starting to realize are likely my favorite picks at barbecue joints. For my sides, I settled on baked beans (they call them “pit beans,” here) and, at the urging of the woman behind the counter, cheesy potatoes.

My order came neatly presented on a square tray -- the burnt ends and sausage orderly packed on top of a slice of Texas toast, the sides in individual bowls on the side. The presentation falls in line with Plowboys’ neat and clean aesthetic; this isn’t he huge pile of meat and sides on top of a styrofoam plate you’ll get elsewhere.

Before I dug in, I took the time to each of Plowboys’ four sauces: original, sweet, hot, and extra hot. Leo and I decided that each sauce seemed to build on the other. The original is on the thin side and extra tangy, the sweet a bit thicker, the hot a bit hotter (duh), and for my money the extra hot was the best sauce of the four. It wasn’t overpowering spicy in any sense. Rather, it was just as much sweet as it was spicy, and certainly one of my favorite sauces I’ve tried so far. The combination of sweet and spicy, all with tang of the original sauce was a perfect complement for the meat.

And let’s get to those meats. The burnt ends were the star. I think what makes a truly perfect burnt end is that mixture of extra smokey char and extra tender fat put together into one bite. Plowboys’ burnt ends nailed this mixture: each perfectly portioned burnt end had a full edge of char along with a healthy serving of fat. There’s a real attention to detail at Plowboys, and it showed through on their burnt ends, which were by far the best thing I ate all week.

The sausage was a classic-style sausage, with a finely ground filling bursting with flavor. Like any good sausage, it doesn’t need any barbecue sauce, but I found it paired exceptionally well with Plowboys’ extra hot sauce.

The “pit beans” were not on the thick side, but still packed with chunks of meat. And the cheesy potatoes were a wise choice; I’m glad I followed the employee’s advice. Cheesy potatoes are something I wouldn’t mind seeing at more barbecue joints. I mean… you have your cheese, you have your potatoes… what’s the hold up? It’s an ideal side for a barbecue feast. In any event, Plowboys nailed them.

As we wrapped up our meal, Leo and I had the same conversation I feel like we have every week: “I’m surprised by how good this place is.” Plowboys is almost hidden in plain sight. It’s in one of the busiest parts of the city, but because it’s not a typical roadside shack, it’s easy to overlook it. But I’m telling you now: don’t make that mistake. Plowboys must not be slept on.

From Plowboys, our plan continued on with great success. We drank well into the night (ok, until about 11:00, I think), successfully sated with a layer of exceptional barbecue lining our stomachs.

Leo:

Get the pulled pork!

I think my favorite time to eat barbeque is after a long day at work.  And don’t Fridays just tend to drag on with all of the anticipation for the weekend?  This Friday was no exception and I also had evening barbeque to look forward to, so this Friday went particularly slow.  But, as all things, work came to an end and I headed over to Ben’s apartment.

We had been talking about designing business cards for a hot minute.  We had gotten to the point where we had several posts on the blog and we felt that it would be a good time to start being a bit more proactive in letting people know what we were doing.  And it is always super fun to design business cards!

A shout out to Office Depot because it has a ton of business card options and you can get fifty business cards for $10.  It took us about an hour, but we both now have business cards, making Two Guys Try BBQ an official thing (but you already knew that!).  So, if you see us, ask us for a business card, they are super snazzy.  With the residual excitement from designing business cards and the upcoming expectation of great barbeque, we headed to downtown Kansas City to try out Plowboys.  

I didn’t know what to expect from a barbeque restaurant in downtown Kansas City.  I expected new and shiny, but is that really good for a barbeque restaurant?  I mean how can you build up years of flavor in a smoker if you are a new and shiny barbeque restaurant?  Also, downtown tends to be much more expensive than the rest of the city, so I was a little worried about how much this was going to cost me.  As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about!

I don’t like parking.  I am an absolute horrendous parallel parker (I had about 10 feet to parallel park my little Kia Rio (her name is Isabella) at Ben’s apartment and I was all up on the curb).  And downtown parking garages tend to be a tad expensive, especially on Friday night.  There was a parking garage next to Plowboys that was reasonably priced for the weekend ($4 if we were out within an hour).  But the first four floors were all reserved for other businesses!  I’ll admit, the parking spot I ended up taking on the fifth floor was reserved as well, but I was over looking for a spot and it was about 7pm on a weekend; I didn’t think anyone would mind.

We went down to ground level and crossed over to Plowboys, which wasn’t too busy.  As we walked in, the restaurant was shiny and new, but the smell was aged and flavorful!  We walked up to the counter (you get to watch them make your food) and decided what to order.  I went with the Royal Crown Combo because I’m fancy like that:  four ribs, pork, brisket, and two sides (beans and cheesy potatoes).  The woman plating our food did such a wonderful job cutting up our food and organizing it on the tray (the OCD part of me, really enjoyed that organization!).  And for all that food, it turned out to not be too terribly expensive; both Ben and I got out of there for under $20.  

The first thing that I’ve taken to doing now if I don’t get fries, is to dip the bread that invariably comes with the meal in the sauces to see which one(s) I like the best.  Plowboys has four different sauces:  KC Crossroads, Sweet 180, Spicy, and En Fuego Spicy.  Ben and I talked and it seems like Plowboys made KC Crossroads first (it is vinegary and less sweet) and then they made the Sweet 180 that was a sweet version of the KC Crossroads.  Then, the Spicy (a spicy version of the KC Crossroads) and En Fuego Spicy, which was a spicy version of the Sweet 180.  I liked them all, but my favorite were the KC Crossroads and the Spicy.  Ben liked the sweeter sauces.  

So, I put a generous helping of KC Crossroads and the Spicy sauce on my tray and began to eat.  The ribs and the brisket were of excellent quality and I highly recommend them.  But the pulled pork…that was my jam.  I’m going to go out on a limb and say that it is the best pulled pork that I have ever had.  Unlike a lot of “pulled” meats that I’ve had before, it was still very moist.  It also had a ton of taste: kind of a saltiness mixed with a smokiness.  Because it was so moist, it was good with or without sauce, but I thought the KC Crossroads and the Spicy sauces really complimented the pulled pork well.  

I gave Ben some of the pulled pork and he agreed with my assessment of its greatness.  He let me have a burnt end and it was flavor packed.  Both the burnt end I tried and the ribs had a nice crust over tender meat that just absorbed the smoke and the flavor from the smoker.  This is starting to be a common theme among the great barbeque that we’ve had and it makes sense why burnt ends have become such a sensation in Kansas City.

As we finished a truly delightful meal, we admired all of the ribbons that Plowboys had one in various barbeque competitions.  With such great barbeque, I could understand why!  So, if you are in downtown Kansas City for business or pleasure, I highly recommend stopping by Plowboys.  In fact, you should figure out a reason to go downtown so that you can eat at Plowboys!  One quick word of caution:  Plowboys does have some odd hours, so I’d double-check before you head out to make sure that it will be open when you get there.  

Another fantastic barbeque experience in Kansas City!  I hope that you are hungry and I hope that you are encouraged to get out there and try some new barbeque!!!

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Big T’s Bar B Q

Leo:

Well worth getting there early!

I have to admit, I was always a little reluctant to try Big T’s.  It is located down from and kind of catty-corner to LC’s.  But it is across the street from the “Relax Inn” and abuts another abandoned hotel, both of which scream horror movie.  And the building seems a bit ramshackle from the outside, like it used to be a different restaurant, but I can never quite put my finger on which one.  So, though I’d driven past it many, many times on my way to Chiefs or Royals games, I had never gone in and tried their barbeque.

I texted Ben all of this and his response was just, “You? Scared? Lol.”  So, we agreed to go to Big T’s after work.  It was a Tuesday.  We weren’t able to go over the weekend because I had a wedding (with some amazing brisket if you are ever at the Loose Mansion) and Ben had a family obligation.  I had not seen Gracie (you should know who this is by now) in a hot minute, so I volunteered to drive and met up with Ben at his apartment.  After saying hi to Gracie, we got in my Kia (named Isabella) and headed over to Big T’s.

As we drove over to Big T’s, I showed Ben the text my boss had sent me with an alphabetical list of all of the BBQ joints in Kansas City.  It was like our blog was meant to be.  I mean, we start a barbeque blog and then a few weeks later the Kansas City Business Journal lists all of the barbeque restaurants in Kansas City for us?  It has to be more than coincidence.  Also, it was a little daunting because there are over 100 restaurants on the list!!!  But going off of a list eases my mind a lot more than just Google searching to try and find all of the places we need to eat.

I’ve said in earlier blogs that each barbeque restaurant provides its own unique experience, which seems to flavor the barbeque, and Big T’s was no different.  In fact, the experience began in the parking lot when Ben and I noticed a van in the drive-thru lane!  A barbeque restaurant with a drive-thru, that’s something I’d not seen before.  We entered and both experienced a weird déjà vu, as if we had been to this restaurant before.  After we ordered, Ben and I talked about it and Big T’s reminded us of pizza joints that we had frequented when we had been kids (even though he is from Kansas and I’m originally from St. Louis).  But we had not been to Big T’s before and if was certainly unique: with an ordering area connected to the dining area by a carpeted path and big, old fashioned booths for seating.  The walls were covered with old Chief’s photos, the most recent from the late ‘90s, and newspaper articles featuring Big T’s.  The lights were dim and it smelled heavenly.

Ben and I ended up ordering the same thing, which is a first if you don’t count the times we have shared food.  The reason we ordered the same thing is because Ben tried to order sausage and Big T’s was out.  We also found out that they were out of burnt ends.  We were there about 6:30pm, so, a word to the wise, it might be best to go to Big T’s for lunch to make sure that you can get what you want!  One family came in with a birthday cake, pushed two tables together, and was clearly ready for a party, but left shortly after that because there was not enough meat for the whole family.

So, we each got a platter with ribs and brisket that came with two sides (I got fries and onion rings).  We got our drinks and went to sit down.  It wasn’t long before the waitress was bringing our food out to us.  It looked amazing.  I stared at a big pile of thinly sliced brisket, covered in sauce and five massive ribs.  Another note, Big T’s does not have their sauce out on the tables, so if you are a big sauce fan, be sure to ask for extra, which they will happily provide.

I dug in.  Can I say again how much I love living in Kansas City and the access we have to amazing barbeque?  Big T’s brisket was just lovely.  And the sauce!  It had the tang of Arthur Bryant’s original sauce and the slight sweetness like Slap’s; it was a great combination!  The sauce was probably my favorite part of the meal (which is excellent because whatever you get, it’ll come with sauce), but I loved the brisket, too.  

Oh, I forgot to tell you about the ribs!  They were massive, probably the biggest ribs that I’ve gotten so far.  But the bones were the smallest bones that I have ever seen in my life.  Imagine: a massive rib, about five inches long and an inch wide, but the bone was only about half-an-inch long!  It made me feel like a giant!  Both Ben and I were perplexed as to what part of the cow or pig these tiny bones came from.  But we both loved the amount of meat that came on them.  Also, like other great ribs, they were deliciously tender, but had a tough, slightly burnt outside that was packed with the flavor from the smoker.  They were excellent.  I take it back, maybe the ribs were my favorite part of the meal…oh, well, either way, I think you should try it all!

It was a large amount of fantastic barbeque and it wasn’t long before I had the meat sweats (surprise, surprise).  I powered through, finished it all, and licked my fingers clean.  “Whew!” I exclaimed, “That was excellent!”  Ben agreed and I could see that he was working up a healthy case of the meat sweats, too.  We bussed our trays, said thanks to the staff for a wonderful meal, and headed out.

What a great experience and what great barbeque!  Last week we went to a place that I’d never heard of before and this week we went to a place that I was hesitant to go.  Both times it was a great time and broadened my horizons.  So, maybe you’re like me and have driven past Big T’s hundreds of times, but have never gone in.  Do yourself a favor and stop in the next time you drive by and get some delicious barbeque.  Heck, why not go today?  

