Rivertowne BBQ (Ozark, AR)

Rivertowne BBQ in Ozark, Arkansas was to be my final stop on a whirlwind barbecue road trip. To be honest, I was pretty ready to be home by this point, and some weird part of me (possibly my digestive tract) was starting to crave a few vegetables. Heresy, I know.

This place looked just like I expected: a nice Main Street-style store front right near the river. It was an interesting combination of fake brick, sheet metal, wood paneling, and raw wood. Old metal signs and pig-themed decor make up the rest. Half of the dining room is a little dimly lit, and the other half is burdened by harsh track lighting.

I'm not sure what part of me thought I needed an appetizer of "Possum Dumplins," but I found it impossible to resist. These are essentially pork meatballs fried in racoon fat. I overheard my waitress explain to some other interested customers that the meatballs are made from the trimmings of their ribs. Spectacular.

These meatballs were, in a word, enormous. There was an interesting sweetness to them and a pleasant seasoning blend. Each bite was very juicy, although I'm not certain if that surprised me or not, since I had literally no idea what to expect from this appetizer. They came served with a creamy white barbecue sauce that was just phenomenal. Upon inquiry, I was told that it's their house barbecue sauce mixed with ranch dressing. That sounds about right. Be careful, there is cartilage in the rib trimmings, quite a bit actually. I didn't realize just how much I would enjoy these dumplins.

For the non-roadkill portion of my meal, I ordered the combo dinner of brisket, pulled pork, and ribs with spicy pinto beans and potato salad on the side.

Their beans were definitely spicy, but not overpowering. In my opinion they needed more salt to round things out a little better. The potato salad had a hefty dusting of paprika that didn't add much to the flavor. Crunchy, undercooked potatoes and far too much dill didn't help either. I found a few black olives in the mix for some reason, too.

Rivertowne's tender pork had a moderate smokiness, but very little else. There was barely any seasoning, at least not that I could taste. No bark either, and none of the red smoky bits that I love to find. I didn't see much reason to finish my helping of pork.

The brisket had a nice reddish bark and was much smokier than the pork. But, sadly, there still wasn't much in the seasoning department. The lean slices were tender and moist, so that's something I suppose. Good, not great.

My ribs had a light brown crust that didn't look all that appetizing. There was a slight smoke ring beneath, which corresponded pretty well to the mild smoke level that I tasted. The ribs came with more salt than I found elsewhere on my plate, as well as hints of sugar. Here again, it's like they started off well but got stuck on second base.

Interestingly enough, the only part of this meal that was above average came fried in coon fat. That's also the only part of my meal that I took home with me, so I hope my wife appreciates her souvenir.

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Rivertowne BBQ
205 S 3rd St
Ozark, AR 72949
(479) 667-1808
http://www.rivertownebbq.com 

Kim's BBQ Shack (Kirbyville, MO)

I made a last-minute itinerary change for the drive home. My original route had me going through Fayetteville, Arkansas to visit Penguin Ed's Bar-B-Que, but some additional research led me to believe that their dry brisket might be something closer akin to beef jerky. I like a good challenge and a bit of adventure, but this trip was also meant to be fun, and dried up brisket is not fun. So, I changed course and headed toward Kim's BBQ Shack outside of Branson in Kirbyville, Missouri.

Kim's isn't so much a "shack" as much as it is a quaint small town restaurant. The place was full at 12:30pm, likely an after-church rush. You don't find much Sunday barbecue in small towns, so I was grateful for this one. There wasn't a ton of charm or ambiance here, but the patrons looked happy, which is all you can ask for really.

It was almost certainly more food than I needed, and probably more than I was capable of consuming (the menu does say "Feeds 2-3"), but I really wanted to try their Shack Sampler. On the other hand, my cooler for leftovers was already nearly full. This time my brain persevered over my stomach, and I settled for their two-meat combo platter with pork and brisket, plus a small helping of ribs. Catfish was also a possible meat option, and although I was tempted, I stuck to the 'que. The combo comes with fries, slaw, and baked beans which was just fine by me.

The slaw was bright and crisp with a light dressing that, though sweet, allowed the veggies to shine. Conversely, my fries were of the standard frozen variety. I did at least appreciate that they were hot and fried to order. The beans were above average, semi-sweet and semi-spicy. The real star amongst the side dishes was Kim's pre-buttered honey roll. Absolutely amazing. It had a crispness to it that I found reminiscent of a fresh fried doughnut.

