Doing research... what do you eat at your LOCAL BBQ joint?

[Papa Deuce]

Here are some possibilities for my logo.... just the pig...

 

[OceanAnnie]

Good luck, PD! Let us know how it goes! (I think the best logo is the 5th logo from the top . The font and bold really stand out.)

 

[swilphil]

No one in Oklahoma does BBQ like my home town of Kansas City.

Can't argue with that!

Many of the bbq places in KC have mail order. The Kansas Sampler store has combo packs where you can get sauces and rubs from several places.

http://www.kansassampler.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1&cat=Gift+Baskets+%26+Boxes

 

[Buckalew11]

That pig needs to be doing something and have at least a hat on, remember?

Let me tell you why. If the pig is just a pig then I think about eating the pig and that is not good. But if the pig has a hat on (at least) and is more humanized, I am thinking that the cute little pig made the BBQ and I do not think about actually eating the pig. Get it? LOL He's a cut little pig but he's looking too much a pig for a BBQ place!

BTW, good luck talking to a possible partner. I am sure you are excited.

 

[NotUrsula]

The thing about 'que is that it is ALWAYS local. Even the good chains are local chains that only cover a territory a couple of hundred miles wide. What packs 'em in in one part of the country will crash like a lead balloon in another.
Dry vs. Wet. Mustard vs. Molasses. Pork vs. Beef. Pulled vs. Sliced. Rice vs. Beans. Hot sides vs. Cold sides. You have to settle the regional style issue and know your local market, or you'll be doomed before you start.

I would say that times being what they are, I'd try to offer a wide variety of sides, enough so that a vegetarian (at least one who isn't ethically opposed to meat consumption by others) will be comfortable eating there.

As to my favorite things: I like brisket or pork, with a molasses-based sauce that has some bite. Corn fritters are a nice side (again that fryer thing), but I also really like a good rice dressing with my 'que. My favorite type of cornbread is sweet, with sliced scallion tops cooked in. I arrived at these preferences via geography; I was raised in S. Louisiana but have been living in MO for the past 20 years.

By the way, BBQ shrimp are a WONDERFUL appetizer, but they are not actually barbequed; they are sauteed. The sauce looks/tastes rather like a BBQ sauce, thus the name. Pascale's Manale in NOLA makes the definitive version. http://www.gumbopages.com/food/seafood/bbq-shrimp.html

 

[swilphil]

Interesting concept, NotUrsula.

Famous Dave's is a fairly new chain restaurant in our area. I always thought it was nationwide. Anybody know?

 

[Imzadi]

My local BBQ joint here in Times Square is Golden Chicken and Ribs. The ribs are to die for. The chicken is excellent too. They even have BBQed lamb chops. Even according to the City's Menus Reviews everyone agrees the sides & salads are mediocre at best. They do have good garlic bread, though.

In a city where restaurants open & close overnite because the LOCALS won't continue to patronize or recommend a mediocre establishment, this place has been around for several years. That is due ONLY because, like their name they make great chicken & ribs. You can order chicken only, ribs only, or a combo of the chicken & ribs. You can order these without any sides - which is what I guess, most of us do.

If you've never been in, they suck you in by placing the huge BBQ flame grill right up front in the store window. You know what you are getting. No hiding the grill in the back. There is no decor really. It's mainly takeout and minimal seating only if you're on the run & want a place to sit & eat. So they make their money solely off the chicken & ribs.


A place in L.A. that had great BBQ shredded pork sandwiches (topped with cole slaw) was also a take out place. Actually you could just drive up & place an order. They had their BBQ smoker also in plain view alongside the restaurant. (The aroma alone was all the advertisement they needed. ) The owner finally went into a well deserved retirement.

Both these places show that all you need are the great BBQ meats. If you have to die for BBQ, all the rest are incidentals & optional. I can get good sides anywhere. But when I'm having a craving for great BBQ, there are only a couple places I will go to satisfy those cravings.

 

[Papa Deuce]

The thing about 'que is that it is ALWAYS local. Even the good chains are local chains that only cover a territory a couple of hundred miles wide. What packs 'em in in one part of the country will crash like a lead balloon in another.....

Unless you live in Philly, where we really have NO BBQ to speak of. Sure there are a few places who do serve KC style, but BBQ is really not something people in this area have much experience with unless they ate it away from here or make their own.

I'm trying to change all that.... and I plan to offer a nice assortment of styles.... I make all my own sauces..... KC style, E & W Carolina style, White BBQ sauce, and even something I make that I call "Jamerican"....

 

[swilphil]

Papa-- I hope you're not basing your perception of KC style BBQ on KC Masterpiece restaurants. They are extremely bland.

 

[ozarkmom]

I usually get the pulled pork and my husband prefers the chopped beef. I sometimes get the chicken salad they make it with the smoked chicken. Our local bbq joint has all the usual sides slaw, potato salad, baked beans, okra, corn on cob, etc. They have a bean dish that is very popular it has rice covered with their special beans (not baked) more of a pinto beans w/ chunks of smoked pork and then cheese melted on top it's called Rivertowne bean slop. They also make excellent salad using the smoked meats and he now even smokes catfish which i haven't tried yet.

 

[ahutton]

Lots of great suggestions - and the creamed corn recipe that had cream cheese in it is GREAT!! And I like it served cold. After I make it (in the morning) I put it in the fridge for the day.

The best BBQ places (we lived in Austin until last year and did the tour of Q) served some type of slow cooked beans, flavored with whatever they used for sauces and rubs, the cold cream corn, sour pickles, onion slices and white bread. We really loved and always got brisket and sausage, sometimes we also got ribs. Every once in a while we ordered smoked chicken or turkey.