Ben:

Our trip to Big T’s was a break in our routine. Not because it didn’t involve stuffing ourselves with copious amounts of smoked meats -- that’s the part of the routine that will never change. It was a break from the norm because we went on a Tuesday night, rather than our usual Saturday late lunch or Friday pre-game meal. Travel, family birthdays, weddings -- these things can get in the way of weekly barbecue. But here’s a fun fact: barbecue is as good on a Tuesday as it is on a Saturday.

Big T’s has two locations; we visited the one in that no man’s land part of Kansas City just Southwest of Arrowhead and Kauffman. It’s not quite in a neighborhood, nor is it quite the country, and it’s certainly not a suburb. No matter, though, as this must be the hot spot for barbecue, because Big T’s is just down the road from another Two Guys favorite -- LC’s. I spotted LC’s, it’s smoker billowing into the sky, on our drive to Big T’s, and instantly had a feeling of warmth. Like when you spot Christmas decorations in the basement. Good memories.

Big T’s looks like what you’d expect from a barbecue joint: small, unassuming, and simple. On the inside, Big T’s is equally straightforward with a counter and traditional menu hanging behind it. Nothing fancy at Big T’s, but at the same time everything you could possibly want: brisket, burnt ends, ribs, sausage, and turkey. The sides here have a bit more of a Southern feel to them, with corn on the cob, cornbread, and collard greens in addition to what I’d like to call the “Holy Trinity” of sides: beans, potato salad, slaw.

When I first ordered, I learned that Big T’s was out of a couple items -- the burnt ends and sausage. Here’s the thing about quality barbecue: at, say, a pizza joint, this would be unacceptable. But at a barbecue place, this can be a sign of good things to come. We were, after all, making our orders at the end of the day, and running out of menu items means two important things: 1) they’re only serving us fresh barbecue; and 2) they’re popular enough that they run out of items.

After re-thinking my order a bit, I settled on brisket, ribs, fries, and greens. As Leo ordered, I took note of one of my favorite features of many barbecue joints: the meat cave. Just like LC’s up the road, Big T’s smoker is right there behind the counter, and with every order placed, the pitmaster opens that glorious cavern of meats. Big T’s smoker looked just right, like it had been smoking meats around the clock for no less than a decade.

We sat down to wait for our food and discuss our first impressions of Big T’s. The interior is… unique. Dark lighting, carpet, and a huge mural of a rural farming scene. This maybe isn’t the place you’d take a date (and if you do, he/she is a keeper), but the interior boded well for the quality of barbecue we were about to dive into. I’d like to think that too much thought put into interior design is only a distraction from what’s really important: the quality of the barbecue. A good barbecue joint can stand alone on the quality of its product, no matter where it’s located or what building it’s in (see, also: Joe’s BBQ inside a gas station).

Unlike everywhere we had been so far, Big T’s doesn’t have its sauce out on the table or have a sauce station. Instead, our dinner plates came out pre-sauced, with the option of additional sauce.

I had no problem with the pre-saucing, because both Leo and I quickly agreed that the Big T’s sauce was spectacular. If, on one end of the spectrum is Slap’s with its super-sweet sauce, and on the other end is Arthur Bryant’s with it’s gritty vinegar sauce, Big T’s fits right in the middle. It’s just the right amount of sweetness that it actually enhances the meat without overpowering. The sauce felt like it soaked into the meat, rather than just being an add-on.

And let’s get to those dinner plates. No small portions here. The monstrous ribs were stacked onto a heap of brisket. The ribs were excellent, with a thicker-than-usual rub and skin that gives the rib a bit of texture, while the meat (of course) passed the fall-off-the bone test. The brisket was extra moist -- fans of brisket on the fattier side will appreciate Big T’s. And at the same time, because it’s thin sliced, the fat never feels overwhelming; you never feel like you’re just eating gristle. The brisket also had a strong rub. If I had to guess, I’d think that the rub is just coarse salt and pepper, but those simple ingredients mix perfectly with a nice hunk of brisket slow-smoked for hours on end.

Big-T’s sides, while simple, are worth traveling for. Full disclosure: I love collard greens. Will almost always order them. Big T’s did not disappoint in that regard. The greens didn’t have any bacon in them, but packed loads of spicy flavor. Again, if I had to guess, I’d say that these greens are made with incredibly simple ingredients, but when done right, the simple things are the best things. That same philosophy carried over to the fries, which were the big, fresh-cut variety. Straight from the potato, to the oil, a dash of salt, and into your mouth.

From the building it’s in, to the meats, to the sauce, to the sides, Big T’s is a pretty straightforward barbecue joint. No frills. No bells and whistles. But they know what they do and they do it well. It’s a place for truly authentic Kansas City barbecue with straight down the middle, reliably high-quality food.

We left Big T’s to grab a beer, but after our first couple sips, both of us agreed we were too stuffed to even consider a second beer. Big T’s turned us into teetotalers? A job well done.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

RJ’s Bob-Be-Que

Ben:

Will we ever learn? Will the simple truth about Kansas City barbecue that continues to hit us in the gut ever really sink in? Here we are, Leo and I, two extremely educated professionals (Leo’s so educated he had an extra year of college just to hang out with me!), and we still find ourselves surprised by how good barbecue is in this city. We should know by now: our barbecue experience is basically guaranteed to be excellent.

As I look back on our trip to RJ’s, I’m legitimately frustrated with myself for not having the highest of expectations. But there we were, on a typical Saturday afternoon, jonesing for a feast. I had not only withheld food for most of the day, but I had also worked out. I was running on a caloric deficit, and I can think of few better ways to get back in the black than barbecue.

And speaking of hunger, Gracie (my dog) was out of food, so I needed to make the trek out to the near suburbs to Petsmart. I had heard of and driven by RJ’s a handful of times, and only heard good things. Killing two birds with one stone, I suggested to Leo that we check out RJ’s. The snobs that we are, there was a bit of “it’s in the suburbs” judginess going on (at least on my end). Leo had never heard of RJ’s and had only ever noticed their humble building in passing. Without speaking it, I set my expectations relatively low.

That was an error in judgment.

I picked up Leo and drove us out to Mission, Kansas -- a near suburb. In fact, from the Plaza to Mission is less than fifteen minutes. It takes more time to heat up a frozen pizza than it does to get to RJ’s.

RJ’s has a typical roadside BBQ shack feel to it -- a simple, relatively small building. It was closed, but we noticed a sizeable patio in the back, complete with a stage for live music. I can’t recall if it was then or afterward (or both) that I told Leo we needed to dedicate a day to just drinking at a bbq joint. Beers and barbecue and beers and barbecue for as long as my waistline and liver can handle it sounds about right.

On our way inside, we also noticed that RJ’s offers brunch. Brunch! What a spectacular idea. RJ’s was off on the right foot, because I’m a fan of any place that expands barbecue deeper into more aspects of our lives. I love the idea of a barbecue brunch.

To my surprise, RJ’s isn’t counter service; it’s restaurant style with a server. That said, it’s still a barbecue joint and extremely casual. On the wall across from me were about a dozen ribbons and awards, presumably from barbecue competitions. A good look. Behind me was a print of John Wayne with an eye patch. That’s not at all related to barbecue, but just something I want in my apartment.

Leo and I are beginning to perfect the barbecue order. We decided to split one of the family size plates: Brisket, ribs, burnt ends, turkey, beans and mac and cheese. Typically, I’m hesitant to order turkey at a barbecue joint; it can either be too dry or too close to deli meat. It’s difficult to find turkey that keeps the smokey flavor we’re looking for. But after our server assured us that the turkey is moist and smokey, we went for it. Our server also commented on just how unfair it is that I can eat the way I do and never gain any weight (I don’t disagree that this is incredibly unfair, but eventually I assume I’ll have to pay up for the deal I made with the devil).

As a side note: RJ’s has an expansive menu. Fried fish, chicken, salads and burgers. And more importantly, they have some happy hour deals that are out of this world. Cheap, quality beers -- need I say more?

As we waited for our food, we took note of RJ’s offering of sauces, which was also expansive. Obviously, RJ’s has an original sauce and a hot. But on top of that, they offer Southern (extra sweet) and Habanero (extra spicy).

At the end of my hunger rope, our food arrived, and what a beautiful pile of meat it was. Lost in an ecstasy of barbecue bliss, I can’t recall what I tried first, but I’ll do my best to describe each item.

The ribs: legitimately one of the best items I’ve had since we’ve started this project. Period. Full stop. RJ’s ribs are up there with the best of the best. The rub is thick enough that you know it’s there, but it in no way over-powers the meat, which falls clean off the bone. Given the flavor on the skin, the ribs don’t need any sauce, but they pair perfectly with the original sauce, which has a strong, tangy, vinegar flavor. The ribs at RJ’s are something you need to travel for. I’m talking road trip.

The burnt ends: Also legitimately one of the best items I’ve had yet. The perfect combination of fat and char packed into a nugget of goodness.

The brisket: Thin sliced, moist, but not overly-fatty. A perfect compliment to a burnt end, because the brisket at RJ’s doesn��t rely too much on fat in the meat to give it flavor.

The turkey: Took me by surprise. Incredibly moist but not rubbery in the least bit. RJ’s turkey actually tastes like barbecue, and that’s difficult to accomplish. This wasn’t just a good cut of turkey that you slather in sauce, this was smoked turkey that tasted like it had been smoked right alongside the brisket for God knows how many hours.

The sides: The beans were thick, meaty, and unsweet. The mac and cheese was most certainly homemade and made fresh, complete with a baked crust on top. The sides had what you really look for in bbq joint dishes: authenticity.

As Leo and I ate, we both commented on how wildly surprised we were by RJ’s. The food is legitimately just as good as any one of the “heavyweights” of Kansas City barbecue, yet it somehow flies under the radar. Leo had never heard of RJ’s. I had barely heard of RJ’s. This is a travesty! I’ve eaten the best barbecue Kansas City and Texas has to offer, and RJ’s is, without question, elite barbecue. Leo agreed. We came to the conclusion that the goal -- the mission -- of this blog should be to draw more attention to the barbecue joints that may be lesser known but are nonetheless outstanding.

RJ’s: you inspire me. You gave me meat sweats, also. But mostly you inspired me to explore more, to try more barbecue, and to stop carrying any sort of expectation whatsoever into a barbecue meal.

Leo:

A daimond in the rough!

Ben and I had quite the weekend trying to get some BBQ.  On Friday night, it was beautiful outside: it was the first “cool” night in a very long time.  I suggested and Ben immediately agreed that we should try to get some barbeque at a restaurant with a patio.  BB’s Lawnside has a patio and we had heard a lot of good things, including that they’d have live music after 9:00pm.

Because of our experience at Woodyard, Ben thought that BB’s Lawnside would let us bring Gracie (Ben’s dogo) with us as long as she stayed on the patio.  I was a bit skeptical and was pretty sure that Woodyard was the exception, not the rule.  But, heck, it was a beautiful, Friday evening and it was worth a shot.  

So, we headed down to BB’s (it is south of where I live in KC).  We got out of the car and saw that the patio was a fenced in deck and there didn’t appear to be any way for Gracie to get in without going through the restaurant.  We looked around the back to see if there was another patio, but there wasn’t and we were told by a waitress that there were no dogs allowed.  Sad day!

We were undeterred and resolved to go to Martini Corner where there were some dog friendly patios.  But because of the beautiful weather, they were absolutely packed and there was no room for us and Gracie.  By this time, it was 8:00pm and Ben and I were pretty hungry, so we gave up on brining Gracie with us and headed to the Westport Ale House.  It was also packed on its upstairs patio, but there was lots of space downstairs.  Westport Ale House had a $6 brisket sandwich with fries that was delightful and then we went upstairs and found some seats by the bar to enjoy the rest of the evening.