At first glance, it was hard to distinguish the beef from the pork, as both were shredded pretty finely. I eventually identified one as brisket and moved on. It was smoky, but dry and not very tender. It certainly could have used more salt, too. There wasn't much to the brisket, so I didn't feel compelled to eat much either.

Their pulled pork was decidedly better. It was both smoked and seasoned nicely, and the few pieces of bark I found mixed in were even better. The pork was also juicy and tender. It had plenty of flavor without any sauce whatsoever.

To be honest, the ribs didn't look that great. The light brown crust showed a high fat content to the meat, and not the tasty, well-rendered kind. The meat was at least juicy and not overcooked, so that's a plus. A moderate smokiness was also appreciated, but there wasn't much seasoning beyond the smoke. Actually, the sweet tomatoey sauce provided most of the other flavors here.

If Kim's had a plate that was all pork and rolls, I'd be down for that. The rest was a little underwhelming. The place is probably closer to two-and-a-half stars, but I generally round up.

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Kim's BBQ Shack
7930 E Highway 76
Kirbyville, MO 65679
(417) 334-9541
http://www.kimsbbqshack.com

City Butcher and Barbecue (Springfield, MO)

I swung down through Springfield, Missouri on my return trip to Little Rock. City Butcher and Barbecue was just about the only joint open on a Sunday, so that made the choice pretty easy.

Rain or no rain, I really needed to get out and stretch my legs for a bit. City Butcher did an awesome job of carrying the butcher block theme throughout, which should make anyone hungry if they weren't already. If you were looking for frills, you won't find too many here. Butcher paper and tape are all you get as far as "to go containers." Good thing I packed plenty of tupperware for the trip.

They do all of their stuff meat market style, selling barbecue by weight in any increment you desire. I asked for a small sampling of brisket, pork belly, burnt ends, pulled pork, and ribs, plus a half-link of their Austin Andouille sausage. Considering the size of my order, these guys generously tossed in a sample of their smoked turkey as well. Fantastic! Sides seemed pretty unnecessary at that point, so I figured I'd just focus on my pound-and-a-half or so of meat.

The dark, gorgeous brisket crust was covered in more coarse black pepper than I thought possible. It gave the beef a great flavor, as you might expect. Each bite of the brisket was oh so tender, and I thoroughly enjoyed the well-rendered layer of fat. The smoke ring was small though still visible, and despite its size there was a potent smoke level. I'll take that trade off any day of the week.

Big slices of pork belly were deceiving at first and looked more like pork loin. They might as well have been slices of smoky peppered butter considering how fast they melted in my mouth. The pork belly was decadent and rich, to say the least. Of all of my meat samples, this was the only one that was too phenomenal to save for leftovers. I doubt my microwave would have done it justice anyway.

Their coarse ground sausages are clearly made in house. It had the slight spiciness that you'd expect from andouille, while the smokiness exceeded all expectations. Snappy casings did a great job of holding onto the juicy meat inside. Overall, very tasty.

My burnt ends came out as big hunks of peppered beef. Unlike the brisket, these had a deep rosy smoke ring. And despite their thickness, each bite was very tender and moist. I don't eat burnt ends all that often, but when I do I want it to be a real treat, and these did not disappoint.

As I had come to anticipate at this point, the complimentary turkey was coated in beaucoups of black pepper. It was also moist and very juicy. I wasn't expecting that from poultry, in all honesty. As it turns out, they turkey ended up being one of the most tender meats on my plate, and it had a nice smoky flavor to boot.

The pulled pork had plenty of bark to go around, and plenty of smoke, too. I enjoyed the natural pork flavors, but the seasoning made things extra savory. The meat was also very tender, which always helps. I could have happily eaten a pound of this stuff.

Last but not least came the ribs. The crust was pretty much jet black, with a prominent smoke ring beneath. While copious amounts of pepper tied them to the rest of my plate nicely, a sweet glaze really set these ribs apart. The meat was cooked perfectly and came away cleanly from the bone with each bite. My only regret was that there were only two of them.

Calling City Butcher and Barbecue good would be a vast understatement. Every single thing on my plate was absolutely spectacular, even if I had to pick copious amounts of black pepper from my teeth on the way out the door.