They also all had cobbler for dessert (served warm with ice cream) or banana pudding. A couple also made chocolate pudding with oreos.

 

[chamonix]

I'm lucky because my local BBQ joint "17th Street Bar and Grill"
http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com/
is so good, it was recently voted the best in the COUNTRY by Bon Appetit magazine on a Food Network show, and that's the least of their accolades.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sp/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9994_51988,00.html

They have won Memphis in May a record number of times:
"I'm most proud of the fact that we hold records that have never been broken- we were World Champions four times and Grand World Champions three times at the International Memphis in May BBQ Cook-Off- otherwise known as the "Superbowl of BBQ."

Now, from the humble beginnings at my neighborhood dive bar, LOL, they have several locations, including 3 locations in Las Vegas, called Memphis Championship Barbecue" http://www.memphis-bbq.com/index.html and one near St Louis as well.

I would say that one of the more popular items besides the baby backs is the mac and cheese, the homemade yeast rolls with honey butter, YOU MUST HAVE A SWEET POTATO on the menu--it is divine with pork, a marriage made in heaven! Also, they offer a salad with the chopped pulled pork on top of it. Kind of like a chef salad. It's really popular. Strawberry shortcake is the preferred dessert here instead of apple cobbler, but perhaps that's because the 'cue is cooked over applewood already (we have orchards all around here).


Believe me, I know everyone loves their local joint, but we are very happy to know our local 'cue is truly world reknowned.

Here's a link to the pitmaster's recent book, it includes recipes.
http://www.peaceloveandbarbecue.com/

 

[Diane]

I usually get a pulled pork sandwich, but sometimes I get beef brisket or some ribs. For sides, all I really like are sweet potato fries or cornbread (if it’s not dry).

Here’s a link to my favorite place. I love the décor, but I’m not sure how to describe it. At first, I thought it was a real dive, but I really enjoy going there. There’s something about the Blues and the bikers and the smell of barbecue that draws me in for some odd reason.

http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/

 

[bntlyclg89]

Papa-- I hope you're not basing your perception of KC style BBQ on KC Masterpiece restaurants. They are extremely bland.

What she said!!!!! (you'll see I never even mentioned them in my original and subsequent reply to this thread)

 

[Papa Deuce]

Thanks all! And I especially am enjoying the websites!

And Dinosaur BBQ is what I would love to emulate..... at some point...

 

[phorsenuf]

I was thinking about this thread this morning and I'm going to go off topic for a moment.

PD-my DH and I owned a business for 6 years. It was a seasonal greenhouse/nursery business. Unless you have alot of capital and I mean ALOT of capital to hire people to work for you I hope you really really understand what you are getting into. You will work long hours 7 days a week. Even if you are closed 1 day, you will be working catching up on paperwork, ordering, etc.
I will assume you are doing lunch and dinner. So you'll be up and out of the house more than likely before the kids are up, you'll get home after they are alseep. You will miss dance recitals, school plays, sports activities and pretty much everything else. You'll get no vacations and no holidays off. You may think now you'll just close for a week or a day here and there but when you are trying to establish a business, that's not a good idea. Trust me.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but you said you are not looking forward to going back to a stressful job. Starting a business is one of the most stressful things you can do and one of the most straining things on a marriage. Yes, she will be supportive of you but once she is always left behind, the only one dealing with the kids, having to go to family functions and other things by herself and not having the emotional support it will start to take a toll. BTDT but survived. It wasn't easy though and I can tell you my DH looks back now and really regrets all the time he lost with the kids while they were growing up.
Like I said, I'm not saying this to discourage you, but wanted you to hear the reality of it from someone who has been through it.

Perhaps you could start a thread and hear thoughts from other people who have started a business and see what they think. Perhaps you could even get some tips from them should you decide to do it.

Best wishes whatever you decide!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Well, I met with the guy, and it was a huge disappointment. He wasn't willing to disclose finances.... But let's just say that he didn't bring very much to the table.... He did, however, actually bring some samples of what he can make for side dishes... They were amazingly good!

So, I would hire him as a cook, but not make him a partner or investor.

phorsenuf, I may be dropping you a PM, if you don't mind.

 

[BabyPiglet]

We have this local BBQ joint called Pig n' Pepper. They served the most wonderful spear kosher pickles [and I don't even like pickles normally!] and spicy charred jalepeno peppers right when you sat down. They were yummy.

I usually order the sliced beef sandwich, with yummy homeade fries and bbq beans with BIG peices of pork in them. So so so tasty. And their sauce, out of this world! They serve the food on trays [cept the beans/salads and stuff go in a bowl ] with newspaper underneath it so you can get real messy.

As far as the decor, it's got really high ceilings, dark paneling, and a water fall thing running through the whole restaurant. It ain't tiny, but it ain't huge either. When you walk out of the restaurant, you're on a bridge [the rest. is in the middle of a pond] and beneath the bridge are turtles you can feed!

Mmmm, now I wanna go there!

 

[mtblujeans]

There is a little place in a little town, Columbia Falls, Montana, that is my favorite place to eat. It is actually 2 restaurants in one building: The Night Owl/The Back Room. I can't find an online site with a menu but The Back Room serves melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket with bbq sauce that I just love. They offer a "small" (3 slices of beef) or "large" (5 slices of beef) and both are served with a small side of cole slaw, bbq beans, and a huge slab of fry bread with honey butter and honey.