On Saturday, Ben and I were both busy.  Sunday came around and it was hot out.  If you’ve read some of my other posts, you know I’m not a big fan of the heat, so we decided to save BB’s for another time when we could sit out on the patio and enjoy the weather.  Being a Sunday, a lot of BBQ joints were closed, too.  But Ben had heard of a place called R.J.’s over in Kansas that was open on Sundays and was near a Petsmart (Gracie needed food…I just realized how much Gracie has controlled our recent barbeque experiences!!!).

I’d never heard of R.J.’s before, but, then again, I hadn’t heard of about half of the places we’ve been to either.  I’ll tell you up front that R.J.’s was so good that it has changed the purpose of our blog!  In the beginning, I would say that we were writing up our experiences at barbeque restaurants to hopefully aid others in selecting a restaurant to go to.  Then, it transitioned to picking out particular items at particular restaurants, so that if someone went there, they would have an idea of what to get.  After R.J.’s though, it is now about educating Kansas Citians about all the good barbeque we have at our disposal.  I mean, I’ve lived in Kansas City about ten years now and had never even heard of R.J.’s, whose barbeque is as good as the heavy hitters: KC Joe’s, Jack Stack, Gates, and Arthur Bryant’s!  There’s no way to compare it all!  Hopefully our entries will convince you to go out more and try some new-to-you barbeque restaurants (maybe starting with R.J.’s?).

Back to Sunday.  We entered at about 2:00pm and it was definitely after the afternoon rush.  The restaurant area was medium-sized and there was an outdoor area that looked like it hosted live music on occasion.  We were shown to our seats by our hostess who was very friendly and hilarious!  And she made me feel better about my size: “You’re not supposed to be skinny, you’d look weird.”  I laughed and thought, “Darn right!”

The menu had a lot of choices and R.J.’s offers a lot of weekly specials and happy hour deals.  I got the standard Bud Light to drink and Ben and I settled on splitting a platter with brisket, turkey, ribs, and burnt ends and beans and mac ‘n cheese as sides.  Our waitress told us that RJ’s used a dry rub, which scared a lot of people away from the sliced meats because they thought the meats would be dry.  That couldn’t have been further from the truth.  The brisket and turkey was some of the moistest, thinly sliced meat that I’ve yet to have.  Usually turkey can be dry at barbeque restaurants, but not this turkey.  

The burnt ends were spectacular and, as I’m discovering with a lot of good burnt ends, the burnt part is the best.  With the burnt part of the burnt end, you get so much flavor from the smoker packed into a tiny portion of meat.  The ribs were real winners as well and I continually commented to Ben about how they were as good as the ribs from Arthur Bryant’s that we raved about a few weeks ago.  But it was great to notice the difference between the two restaurants, too, and both had their own signature tastes.

Lastly, the sauces.  There were four sauces: an original, a sweet, a southern, and a jalapeno.  I like spicy things, but it took a bit of courage to try the jalapeno because it was a very dark brown and looked dangerous.  But, in conquering my fear and trying it, I was rewarded by a soft sweetness and a pleasant kick.  My favorite, though, was the southern sauce (I’m not going to describe it because I think that you should go and try it for yourself!).  

The platter was great and fully satiated our hunger for barbeque.  And split between us, all told it only cost us about $15 each, which is great for a platter of wonderful barbeque.

So, if you haven’t heard of R.J.’s or haven’t tried its barbeque, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.  Take a long lunch or round up the family and head over, it will be well worth it!

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Rosedale BBQ

Leo:

Some of the best ribs in Kansas City!

Ben and I aren’t food critics.  So, a lot of the nuances of tasting food probably escape us.  We only know if something is good (or great) or not.  And this is our personal opinion and I can’t back it up with any sort of “flavor profile” of the barbeque, like when you try fine wine or beer.  All that said, we both thought that we’d hit the top last week when we went to Arthur Bryant’s.  

This was kind of my mindset going into Saturday.  I’d tried a lot of barbeque in the last 2 months and I expected Rosedale’s to start to blend together with the other barbeque trips.  To say it another way, after Arthur Bryant’s, I didn’t really expect anywhere to stand out.  

That is one of the great things about committing to going to all of the KC BBQ joints, though.  We get to keep going to new, different barbeque restaurants and writing about our experience.  If not, we might just have stopped and made Arthur Bryant’s our place and not going anywhere else.  And I would not have got to experience the great barbeque at Rosedale’s.  Also, this is the second time that I’ve been really happy to be wrong about barbeque.

Now, I had never heard of Rosedale BBQ before and didn’t know anything about it.  I Googled the location and drove over to meet Ben at 2pm on a Saturday.  By-the-by going to eat barbeque in Kansas City is a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  I walked in and Ben wasn’t there yet so I got to look around the restaurant.  For the first time, Rosedale’s was a bit like what I expected a BBQ joint to look like: a long bar/counter, a place to order your food, and then old school tables and chairs each topped with sauce and paper towels.  It smelled heavenly and I hoped that my shirt would soak up the smell.

Ben walked in and I turned my attention to ordering.  There was a big billboard with all of the menu items (which was a tad overwhelming!  I’m glad there wasn’t a line and I had time to choose what I wanted).  The ribs called to me (“Leeeeooooo, Leeeeooooo,” they said), but Ben said that his friend had recommended the pulled pork.  Luckily, Rosedale’s has a “Deluxe Combo.”  It came with two meats, a half-rack of ribs, beans, fries, and slaw.  This sounded perfect.  I got pulled pork and beef for my meats.

I ordered and waited for them to bring out my food.  When it came out, Ben and I both let out a “Whoa.”  Rosedale’s puts all of your food on one picnic plate.  So, before me was a plate, heaped full with meat and a slap of ribs on top.  I couldn’t even see the fries or the beef.  It was definitely “deluxe!”

I went to sit down and immediately dug out a couple of fries.  The way that the food was served made eating kind of a treasure hunt and as I ate, I kept finding more and more delicious surprises.  Anyway, I used the fries to taste the sauces.  Both the regular and the hot were very good, with a mid-range consistency (i.e. not too watery, but not too thick, either).  To me, the hot tasted a bit like Goldfish crackers (which is a great thing) and had a pretty good kick.  The regular sauce was quite tasty and had a bit of a kick as well, enough so that by the time I was halfway done with my meal, I had a good case of the “meat sweats” going.

As for the meal itself, I’d like to focus on the ribs because they were tremendous.  First off, they were huge and had so much meat on them.  They were so tender, I couldn’t believe it, but they weren’t falling apart.  Rosedale’s (which has been around since 1932!) found a perfect balance between juicy tenderness and a good consistency to keep the rib from falling apart.  The skin was just a perfect amount of charred and you were able to taste the decade’s worth of smoke in that skin.  And they excellently paired with the sauce.  Goodness, writing about them now is making me hungry!  Maybe I’ll get ribs for lunch.

As I finished, I mentioned to Ben that you could feel the busyness of Rosedale’s, but that we had hit it at a calm time.  Kind of like the calm before or after a storm.  It was incredibly serene to sit there and eat barbeque.  Along with the great ribs, I think it was that underlying serenity, peacefulness, or steadfastedness that stood out to me; a sturdiness.  In my day job, it is rush, rush, rush, rush and the ability to slow down and really enjoy some barbeque is invaluable.

I told Ben that I had an idea for dessert: Margaritas!  And he laughed and said okay.  We finished and went to Taqueria Mexico just up the street from Rosedale’s.  The day was a little hot, but there was a breeze and the patio was shaded, so we decided to sit outside.  Goodness, it was so pleasant: a great temperature, a great breeze, great barbeque, and a great margarita!  We sat and talked about how good Rosedale’s was and talking about our barbeque journey so far.  That stillness from Rosedale’s came back and I could have sat out there all day drinking margaritas.  But Ben had to go watch fights, so we just had one and went our separate ways.

Driving home was nice and I decided to take a nap when I got home.  Full of barbeque and a delicious margarita, I was quickly off to sleep.  But, before I ventured to dreamland, I thought that life wasn’t too bad on a day like today.  What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Well, I hope that you are hungry and, if you are, take some time out of busyness (because we are all way too busy) and go get some lunch or dinner at Rosedale BBQ, you won’t regret it!

Ben:

I had been jonesing to visit Rosedale BBQ for several months. I drive by Rosedale -- its retro-style sign beckoning me to barbecue -- three or four times a week because it’s just up the street from my gym. That’s right, ladies. In between feedings of barbecue, I work out. At the pace we’re attacking barbecue, I should probably double my workouts, but I digress. This week it was Rosedale.

Going in, I didn’t know much about Rosedale. What I did know was this: it’s a big place, complete with a patio, and there’s almost always cars in the parking lot. A good sign. And speaking of signs, I really dig their sign. If Leo and I were more inclined to photography rather than eating and writing, I think we’d make a coffee table book of barbecue photos, and Rosedale’s sign would make the cover (I’ll give you that million dollar idea for free, photographers). Beyond that, I knew that Rosedale has history. It’s one of, if not the, oldest barbecue joint in Kansas City. They’ve been slinging the ‘cue since the freaking 30s. Another good sign.

As we tend to, we made our trip to Rosedale for a late Saturday lunch. I’m really starting to fall in love with the late lunch. It works on a couple of levels. First, by the time 2pm hits, I’m hungry as hell. Second, there’s hardly ever any line at such an awkward time.

Leo must have been just as hungry as I was, because he arrived at Rosedale before me, even though I was a solid five minutes early. On the inside, Rosedale is a typical barbecue joint, but it’s certainly on the larger side -- two counters to order, a long bar in the middle, dozens of booths around the outside and tables in the center.

Rosedale’s rather expansive menu hangs on the wall just next to the counter. In fact, I’d say I was surprised by how big Rosedale’s menu is. Breaking tradition with most old-school barbecue joints, Rosedale has a bit of everything. Chicken strips, burgers, hot dogs, chili dogs. If you’re eating with friend that doesn’t enjoy barbecue, start by slapping some sense into that person. And if that doesn’t work, you can take your friend to Rosedale, because there’s something there for everyone.

After my nervous bout of indecision, I went with a two meat plate of pulled pork, brisket, plus sausage. Each combo comes with the same sides: slaw, fries, and beans. Time to loosen the belt.

My food came out immediately, before I could even sit down. As much as I enjoy seeing each individual item I ordered laid out nicely on my plate (for the sake of photographs), what I like more is what Rosedale does: piles your food high, meat on top of meat. I’m of the firm belief that barbecue should be eaten like Thanksgiving dinner -- in heaps. You need to pick up that plate feel its weight. It needs to give you pause when you think “I’m going to eat… all of this?” Rosedale did exactly this, and I gave myself a little fist pump when I saw my plate of goodness.

Before I dug in completely, I grabbed some extra original sauce and hot sauce, and dipped a fry in each. The original sauce is light on the vinegar and high on flavor -- a hint of sweetness but plenty of kick. This isn’t the sauce you want to drown your barbecue in; it’s the sauce you drizzle just enough on to feel alive. The hot sauce was one of the more unique sauces I’ve tried, and the one I ended up using for most of my meal. It’s not particularly thick, and bit gritty (almost like Arthur Bryant’s original sauce… review forthcoming!), but I absolutely loved the spice. All too often, barbecue hot sauce is treated like an afterthought, like someone took the original sauce, threw in a few peppers and called it a day because it’s a secondary sauce. Not here. Rosedale’s hot sauce was complex and rich; not too hot but plenty of spice to remind you it’s not your typical sauce.

With the sauce testing out of the way, I dug into my meat. The sausage was charred on the outside; it was unique but worked well. Rather than just tasting like a typical sausage, the Rosedale sausage was uniquely a barbecue sausage, and, unlike most places, it pairs well with sauce.

The pulled pork was extra smokey, and not in the least bit dry. It’s the kind of pulled pork you could probably eat sauce-less in between two slices of cheap bread and be perfectly happy.

The brisket was similarly moist and sliced extra thin. The thin slicing accentuates just how… not tough… the meat is. I even held up a slice to take a closer look, and the brisket nearly fell apart under its own weight. Brisket, of course, doesn’t come with a bone, but this brisket is essentially fall-off-the-bone moist.

The sides -- beans, slaw, and fries -- were secondary to the meat, and that’s honestly how it should be. Given how the food was served in a glorious heap, the fries soaked up flavor from the meat, as God intended. The beans were on the sweet side, and clearly made in house.

As I finished up my plate (pile, heap), Leo raved about his ribs. Afterward he’d continue to rave, conveniently letting me know that they were too big to share. Sure, Leo, “too big” to share sounds like some sort of platitude that we all know makes no sense.

But, fear not, because I still drive by Rosedale all the time, and I’m happy to announce that only days later I grabbed a burnt end sandwich after a workout (it was excellent). I’m sure I’ll be back again in short order to try one of those ribs that Leo so callously withheld. A rough life, trying every single barbecue joint in Kansas City.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque

Ben:

I feel like I should be embarrassed that I hadn’t yet tried Arthur Bryant’s. It is, after all, what I’d consider one of the few major heavyweights of Kansas City barbecue. Along with Arthur Bryant’s, we’ve got Joe’s, Gates, Jack Stack… and that’s about it. As we’re seeing, there’s no shortage of world class barbecue outside of those few, but they remain the titans of the scene -- the most well known and long-respected barbecue joints.

And I had never been to Arthur Bryant’s. Hell, I don’t even think I had tried the sauce, which is ubiquitous at all Kansas City Price Choppers (“P-Chops,” if you’re cool). But to be honest, I think I subconsciously always had my reasons. The logo reminds me of Famous Dave’s -- a barbecue chain I’d loosely consider the Chili’s of barbecue. The aesthetic of Arthur Bryant’s is simple; they’re not making an effort to attract me as a customer. There’s no cool gimmick about the location (compared to, say, Joe’s at a gas station). There’s only a couple of locations in Kansas City (compared to Gates, which has six). For whatever, reason, Arthur Bryant’s had always avoided my radar.

Until now. This would be our first stop at a heavyweight of Kansas City barbecue.

We had decided earlier in the week to hit up Arthur Bryant’s, and Leo told me “go hungry.” Per custom, that’s never a problem. What am I going to do, pack in a country breakfast before eating world class barbecue? Of course not; this isn’t my first rodeo and thankfully isn’t even close to my last.

We visited Arthur Bryant’s for a late lunch on a Saturday after, you guessed it, a night of over-serving ourselves the night before. But, in our defense, I offer two credible reasons for our drinking. 1) Hungover hungry barbecue is absolutely the best barbecue; and 2) it would be irresponsible to not purchase three-dollar shots.

In any event, I skipped breakfast, and by the time Leo arrived at my apartment around 2:00 pm, the hunger was something fierce. I left Gracie a fresh bone to occupy her time and we were off into the rainy Kansas City afternoon.

My first impression of Arthur Bryant’s is everything I’d expect: in an old but large building and a line out the door. The line is, of course, a good and bad sign. The good: the food is so good people are willing to wait. The bad: I was starving. I peeked inside to survey the line and was pleasantly surprised it wasn’t too tightly packed and, like any good barbecue joint, customers are moving through quickly.

Once our spot in line moved inside, we had plenty of opportunity to admire Arthur Bryant’s wall of accomplishments -- articles, awards, plaques, thank you notes from celebrities, and the restaurant’s most recent claim to fame, the Obama visit (next to a less prominently featured photo of John McCain and Sarah Palin sharing a plate of brisket). This place clearly has some history and is a true destination for barbecue.

I loved ordering at Arthur Bryant’s. The counter set up is one of my favorites unique to barbecue joints: you speak to one employee who completes your entire order by cutting the meat right in front of you. It’s like an old-fashioned ice cream parlour, but better, because it’s meat.

After some discussion, Leo and I decided to eat our barbecue family style; we’d split brisket, ribs, burnt ends, baked beans, and fries. A feast was in order.

By the time we had both ordered our respective halves of the meal, grabbed the necessary utensils, and seated ourselves, I was frantic with hunger, ready to plunge into our magnificent bounty. Like asking a child on Christmas morning to hold off on opening his gifts, I had Leo hold off for a few precious seconds so I could snap a handful of photos of meat piles in front of us.

I can’t recall what item I tried first, but what I do recall is this: every single bite of Arthur Bryant’s was superb. Elite barbecue. If I had to pick my favorite, I’d go with the brisket. It was thin sliced, Kansas City style. Not greasy, but incredibly moist. It’s the type of brisket that really allows the flavor of the meat to shine; I could eat a pound of this brisket without sauce or bread. It’s like a fine steak… only better.

And the sauce. Remember, I had never even tried Arthur Bryant’s famous sauce. Each table has three sauce options: Original, Rich and Spicy, or Sweet Heat. The original here is actually pretty unique. It’s not thick or sweet, but rather super tangy, and pairs perfectly with everything (my personal favorite was to drizzle the sauce over a heap of brisket on top of a slice of bread, allowing the bread to sop up all that goodness). The Sweet Heat was more akin to what I expect from a traditional Kansas City sauce -- thicker and sweeter. But the original, man. The original sauce is a “must try” in the pantheon of Kansas City sauces.

Simply put, my entire meal at Arthur Bryant’s was one of the best barbecue experiences I’ve ever had. The ribs, like the brisket, were moist but not greasy, with the meat sliding right off the bone. The burnt ends fall apart on the plate, leaving you a mess of meaty goodness with bursts of charred flavor. The beans were just the right amount of sweetness. And to pack it all in, we had a mountain fries; fries that could be dipped in barbecue sauce, juices from the burnt ends, or some magical mixture of both.

In the religion of barbecue, Arthur Bryant’s is the Vatican. It’s Mecca. It’s the Bodhi Tree. You owe it to yourself to make the pilgrimage.

After about fifteen minutes of gorging myself, I was approaching my breaking point -- fullness was nigh. I didn’t want to stop. One more fry. One more slice of brisket. Maybe pick at the rib a bit more. Arthur Bryant’s is so good that even when I’m full to the point of pain, I keep pushing forward, onward toward meat sweats and an inevitable meat nap.

Our feast at Arthur Bryant’s was the only meal I had that day. And, to be honest, I’d have no problem with making that my only meal every single Saturday. On the drive home, Leo and I couldn’t stop talking about just how damn satisfying the meal was, how it’s incomparable. Each week I struggle to find new ways to describe the unique experience of eating world-class barbecue, and this was no different. For lack of a better word, I’ll leave Arthur Bryant’s at “incomparable.”

Leo:

The best yet.

Thunder cracked, lightning flashed, and rain poured down as I rushed out to my car.  “Whew,” I thought, “what a great day for a rain!”  Prior to the storm, it had been about 95 degrees outside, but now it was down in the 70’s.  I didn’t even need the air conditioning!  The night before, I had bested Ben 3-out-of-five Bocce ball and my “reward” was a shot of Fireball.  Due, at least in part, to this “reward,” I was feeling it and had been struggling with a headache all morning.  The abatement of the heat was much welcome and I felt my headache start to slip away.

While Ben and I could have met at Arthur Bryant’s, I volunteered to drive because I wanted to see his new dog Gracie.  Gracie is awesome!  But the last time I went over to Ben’s, she barked a bit and growled at me for a few minutes before she warmed up to me.  I hoped this time would be different.  I knocked at the door: “Baaaark,”said Gracie.  “shhhhh, it’s just Leo,” said Ben.  The door opened and Gracie barked again and growled a bit.  I held out my hand for her to smell me and this time, instead of retreating away, she smelt me and became a big ol’ cuddlebug.  “Great!” I thought, “she remembers me.”

I petted Gracie for a bit until Ben said that he hadn’t eaten all day (it was about 2:00 pm) and I got the signal that it was time to go.  We said goodbye to Gracie and walked out of Ben’s apartment.  It had stopped raining, but it was still cool and it was nice to ride to Arthur Bryant’s with the windows down.  And, as it turns out, Arthur Bryant’s is only a six-minute drive away from Ben’s apartment.  Because it was well past lunch time, I figured that we wouldn’t have much of a wait, which was good because I was getting hungry, too.

We pulled up and I found a parking spot right on the street.  We also noticed a group of people standing in front of Arthur Bryant’s.  “Surely, that’s not the line,” I thought, “it has got to be some kind of group that is leaving or is waiting to go in.”  But it was the line, all the way from the cash register to outside the front door. 

 We stood in line and talked about the Handmaid’s Tale (which is excellent, by-the-by) and looked at all the pictures and news articles on the walls.  Arthur Bryant’s clearly had a history of being a well-respected barbeque restaurant!  We saw pictures of Hollywood stars (Danny Glover and Steven Spielberg) and President Obama and Senator John McCain.  

Then, we saw the menu.  I’d eaten at Arthur Bryant’s once before with my roommates and we ordered several pounds of meat and two or three sides to share.  I mentioned that this might be a good way to get a taste of different meats instead of getting a sandwich and Ben agreed.  At first, we were going to get two pounds of meat, a half-rack of ribs and two sides.  Did I mention we were hungry?  Luckily the line was long enough for us to think about this decision and we decided to get a pound and a half of meat instead of two pounds.  We ordered a pound of brisket, a half-pound of burnt ends (yes, a pound of burnt ends costs the same as a pound of any other meat!), a half-rack of ribs, an order of fries, and a side of beans.  

The food was ready very quickly and then we were sitting at a table with a feast before us.  Where to start?  I decided to try out the sauces with a couple fries to see which the best was (by-the-by an order of fries is a tray of fries, so, so many fries).  There were Original, Rich & Spicy, and Sweet Heat, each with its own consistency and color.  The Original was a tangy delight and I could immediately taste why Arthur Bryant’s had won so many awards.  The Rich & Spicy added a kick of heat to make things interesting.  But the Sweet Heat was my favorite.  It was the thickest of the three sauces and was the perfect blend of sweet, the Original’s tang, and just enough heat to keep your mouth constantly watering.  Enough fries! On to the meat!

I grabbed a rib and slathered it in Sweet Heat.  Oh my God.  It was the best rib that I’d had in memory.  It was smoky and delicious.  The meat was just the right amount of tender.  

Then, I got some of the burnt ends.  I can’t explain how good these burnt ends were!  They gave me a whole new category of good barbeque.  While other burnt ends were good because they were buttery, fall-apart-in-your-mouth good, Arthur Bryant’s burnt ends were tender and so rich.  Little squares of heaven.  I had a couple that were charred and these were the best because you could taste the years of flavor that had built up in the smoker.

Lastly, I got to the brisket.  I piled a heaping helping onto my tray and covered it in Original, Rich & Spicy, and Sweet Heat.  Again, it was tender without being fatty.  It was smoky without overpowering the taste of the meat.  It was a beautiful combination of the meat, the rub, and the sauce, all of which came through to my taste buds.  As quick as I could, I was through with the first pile of brisket and I got some more and some more burnt ends.

This whole time, Ben and I were mostly silent except to comment on how good the meal was.  I think a comment arose that “all other BBQ only tastes good because I’d forgotten how good Arthur Bryant’s is.”  That comment sums up our experience nicely.  

We had so much food.  I can eat a lot and was stuffed before the end of the meal.  We made it all the way through the meat and then divvied up the remaining fries and beans (which made a nice snack later!).  We walked back out to the car in stunned silence.  I couldn’t believe it was over!  I wanted to go back and get more barbeque, despite my stuffedness.  Whew, it was good!  All we could talk about on the way home was how great Arthur Bryant’s was and that it was the best so far.  Other places have one or two items that you must try, but everything at Arthur Bryant’s was amazing.  If you can only go to one barbeque joint in KC, it has got to be Arthur Bryant’s.  But we’ve only been to six restaurants so far, so maybe I’ll have to revise this opinion in time.

Well, I hope that you are hungry!  If you don’t have lunch plans today, you should go to Arthur Bryant’s!!!  

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Woodyard Bar-B-Q

Leo:

Ben got back from his Texas vacation (of course sending me mouth-watering pictures of Texas barbeque) and got a puppy!  Well, a year-old puppy.  Her name is Gracie and she is gorgeous.  A Greyhound mix, she is a chocolate brown with darker brown/black vertical stripes (I guess she wants to look taller?).  

Gracie being a new dog and me being a large bearded man, she didn’t take to me instantly.  When I came to the door, there were a few barks.  When I came in Ben’s apartment, she barked a couple more times and growled a bit.  While I was overcome with her cuteness, she was obviously a bit nervous.  I put out my hand for her to smell, which usually does the trick when I meet new dogs.  She smelled it nervously and then backed away.  I went to sit down and she kind of circled the apartment, coming near me and then darting away.  Ben gave me a couple treats and giving Gracie those helped her warm up to me. By the time we were ready to go, Gracie let me pet her a bit.   

Ben suggested that we go to Woodyard BBQ because they had a patio and we could bring Gracie.  “Did the website say you could bring dogs?” I asked a bit skeptically.  “No, but it’ll be fine,” said Ben.  “Okay,” I replied, but I still had my doubts about showing up to a restaurant with a dog.

So, Gracie, Ben, and I piled into Ben’s car and drove over to Kansas for some barbeque.  It was a little hot out, so we cruised over to Woodyard with the windows up and the A/C on.  You could tell that Gracie would’ve preferred the windows down, but she was a great car dog and lay down most of the trip.  

Woodyard isn’t off the beaten path (it is only a minute or two from the highway), but it’s location in a sparsely populated, foresty area makes it seem secluded.  As we drove up, it reminded me of roadside BBQ joints in Arkansas that my mom had taken me to as a kid when we drove down to Hot Springs, Arkansas to fill up on Mountain Valley Spring water (which is a whole other story).  So, I immediately had a very pleasant impression.  

As we walked over to the patio, my nervousness came back about bringing a dog to a restaurant.  As luck would have it, a waitress was clearing some tables on the patio and she greeted Gracie with a smile.  “Oh, a lot of people have been bringing their dogs today,” she said.  And, with that, my nervousness was gone.  “Okay,” I said, “I’ll go in and order while you stay with Gracie and then you go in and order.  Sound good?”  “Sure thing,” said Ben.

So, I went in and the waitress from earlier took my order.  As I was ordering, what appeared to be her family came in and gave her hugs and said goodbye.  This scene added a sweet air of family to the restaurant, which reinforced the hospitality I’d felt since we were told that Gracie was a welcomed guest.  For lunch/dinner (it was about 3pm), I went with brisket, ribs, and a side of potato salad.  Oh, and a Pabst tall boy because it was a Saturday.  I went out and sat with Gracie while Ben ordered.  Gracie didn’t whine or anything when Ben left and she let me pet her (later, I’d give her a rib bone and that would seal our friendship).  While Ben was ordering, I looked around the patio.  It was an all-brick, open-air patio, which was nice because the pleasant smell of burning wood permeated the air.  The bricks had begun to shift, so the floor was a little uneven, but this just added to the character of the patio.  There was also a small stove towards the back, which made me wonder about the origins of this patio.  Had it once been a small house or kitchen back in the day and the roof bits had long since vanished, but the sturdy brick remained?  And the indoor dining area and the place I ordered looked newer.  Maybe we were sitting in the original barbeque restaurant and the rest had been added on over the years?

As I sat musing and enjoying the day, Ben came back.  Moments later, our orders came out.  I was very pleased with the portions of brisket and ribs and the potato salad had big ol’ chunks of potato in it, letting me know that it had been handmade from scratch.  The food tasted good, too!  But the real winner of the day and why I would go back was the sauce.  It was a great blend of flavors and was a bit thicker (the way I prefer it).  Needless to say, after I’d tried the meat without the sauce and with the sauce, I covered the remainder in sauce.

We finished up and headed back to the car.  On our way back, we talked about the things we liked and the kind, hospitable atmosphere was the thing we appreciated the most (with the sauce and the food, of course).  When we got back to Ben’s, he wanted to show me a movie called “The Room,” which you just have to see to know how it is.  While we watched the movie and had a couple of nice beers, Gracie laid between us, put her head on my lap and let me pet her.  I guess that rib bone really did the trick!

What a pleasant afternoon!  I hope that you are hungry and I hope that you go to Woodyard BBQ.  When you do, I hope you have just as great an afternoon as Ben and I did when we visited them.  You may have to get a puppy, too, of course, but everybody needs a puppy or two in their lives.  Happy barbequing!

Ben: 

The few days leading up to our visit to Woodyard BBQ was a bit of a whirlwind for me. Wednesday was the Fourth of July -- a holiday I properly celebrated in Texas with old friends. All-American beer was had; Bruce Springsteen was jammed to; Rocky IV was watched. On Thursday, I flew home to Kansas City and pretended to work in the evening. On Friday, I woke up early, actually did work, drove to an animal shelter, and adopted a new roommate.

Meet Gracie. She enjoys sleeping on the couch, chasing squirrels, and hiding from loud trucks. Despite chewing on my “Dog Training for Dummies” book, Gracie is all around perfect.

However, as happy as I was to add Gracie to the Case de Ben, I realized her presence would throw a bit of a kink into our weekly scheduled barbecue plans. I had, after all, just bet her about 24 hours before we planned to get barbecue on Saturday, and I hadn’t yet left her alone for a minute, much less the solid 90 minutes we typically devote to our Saturday meat sweats. I told Leo I had adopted Gracie, sent him the obligatory cute dog picture, and invited him over to meet her before we headed out for barbecue.

As I waited for Leo, I did some recon on the Google machine -- I need a dog-friendly barbecue joint with a patio. After perusing photos for a few minutes, I settled on Woodyard BBQ. Woodyard appeared to have a massive outdoor seating area and plenty of stars after hundreds of reviews. Well that settles that.

Leo arrived; Gracie barked (large bearded men scare me, too), but quickly warmed up to him. Awesome, now that you’re all friends, let’s feast. Per custom, I had foregone a proper breakfast to ensure I was sufficiently hungry (hangry, really) by the time barbecue was in front of me. What’s more, I had already had some unexpected exercise that morning -- apparently dogs need walks.

The three of us piled into my car and we were off. Located in KCK, Woodyard is absolutely massive, but has the feel of a simple roadside barbecue joint. And, if I had to guess, I’d think that’s exactly how Woodyard started, because the actual restaurant structure is pretty small and traditional: just a few tables and a counter. But the patio(s) are huge, and I get the sense that Woodyard can and does get packed at peak times. In the days after we visited Woodyard, I’ve come to learn that it regularly hosts live, outdoor music. Barbecue, a few beers and a concert sounds about right for an ideal Saturday night. But, alas, we were here on a Saturday at 2 in the afternoon, so we had the run of the place.

I left Gracie on the patio with Leo as I ordered inside. Woodyard has your typical barbecue offerings, plus burnt end chili (something I’ll most certainly try when I return). I went with a two meat plate: burnt ends and pulled pork, with a side of beans.

My food would be brought out to our table, and I was given a table stand with a photo of a young Paul Newman. The guy at the counter told me: “He looks like the type of guy that would hook up with your girlfriend and just say, ‘Sorry, brah!’” Honestly, that looks exactly correct.

Back to Leo and Gracie on Woodyard’s front patio, and our food arrived within minutes. Before my first bite, Woodyard was at an immediate plus -- the portions were legitimate. Consistent with its roadside barbecue feel, our food came on metal trays lined with paper, sides heaped into paper containers. Leo had ordered brisket, ribs, and potato salad, which I’ll let him talk about, but visually, his ribs looked fantastic.

My burnt ends were sauced and falling apart on my plate -- a good thing. I think a solid burnt end is like a solid rib; it should essentially “fall off the bone,” but with no bone, burnt ends should just melt into the plate. If I have one complaint, it’s that I wish there were more charred bits in Woodyard’s burnt ends, but at the same time, the taste made me want to sample the burnt end chili. Next time, I suppose.

The star of my plate was the pulled pork -- something I’m relatively picky about. Woodyard gave me a heap of meat that wasn’t too dry, yet wasn’t too fat, and didn’t over-rely on seasoning or skin. This was a true meat pile, a mess of smoked pig, and you can’t go wrong with that. The pork pairs well with Woodyard’s original sauce, but unlike other places, the sauce doesn’t steal the show; it’s only a compliment to the meat.

The beans were of the thick and sweet variety, which is what I’d consider traditional Kansas City style. Zero complaints there.

Woodyard left me pleasantly full, and Gracie, having eaten an entire bone from Leo, seemed equally sated. On our way out, we took note of Woodyard’s banner of TV appearances. This place has certainly done the circuit, so to speak. Woodyard has been visited by Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Anthony Bourdain, and Andrew Zimmern. That amount of press is nothing to scoff at.

Woodyard is a place you should go for that traditional roadside barbecue feel. Big portions served on paper and outdoor seating, what more could you ask for? And if you’re feeling in the mood, maybe stick around for a couple (or a dozen) beers, live music, and a second round of meat and/or beer sweats.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Char Bar

Editor’s Note: Around this time, we came to an important realization: all this barbecue is incredible and it’s wildly difficult to decide which places are “Must Go’s” and which ones are “Should Go’s,” etc. Moving forward, we’ve opted to just write honest, vivid descriptions of our experiences. Onward to meat sweats!

Ben:

Close your eyes. Okay don’t actually close your eyes because you have to keep reading… but imagine this: You’ve right swiped on Bumble with a 28-year old consultant that enjoys “traveling, good food, and exploring the city.” That explains roughly 98% of the population on the most popular dating app, so she (or he) doesn’t exactly stand out from the crowd. And because of that, you find yourself in a tough spot. You need quality date spot -- good food, drink, reasonable prices, and, of course, some sort of activity to break the inevitable awkward pause in conversation before your third cocktail.

Enter Char Bar -- a truly fun spot in the heart of Westport that offers a patio full of yard games, all while slinging a full menu of barbecue.

So, Leo and I, intrepid as we are (but importantly not Bumble-matches nor on a date), met at Char Bar on a Thursday evening or dinner.

My first (and lasting) impression of Char Bar was that this place is hopping. Inside, it’s a big space with a bustling bar, busy servers, and a handful of large groups (I can safely assume this is the perfect spot to kick off a Westport bar crawl). The decor is what I’d describe as “Americana hip.” This isn’t your grandfather’s barbecue joint, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Rather than try to fake it as some hole-in-the wall barbecue shack, Char Bar embraces its Westport-ness; it’s big, loud, and welcoming to those with an appetite for beer and belly laughs. (As a sidenote, I think “beer and belly laughs” should have been Leo’s nickname in college).

Because it was brutally hot outside, we opted to stay inside at a high-top near the bar. Leo had arrived before me and intelligently put in an order for some sort of fried chicken nugget or strip or wing. Whatever the name, they turned out to be delicious and a solid palate cleanser before barbecue. Yes, we cleanse our palates with fried chicken dipped in various sauces; don’t judge.

Char Bar’s menu is fantastic. Because it’s stepped out from the traditional “little bbq joint” feel, it offers much more than just the staples. Of course, they have the normal offerings of brisket, burnt ends, beans and fries, but that’s in addition to several creative plates, fried green tomatoes, kale coleslaw, and burnt end grits. And yet another reason Char Bar may be the perfect first date spot: it’s vegetarian friendly, offering something called “smoked jackfruit,” which I’m told is actually quite good but also meatless.

After ordering a beer and downing our chicken appetizer, I ordered the “Whole Hog” -- ribs, pulled pork, and sausage, with my chosen side of potato salad. Sure, Char Bar is hip and all, but the meat is what really matters. Let’s see what they have.

Like any good barbecue place, the food came out almost immediately. It’s a good sign because it means there’s little actual work being done in the kitchen; all the work was put into smoking the meats hours before.

Despite the relatively fancy digs, the meat at Char Bar is just as good if not better than any traditional barbecue joint serving meat by the pound on paper plates. See, unlike other foods, sometimes barbecue can feel “over-prepared,” like the chef wants to show off his talents rather than letting the natural flavor of slow-smoked meat shine. And, to be honest, I was concerned that this would be the case at a place like Char Bar. It’s a popular restaurant with -- I’m sure -- a handful of extremely talented chefs. Would they try to do more than necessary to the meat? Would the barbecue be too… fancy?

Thankfully, the answer is “no.” The barbecue at Char Bar is excellent and certainly has a traditional taste. For me, the star of my plate was the pulled pork -- meat that can sometimes be too dry. But that wasn’t the case here, as the pork was moist without being fatty, flavorful without being over-spiced. The pile of pork sat under three ribs, which easily passed the “fall-off-the-bone” test. The sausage fatty but not greasy and wildly flavorful. Neither the sausage nor the ribs needed any sauce, as they were easily standalone meats with plenty of favor. But, the sauce fanatic I am, tried sweet and spicy sauces on everything, and I enjoyed the nice touch of warmed sauce on my plate. For someone that eats barbecue at least once a week, it’s the little things like warm sauce that make all the difference.

My potato salad wasn’t the traditional, chunky variety, but more of the unique whipped variety. No complaints from me, as the sides are exactly where I’d expect Char Bar to really shine. Given the varied menu of sides (three different types of slaw!), Char Bar seems like an ideal place to order family-style with the table and taste everything.

Leo went with the “Holy Trinity” -- ribs, burnt ends, and brisket, and he similarly expressed just how satisfied he was with Char Bar’s meat. It’s safe to say that both of us went into Char Bar with a bit of trepidation. I mean, how good could the barbecue be at a hip restaurant in Westport? But it’s equally safe to say we were pleasantly surprised by some of the best barbecue in the city.

Before we left, we perused Char Bar’s patio -- the restaurant’s calling card and reason why it’s such a damn good date spot. Cornhole, giant Jenga, Bocce ball, croquet, Char Bar has all that in addition to a second bar outside. I see why Char Bar is so popular. Who wouldn’t want to get tipsy and play lawn games late into the night? But, honestly, if Char Bar ever chooses to lop off the lawn games portion and live on as a standalone restaurant, I think its food can compete with any other barbecue joint in Kansas City. This isn’t a date spot masquerading as a barbecue joint; it’s a quality barbecue joint that just so happens to be an ideal date spot.

Now, I need to work on actually finding a date that’s not Leo...

Leo:

Char Bar – Great Burnt Ends and Chicken Nuggets

In the morning, I thought to myself, “You know what would be a good idea? To wear a suit to work today!”  And so, in the cool A/C at my house, I donned my favorite grey suit and walked outside.  “Whew,” I thought, “it’s a bit hot…”  But I was quickly into my car with air conditioning and then into my office with more air conditioning.  

Then, it was evening and time to go to Char Bar with Ben.  I walked out to my car and immediately started sweating.  It had to be over 100 degrees out and my car was parked right in the sun.  The heat was stifling and I began to regret my decision to wear a suit.  I regretted the decision more when I got in my car and started sweating more profusely because it was like an oven in my car.  It was so hot that the steering wheel burnt my hands and the A/C couldn’t make a dent in the heat.  It was sweltering.  “Just get to Char Bar,” I thought, “it’ll be cool at Char Bar.”

Luckily, my office is only a 5-10 minute drive away from Char Bar, but the parking lot (again right in the sun) was packed.  I looked and looked for a spot, but couldn’t find one, all the while getting hotter and hotter.  “I’m going to start sweating through my suit,” I muttered to myself as I wiped sweat from my brow.  I finally found a spot that my little Kia Rio could just barely fit into (side note: I probably should have passed up this spot because, on the way out I scratched up my car pretty good backing out).  Walking across the desert of the hot pavement and across the street, I made it to Char Bar.

“Ahhhhhhhh,” I thought as I walked into the crisp A/C.  Then, I noticed that the place was packed even though it was a Thursday night.  Luckily, there was a spot right next to the door where Ben could see me when he walked in.  I got a water and looked at the menu.  An appetizer sounded just about right.

Char Bar has a pretty wide variety of appetizers, but the chicken nuggets immediately stood out to me: hand-battered and fried chicken breast.  I ordered one and scanned the area.  Unlike the other barbeque restaurants we’d been to, Char Bar had a huge dining room area and a bar to sit at, ‘twere one so inclined.  Char Bar also had an outdoor area with ping pong, Bocce Ball, and croquet.  But it was too dang hot for any of that.  Otherwise, it was a bustle of activity, where people had come for barbeque and socialization.

Ben arrived and we got down to business.  I ordered the Holy Trinity: burnt ends, brisket, and ribs.  I also got a side of beans.  As we placed our order, another server came out with the chicken nuggets.  Whoo-boy were they hot; they were steaming-out-o’-the-oven fresh.  I tore one apart and blew on it until I thought that it was cool enough to eat.  Now, the chicken nuggets came with four dipping sauces: Char Bar’s barbeque sauce, a house-made honey mustard, a buffalo mayo dip (you read right, buffalo mayo), and a buttermilk ranch.  Usually when it comes to dipping, I’m a ranch man and try to keep it simply.  But I ventured out of my comfort zone and tried them all.  I’m glad that I did because they all were much better than just ranch, especially the house-made honey mustard.

Before we could even finish the chicken nuggets, our food arrived.  And I was greeted by a big pile of meat.  The ribs and brisket were on top and so I started with those.  They were good, great even, but the real winner of the afternoon were the burnt ends, hidden underneath all of that other meat.  Eating Char Bar’s burnt ends was like eating a little cube of liquid gold.  The burnt ends were rich and had that melt-in-your-mouth quality that I’d experienced so often in the past few weeks.  And you got a pretty fair helping of them.  Even so, once I discovered them, I didn’t gobble them down (as I am prone to do), but slowed down a bit and tried to savor each one.  

I had one left and the waitress came by to clean up my plate.  “These burnt ends are amazing,” I told her.  “Yeah, that’s what we hear,” she responded with a smile, “people really enjoy all of our barbeque, but I hear the most compliments for the burnt ends.  And they are my favorite, too.”  I ate the last one and she took my plate.

Sitting back in comfortable fullness, Ben and I talked about the meal and how it stacked up against the other restaurants we had been to.  And, again, we came to the conclusion that it was just too difficult to try and compare great barbeque restaurants to each other.  Like people, each is unique.  

The waitress brought out the checks and another surprise waited for me.  I’m not superstitious or anything, but I do think it is kind of cool when a bill total is an even amount or has some meaning.  Well, I had gotten The Holy Trinity and my bill amount was $33.33.  “Ha!” I thought as I showed Ben.  He was not as impressed as I was, but it made me chuckle, which is always a good dessert after a great meal.

Well, I put on my jacket and bid Ben a fond farewell (he was going down to Texas for a week).  It was still really hot outside, but I was in a better frame of mind about it.  Even when I dinged up my car, I wasn’t too worried.  How can you be when you have the ability to eat great barbeque and meet with a good friend?  No, come what may, life wasn’t too bad.

I hope that you are hungry!  And if you are and don’t have any plans for lunch or dinner, you should head over to Char Bar!  

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

LC’s Bar-B-Q

Ben:

We went to LC’s on a friend’s suggestion. I had never heard of the place, but since we’re in the business of trying every single barbecue joint in Kansas City and then some, we’ll go anywhere and everywhere that’s suggested. I’ll be honest -- because I had never heard of LC’s before, I didn’t go in with high expectations. When I told Leo that’s where I wanted to go, he told me he had tried LC’s previously and was… underwhelmed.

Uh-oh. Would this be our first outing to not receive a “must go” grade? Here’s the thing about me: I hate giving negative feedback. I once almost got a tattoo I didn’t like because I didn’t want to tell the artist to re-do it (thankfully, I spoke up before ink hit skin). I’m terrible at break ups. I’d rather be in an unhappy relationship for a solid couple years before I have to tell someone “this isn’t working.” That’s how much I hate giving negative feedback. Needless to say, I was nervous what I’d think about LC’s and subsequently have to write.

Leo drove us to LC’s on a rainy Thursday at lunch. For me, the lunch was a welcome escape from my home office; for Leo, a hearty lunch before he heads out for a weekend of binge drinking and debauchery (at least I assume he was debaucherous).

LC’s is in a small, unassuming building in what feels like the middle of nowhere. In fact, it sits at the fork of two roads, and it sits alone -- no other neighboring businesses or homes around. If you don’t look closely, you may assume LC’s is just a bar that only has 8 regular patrons, all men over 50 that speak exclusively in grunts and football terms. From the outside, LC’s doesn’t exactly scream “world class barbecue.”

But inside, LC’s was bumping. It wasn’t bumping like the club on a Friday night, but more like your mom’s kitchen at a family reunion. There was a short line -- maybe 12 people -- and every table was full. Most people seemed like regulars, just locals on lunch break. No barbecue tourists here (other than us, of course).

The space also felt lived in. The menu on the wall was a faded yellow with years of meat air wafting over it. I’m pretty sure a handful of stuffed fish adorned the fall wall. In the corner were the all important barbecue plaques and magazine article cut-outs -- a good sign in Kansas City. Before I had ever tried LC’s food, I felt like I had an authentic experience; LC’s is a true Kansas City barbecue joint and isn’t trying to be anything else.

LC’s smoker is right behind the counter -- a glorious meat cave I peeked into every time someone placed a new order. The thing looked like it hadn’t stopped barbecuing meats to perfection since the Reagan presidency.

After plenty of indecision and over-thinking, I ordered just what I was craving: a half pound of ham with bread, fried okra… and… could I get a little bit of sausage? “You can get an order of sausage.” Great, throw a full order of sausage on that order; it’s bulking season somewhere. Leo went with a much more reasonable order of a sandwich with fries.

Like any good barbecue, our food came right away. My order took up about half the table, but I’m not ashamed as long as I consider myself a “food blogger.” Immediately, the sauce sticks out as one of the best I’ve ever had. Both Leo and I comment on the sauce. It’s not unique like Slap’s, but pure Kansas City style -- sweet and tangy, a little on the thick side, and all deliciousness. Seriously, this sauce should replace milk as the choice liquid for cereal. Instead of honey, I want to put this sauce in my evening tea. Maybe order my iced coffee with a few glugs of LC’s original sauce. It’s that good.

And as I’d find out the next day, we weren’t alone in our love for LC’s sauce. It’s bottled and sold around town in grocery stores or shipped nationwide.

The ham was good but not spectacular. Part of that is on my order; barbecue ham isn’t exactly a staple, and it’s hard for the meat to really shine. The fried okra was everything I wanted.

The sausage, for me, was the star of the meal. First off, and “order” of sausage is a full, massive sausage link doused in original sauce served with a couple slices of white bread. This could have been my lunch all on its own. I assume the sausage was mixed and made in-house, and it was spectacular. It’s not smooth on the outside like, say, a bratwurst, but has the consistency of of a breakfast sausage. All-too-often at bbq joints, the sausage has an overpowering taste, one that doesn’t mesh well with the sauce. This wasn’t at all the case with LC’s sausage, which was clearly made to be paired with that crack-like sauce.

I ate LC’s like I do any outstanding barbecue -- like the world was ending in 5 minutes. Although I’m skinny, this is a pure fatboy technique. I eat so fast my stomach doesn’t have time to tell my brain to stop eating. I stuffed and stuffed and stuffed. Ultimately, I couldn’t finish my entire meal (which I’d conservatively estimate as 2 pounds of food) all in one sitting. Oh well, sausage and meat sweats for breakfast.

On our way out of LC’s, we looked closer at the plaques and magazine articles. As it turns out, the fact that I hadn’t heard of LC’s was more a fault of mine than anything else. It’s won countless awards, and at least one writer has christened it a place you have to visit before you die. Good, good, I’ll sleep easy tonight.

LC’s is a place you should take someone to give them a truly authentic Kansas City barbecue experience. Nothing at LC’s feels inauthentic; they simply serve world class barbecue and trust in that. For me, LC’s is a must go. The portions are huge, the sausage is outstanding, and the sauce is unforgettable.

Verdict: Must Go.

Leo:

I am so glad to admit this, but I was wrong about LC’s, so very, very wrong.  I had gone to LC’s as a law student some 10 years ago and, for whatever reason, remember not really being impressed.  Nothing stood out about the experience and I hadn’t been back.  So, when Ben suggested that it be the next BBQ joint we hit up, I said sure, but don’t get your hopes up.  But I was about to find out just how high our hopes should have been.

Ben drove over to my place and then I drove down to LC’s.  For the first time, it was raining outside, which was nice because it cooled everything off a bit and gave us a break from the 90+ degree days we had been enduring.  We were going around noon, so I was a little worried that we wouldn’t be able to find parking and that the line would be too long.  We were going to lunch on a weekday (oh, yeah, it was a Thursday) because I was going down to the Lake of the Ozarks for a lawyers’ education conference and had to head out after lunch.  As it turned out, there was a parking spot right out front.  

We jumped out of the car and ran in out of the rain.  Ahhhhhh, I will never tire of walking into barbeque restaurants and smelling that smoky tang of cooking meats.  For the first time, we had a wait, too.  It was a pleasant amount of time, though, and allowed Ben and me to catch up on each other’s lives (nothing had changed in my life, though he had been on a date!).  We also passed one of those tattoo machines where you could put in a couple quarters and get back a glorious tattoo.  My favorite, which I would have gotten if I’d had the quarters, was a tattoo of a pig surrounded by the words “Don’t go bacon my heart,” which I continued to sing throughout the rest of the meal (I won’t go bacon your heart)!  

Standing in line that long gave us a chance to watch the cooks serve up the barbeque to others.  This was done by opening a huge, cast metal oven and pulling out large chunks of pre-cooked meat (Ben has pictures of the “oven o’ meats”).  This had me salivating and I decided to get quite a bit of food, though surprisingly, not as much as Ben.  I ordered the combo meat sandwich with turkey and brisket, with fries and an extra side of beans.  I didn’t hear what Ben ordered as I went over to the cooler to grab a Bud Light.  By the time I got back, my food was ready.

Stacked high (and I’m talking four or five inches high, almost too big to bite into) was a sandwich with the bottom half turkey and the top half brisket.  The fries looked like they were cut right out of a potato before they were tossed in the deep fryer.  And I could see chunks of meat floating in the baked beans.  I was starting to suspect that I may have been under a misimpression about LC’s barbeque.  

I squirted a healthy amount of sauce onto my plate.  Again, like Slap’s, the sauce was a little more watery.  I sopped up some of the sauce with a fry and tasted.  Tres magnifique!  For me, it was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy, not too sweet and not too tart, just right.  But don’t think it was the “baby bear” of sauces because it was dynamite: I think I used ¼ of a bottle just with my fries and sopped up the rest with my sandwich.  Before I could dig into the rest of my meal, though, Ben came over with his food.  He had a huge plate of ham.  Then, came the biggest sausage that I’ve seen.  It was about a foot-long and two inches in diameter.  Last, came a giant carton of fried okra.  “Jeez, Ben, hungry much,” I asked.  “Yeah,” Ben said, “but I wanted to try the sausage and you can’t order just a bit.”  I’ll let Ben tell you more, but it was a testament to me of how good the food was that Ben finished all of the meat and most of the okra!  (He let me try the sausage, too, and it was superb, like breakfast sausage coated in a sweet, tangy barbeque crust).

Then, I turned on my sandwich.  The bottom layer of the sandwich had sopped up all of the excess sauce from the fries.  My hands got covered in barbeque, but I could have cared less.  As I bit into the sandwich, all the flavors of the brisket and the turkey and the sauce mixed together to create magic.  Before I could realize it, I’d wolfed down almost the whole thing.  “Whoa, Leonard,” I thought to myself, “better save some of that to savor!”

The prize of the meal, though, were the beans.  It was that perfect sauce, mixed with chunks of meat, and perfectly cooked beans.  It was so good I almost ordered another cup! I only didn’t because I had a long drive coming up and I didn’t want to be so full that I fell asleep.  I gave Ben some of the beans and he nodded and grunted, echoing my assessment.  

In between bites, we did manage some conversation.  Ben mentioned that he thought LC’s reminded him of Texas barbeque, but neither of us were really sure of what that meant.  So, we decided, after we go to a couple more restaurants, we would start up a podcast or a video blog to have guests on to talk about different types of barbeque (hopefully some of the cooks from the restaurants that we’ve already visited!).  Maybe they can tell me why some sauces are thick and some are more watery?  Anyway, get yo’self excited!

As Ben got a to-go box for his okra, I reflected on how delicious it was to be wrong!  I hope that you are hungry and, if you are, why don’t you go check out LC’s for lunch or dinner (or lunch and dinner ☺)!  

Verdict: Must Go.

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Slap’s BBQ

Leo:

For some reason, I decided it would be a good idea to fun around and play ultimate Frisbee in 98 degree, Kansas City heat.  Now, this was after two months of little to no exercise.  I really thought that I might die.  

But I didn’t and I was sitting in the shade chatting with the other intrepid souls who had come out on this oven-hot day.  As I’d just eaten at Danny Edwards before, I spoke about that experience and that Ben and I were going to eat at every BBQ restaurant in Kansas City.  “Oh, you have to eat at Slap’s in KCK,” several of my friends said, “it is the best BBQ in Kansas City.”  I told Ben and the next BBQ experience was set.

It was a Friday evening and all I could think about was getting out of work and getting some BBQ.  When I walked out in to the parking lot, I was hit by another wave of the Kansas City heat.  “I gotta get home and get out of this suit,” I thought to myself (that’s right, I wear a suit to work).  Ben and I coordinated to meet at my place, I changed clothes, and off we went to Kansas.

We immediately hit rush hour traffic and I had to cross 4 lanes in about a quarter-mile stretch, which was a bit frustrating.  Also, we realized that 71-N has three exits with the designation “2U”, so I was glad that I’d been down this way before or else we would have gotten totally lost (on a side note: how does this happen?!?  I mean seriously, three exits with the same number and letter!).  In the confusion and going back and forth across rush hour traffic to get to the right off-ramp, I was glad (and surprised) that I hadn’t gotten honked at.  

Slap’s was easy to find, though, once we got off the highway: no turns or anything, just go straight and it’s on the left.  My previous experience with BBQ has always left me thinking that I’m going to have to wait in line for an hour before getting food, but the parking lot at Slap’s was pretty empty, which I was good because I was starving.  We walked up to the building (a big red tin “barn-type” building) and into the small dining area.

I will never get tired of entering BBQ restaurants and getting bathed in the delicious smell of smoked meats.  It was sweet and woody and meaty and smoky and I instantly started salivating.  And everything on the menu looked incredible.  Brisket and burnt ends and ribs and turkey and combo platters and sandwiches and sides and more.  I settled on a combo platter (burnt ends and brisket) because I wanted to see how Slap’s BBQ stood up to other BBQ I’d had lately.  And how can you go wrong with burnt ends and brisket?

I watched as the man behind the counter piled up my burnt ends and brisket.  I’ll have to admit, I was a bit disappointed in the size of the portions, but I was still excited to try it (I could always come back for seconds!).  I got mac & cheese and baked beans and a bud heavy (they were out of Bud Light…again, another phenomenon that I cannot explain).  Slap’s has a limited inside dining space, but they have a nice pavilion to sit outside under.  The shade of the pavilion cut down on the heat and, with the steady breeze, it was very pleasant to dine outside.

Well, the moment I’d been waiting for was hear.  Into my mouth went the brisket.  Instantly, my mouth was awash with a cornucopia of flavors.  I also enjoyed the moistness of the meat.  Then, the real test came, the burnt ends.  Ohmigoodness, were they good.  I mean melt in your mouth good.  They were soft, juicy, and moist.  The texture reminded me of my mom’s pot roast (a much better taste, though) and it was pleasant to think of home.  Hoo-boy!  I had to stop myself from scarfing down the whole basket of meat because I still needed to try the sauce.

The sauce was much more liquidy than most other sauces I’d experienced, but the meat really soaked it up.  I tried the sauced brisket and burnt ends.  The sauce was very sweet, but it complimented the rub or whatever flavoring was on the meat that the sweetness was not overpowering.  You could tell that the flavor of the sauce and the flavor of the meat was very intentional.  I poured on some more sauce and finished up my meal.  (If you’re wondering, the mac & cheese and beans were good, too).  

Ben and I talked about how each barbeque restaurant, so far, had its own distinct personality.  To me, Slap’s had a very potluck, family picnic feel, though the meat was better than anything that I’ve had at a family affair before.  Once our order was complete, we were left to enjoy our meal in the space that had been provided.  It was nice to finish, be pleasantly filled, and just sit outside and enjoy a beer while other diners around me enjoyed their barbeque at the other picnic benches.  

As I finished my meal, Ben saw that there was another sauce at a station that I did not notice (“spicy”), but, alas, I had finished my meal.  I thought about getting some more, but I was just the right amount of full and didn’t want to overdo it.  So, you’ll have to ask Ben how the spicy sauce was.

When we were driving back to Missouri from Slap’s, Ben and I reflected again on how there would be no way to rank Danny Edward’s versus Slap’s.  They were both a tremendous experience that you should partake of.  I think and hope that this will be the way of every barbeque trip we make: a unique and wonderful experience from KC people who really care about barbeque!

Anyway, I hope that you are hungry!  And, if you are and it is lunch or dinner time, go try Slap’s!!!

Verdict: Must Go.

Ben:

Our trip to KCK’s Slap’s Barbecue was decidedly less hungover than last week’s barbecue outing. In fact, Slap’s served as a pre-hangover meal. Slap’s laid that all-important digestive foundation before a night of drinking. It’s a meal that I could easily forego in my early 20s, but now in my early 30s, the pre-drinking meal is more crucial than my daily fiber bar or nightly tea (yes, I’m that old).

In any event, Slap’s had a very specific role this week, and it delivered in a big way.

We scheduled Slap’s for Friday evening -- a dinner before two of Kansas City’s most eligible bachelors hit the town (share a bucket of light domestic beer at a Westport bar). Because I work from home, I was able to sneak in a power nap before the 15-minute drive to Slap’s. Per custom, I hadn’t eaten much that day and was bringing an empty stomach to the table. As Leo drove (and maybe got us lost… why are there three exit 2U’s?), the hunger pangs distracted me from the wildly underrated Kansas City skyline.

Slap’s is another relatively traditional barbecue joint. The aroma of smoked meats invades the parking lot. The actual restaurant structure is small -- just big enough for a counter and a handful of tables, but the patio here is huge, with plenty of picnic tables. The interior is simple and straightforward, and as much as it pains me to compare Kansas City to somewhere else, Slap’s reminded me of a classic Texas bbq joint. It’s the kind of place that feels like it’s been around for 50 years, using the same smoker around the clock the entire time.

I’m a fan of Slap’s menu. Of course, they have the expected offerings of meats and traditional sides, but also two different types of sausage, some creative plates, and a couple of unique sides. Hungry, I ordered three ribs, burnt ends, baked beans, and baked potato casserole -- a Slap’s original. Throw on some handfuls of pickles and jalapenos and a beer, and I was ready to dig in. From ordering to sitting down with a full plate of food probably took about 2 minutes -- definitely a plus when we’ve been conditioned to wait in line for 30 minutes minimum for barbecue.

Here’s something I’ll likely say about nearly every place we try: the barbecue here was outstanding. As expected, the ribs were fall-off-the-bone delicious, and the burnt ends were moist and bursting with flavor. And while the meat seemed a bit leaner than typical Kansas City barbecue, it wasn’t at all dry. Nor was it greasy. Like any of the world’s best barbecue, Slap’s had somehow trapped the meat’s best flavors into each and every bite.

The one thing that stuck out to both Leo and I was the sauce. The basic Slap’s sauce is super sweet; it has a bit of an Asian taste to it. If there weren’t any other patrons on the patio and I were just a bit more of a glutton, I probably would have drizzled the sauce directly in my mouth. It’s that good. And the best part is that it blends perfectly with the rub on the meats. Even the baked beans had sweetness to them that paired perfectly with the sauce. Was this the intentional work of mastermind pitmaster/chef? Maybe. There’s certainly a unique Slap’s flavor that comes out when their house sauce is mixed with their house meats to arrive at the barbecue bliss we’re always chasing. For me, the combination of the super sweet sauce on the similarly sweet meat makes Slap’s a “must go.”

But there’s more! With only a few bites left, I noticed a tub of “spicy” sauce. Even though Kansas City is known for its sweet sauce, I’m a fiend for the spicy. I had to give it a try.

The spicy sauce might be better than the sweet.

The spicy sauce mixed with the sweet is actually the best.

Wait, I take that back, the spicy sauce, mixed with the sweet, mixed with the remaining juices from my burnt ends and bits of meat swimming in that cocktail of juices and sauces is an orgasmic experience. It’s times like those that I wish my momma hadn’t raised such a polite young man, because I wanted to pick up that paper dish and splash it across my moustachio’d face. If Slap’s offered a barbecue bath option, I’d show up in my swimsuit as soon as possible.

Slap’s is all about flavors. Sure, the meat is expertly smoked. The sides deliver. But honestly? That’s practically a given in the loaded Kansas City barbecue market. Slap’s shines in the flavor department; the sauces, rubs and sides all work together to provide that unique taste every barbecue fanatic is chasing. If you’re in the area, Slap’s is a must go.

Verdict: Must Go!

[twoguystrybbq-blog]

Danny Edwards BLVD BBQ

Leo:

It was hot in Kansas City.  A hangover had me in its grips.  It was more of an old-age hangover then an “I had a lot to drink the night before” hangover.  So, I was reluctant to go get lunch with my friend Ben (we’d already cancelled breakfast because of the hangovers, you see).  The previous week, we set a goal to eat at all of the BBQ restaurants in Kansas City.  There are something like 120.  I was really excited about the idea at first, but as I sat in my cool house, nursing a headache, I kind of just wanted to relegate this goal to the pile of other good ideas that I’d come up with over the years, but never took any action on.  And I desperately need to lose weight!  Eating BBQ every weekend for two years isn’t exactly going to be great for my flabby-abbies.  

I looked up, though, and it was already 12:45pm and we’d set to meet at Danny Edwards at 1:00pm.  It was too late to cancel.  So, onward with our goal we would go.  I stood up, my head swimming a bit and my tummy protesting, I grabbed my wallet, keys, and sunglasses and headed out into the muggy Kansas City summer.  

“Boooooo,” I thought as I approached my car.  I thought that I had parked it where it would be in the shade, but it was in full sun light.  It was the type of oven-hot that a car gets where everything you touch burns, even the seat.  I grimaced, got in my car (her name is Isabella), and started to Danny Edwards.

I had eaten Danny Edwards’ barbeque before, but never at the physical location.  At my office, when it is your birthday, you get to pick where the office has lunch.  My boss’ pick was usually Danny Edwards.  I thought I knew what I was getting myself into.

There wasn’t a huge crowd for a Saturday and there was plenty of parking (though I knew some of the spots were going to be a test to get out of).  I walked into the neat, red-brick building and into the wonderful smell of barbeque.  As I waited for Ben, I decided to look around (eating somewhere and knowing I was going to write about it made me kind of nervous).  Across the counter was a man preparing the barbeque platters and I was capture by how intentionally and purposefully he drizzled the Danny Edwards’ sauce over the meat.  You could tell presentation was important, but that consideration for each plate demonstrated to me that each customer was important, too, that each customer deserved the best, whether eating there for the first time or the hundredth.  

Ben arrived and we both decided what we were going to get.  I was going to get something light (they have a low-carb plate), but I went with my gut (figuratively and literally, I was quite hungry) and got the combo plate: brisket, burnt ends, and spare ribs.  For my side I chose baked mac & cheese.  And a cool Bud Light (nothing like the hair of the dog that bit you, right?).  

As we sat down, we were greeted and made welcome by one of the kindest waitresses that I’ve met.  She continuously checked on how we were doing.  The service was so good that I got self-conscious that they knew we were going to write a blog about them!  But then I saw how they treated their other customers the same and I was impressed.  Everyone was so happy and smiling.  It was a really great environment.

I’d only had a few sips of beer (the waitress brought me an extra half-a-glass because the first glass of the day is kind of foamy) when the food arrived.  Ben and I ended our conversation about the last night’s activities and immediately dug in.  It was great.  As I stuffed my face with delicious barbeque, I realized we had a fundamental problem: how on earth were we going to compare great barbeque places in Kansas City?  It was all going to be delicious, right?  I broached this topic with Ben and we talked about it for a bit before coming up with a scale: “Must Go,” “Should Go,” and “Don’t Have to Go” (I don’t think anyone is going to get that last one).  “Must Go” means if you live in Kansas City and haven’t had the barbeque yet, what are you doing?!?  Unless you’re vegan, you must go.  “Should Go” is a little less strong.  Maybe put it on your list of places to visit, but if someone is coming into town for some good-ol’ KC BBQ, go to a “Must Go” instead.  And “Don’t Have to Go” is self-explanatory.

  After deciding on this, I started to think about what I was eating instead of just shoveling it down as quickly as I could.  The mac & cheese was good, creamy, and buttery.  The brisket was a tad dry for my taste, but all the better to soak up the Danny Edwards sauce.  The sauce was almost a perfect blend of spicy and sweet, not too tangy, but also not too sugary.  My favorite part about the burnt ends was the portion size.  As a big man, I hate it when I spend good money on barbeque (especially a delicacy like burnt ends) and walk away hungry.  This would not be a problem today, as I had trouble finishing the veritable mountain of burnt ends.  

But, the thing I would (and actually will) write home about are the ribs.  Whoo!  After tasting one, I immediately sawed one off and handed it to Ben, “You have to try this.”  “Mmmm,” he said nodding, “yeah, that is really good.”  They just fell off the bone and melted in your mouth.  Characteristic of good meat, they tasted good with sauce or without.  I couldn’t get enough.  When I eat, I taste a bit of everything and then save the best for last, but not with these ribs.  I ate them as quickly as I could while still savoring every bite.  

I was full (no easy accomplishment!), but Ben got some bread pudding for dessert.  I managed a spoonful and it, like everything else, tasted great.  Ben and I shared our mutual thoughts about the barbeque (he was as impressed with what he had, but I’ll leave that for him to share) and headed back out into the heat.  Danny Edwards’ seating area is small enough that everyone, including the managers, said thanks to us as we left, which again made me feel special as a customer, like I was a regular.

From that moment until I sat down to write, I’ve been excited to share my experience with you.  Maybe a little bit because I love writing, but also because I love good barbeque.  Ben and I haven’t talked much about the purpose of this blog, but like I said earlier, you don’t need us to tell you that Kansas City barbeque is good.  But maybe it will give guidance to some out of town visitors and convince them to come try out our BBQ.  Or maybe it will encourage some KC natives to try something new.  Or maybe you’ll just enjoy the stories!

Whatever the outcome, I hope that you’re hungry!  And if you haven’t been to Danny Edwards, why not go today?

Verdict: Must Go!

Ben:

The day we went to Danny Edwards BLVD BBQ was a near-perfect Kansas City summer day. Birds chirping, sun shining, but just enough breeze to keep a pool of sweat from forming on the small of back.

But after one too many obnoxiously overpriced and unnecessarily large light beers the night before, I woke that morning struggling to enjoy said perfect day. Why are the birds so loud? Why is that sun so bright? Turn it down a little bit.

Worry not, though, because I knew barbecue was on the horizon. So other than a handful of grapes (because I care about nutrition, obviously) and a few desperate glasses of water, I bypassed breakfast, knowing my hangover sweats would turn to meat sweats in a few short hours.

We met at Danny Edwards a little after the weekend lunch rush; thank God there was no line because my morning diet of water and regret wasn't cutting it much longer. Danny Edwards is a traditional barbecue joint: counter service, red checkered nylon table cloths, and that ever-intoxicating smell of smoked meats. Think nicer than a food truck, but more casual than a typical restaurant.

Leo ordered first and -- to my surprise -- brought back some unpleasant and all-too-recent memories by ordering a beer. No thanks.

In terms of meats, the menu at Danny Edwards is standard: brisket, ham, turkey, pork, ribs and burnt ends. The side game, though, is something special. Of course, there's baked beans, slaw and fries, but also spicy jumbalaya, baked mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, and a handful of other sides I was in too much of a hurry to take note of. After perusing the Danny Edwards website to jog my memory, it's clear that these sides are rotating and made fresh. And that points to one major takeaway from Danny Edwards: nothing feels mass-produced; everything feels uniquely prepared with care.

I went with the "Southern" sandwich (pulled pork and coleslaw), a side of mac and cheese, and of course, a large water. While we waited, someone bussing tables offered us some pickles. Yes, please. This highlights another big takeaway about Danny Edwards: the service here, top to bottom, is everything I could want. You get the sense these people are genuinely interested in my experience at the restaurant, and they are pumped to see me enjoy their food.

The food arrives and the portions are... not light. My "sandwich" was essentially a plate of meat with a bun and a scoop of coleslaw in the middle. Not that I'm complaining, just take note and plan accordingly if you're doing some sort of barbecue tour. The pulled pork was extra smokey, if not a little bit on the dry side, but just a little bit of sauce does the trick. The sauce isn't the star here, and it's typical Kansas City style -- a little on the sweet side. Overall the sandwich was excellent (and for my hangover, what the doctor ordered): warm, smokey, and plentiful. The mac and cheese equally delivered; it tasted homemade and freshly made.

Then, something happened that's a sure sign of an excellent meal. Leo tasted something so good that he absolutely had to, at that very moment, share with someone else. "Try this rib." Sure, I'll see what another part of this pig has to offer.

I'm not religious, but I think the rib I ate at Danny Edwards brought me a religious experience. Like the pulled pork, it was smokey. Slathered in sweet sauce. Literally fall off the bone. It was one of those barbecue reactions where you struggle to understand what makes this meat so incredibly tasty. Trying to describe that indescribable sensation to a vegetarian must be like a true believer describing faith.

On account of my hangover and skipped breakfast, I now found myself about 90% full, and any red-blooded American knows it's best to eat until disgustingly stuffed. Is there dessert? Oh boy, is there. The lady at the counter let me know they have fresh bread pudding, and the guy further behind the counter (the chef, I assume), assured me it's worth a try. It's made with wheat, white, and rye bread, and he loves to take home any extra they don't sell. I take them up on the offer of a sample and the first bite isn't down my gullet before I've decided I need to buy a pint of this stuff. Sweet, cinnamony, gooey, and most of all, made with care.

Put a bow on me; I'm done. Satisfied fully, hangover a distant memory, Danny Edwards did the job.

The food at Danny Edwards is excellent. The ribs alone make it worth a trip if you're anywhere within 50 miles. But what sets this place apart is the genuine devotion to the craft of barbecue and care for the customer experience. Trying that bread pudding in front of the chef felt like trying a close friend's food; he seemed to find legitimate satisfaction seeing me enjoy his creation. If you want some truly outstanding barbecue alongside that feeling that your food was carefully prepared just for you, Danny Edwards is your spot.

Verdict: Must Go!