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City Butcher and Barbecue
3650 S Campbell Ave
Springfield, MO 65807
(417) 720-1113
https://www.citybutchersgf.com

Jack Stack Barbecue (Kansas City, MO)

Since I made awesome time driving today, and since there was no point in just lounging around my hotel room alone, I figured I might as well add another Kansas City barbecue stop to my trip. I had originally wanted to try Slap's, but they close at 9:00pm, and my dinner at Joe's Kansas City took waaaayyyy longer than anticipated. Jack Stack Barbecue was open until 10:30pm, and because they seemed to be a formidable competitor as well, I decided to give their Freight House location a shot to close off my night.

My options were either an hour weight for a table or immediate seating at the bar. Easy choice, especially considering the line that I had just endured. Jack Stack offers more of an upscale, intimate restaurant setting, so I understand the wait for Saturday dinner. It's a nice place, no question about that. Most barbecue joints that I frequent have paper towels and sweet tea, not cloth napkins and a full wine list. Ironically, the annoying drunk who plopped down next to me could have definitely used more tea and less wine.

It didn't take much convincing for me to settle on the aptly-named Kansas City Combo. I took mine with brisket (which they list as "sliced meat" for some reason), sausage burnt ends (the other options were beef and pork), and spare ribs, plus some potato salad and a cheesy corn bake on the side. Everything but the side dishes came pre-sauced. At a fancy restaurant, I probably should have guessed as much.

Truth be told, I was a bit perplexed by the cheesy corn. It looked like a bowl of cheese dip. So then what did it taste like, you ask? A bowl of cheese dip...with corn inside. The corn wasn't necessarily bad, just odd. My intoxicated neighbor seemed to love the stuff, which says something I suppose. The potato salad was heavy on the mayo, but nice big slices of skin-on potatoes and crunchy veggies added a good texture contrast.

Again with the thin-sliced brisket? That must be a Kansas thing. What little bark there was to be had was salty and smoky, something I always appreciate. Lean slices aren't my preference in general. These were fairly tender but not as juicy as my preferred fatty cut would have likely been.

I'm not sure how the sausage "burn ends" really differ from regular sausage, but it was tasty at least. The slices appear to have been finished on the grill, so I guess that's what they meant. Crisp, snappy casings held juicy meat beneath. Each bite was packed with plenty of seasoning. Burnt ends or not, I enjoyed the sausage.

The crust on my ribs looked amazing. As it turns out, however, the ribs actually weren't as well-seasoned as they looked, but still good nonetheless. I tried to sample as much sauceless rib as I could. Juicy, smoky pork oozed from my mouth with each bite. The fat was crispy and well rendered, which made the ribs a real pleasure to eat.

Jack Stack Barbecue has some work to do if they're going to hang with the rest of the KC masters, but they did put out some better-than-average barbecue. Maybe they would be well served to focus less on the ambiance and more on the meat.

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Jack Stack Barbecue
101 W 22nd St
Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 472-7427
https://www.jackstackbbq.com

Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (Kansas City, KS)

It may be touristy, but Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que is one of the big names in smoked meat. In fact, Anthony Bourdain, R.I.P., listed it as one of thirteen places to eat before you die. This famous joint has youthful new rivals on both the KC and MO sides, such as Q39 and Slap's, but I came to Kansas City for Joe's.

Their original "gas station" location actually does still have functional gas pumps, although I'm sure that barbecue is the bigger draw. I anticipated a line for Saturday dinner hours, but not to the degree that I found. At 6:30pm, there were easily sixty people between me and the front door. After twenty minutes, I called Joe's from the outside just to see what the wait time would be on a to-go order. Even that would have been another forty-five minutes, so I figured I might as well stick to the plan and dine in. Around 7:15pm I finally made it indoors, where I waited another forty-five minutes before even ordering. Geez, I hoped this place would live up to the hype.

While in line, I noticed an advertised special called the "Hogamaniac Dinner." Pulled pork, sausage, two ribs, and two sides. I briefly considered this porky combo, but people don't come to Joe's for the sausage. They come for the ribs and The Z-Man sandwich, so that's what I did. I grabbed a half-slab dinner with Kansas caviar and a Z-Man on the side.

If you're like me, you have no idea what "Kansas caviar" is. Well, best I could tell, it's a colorful mix of edamame, corn, shredded carrots, roasted red peppers, and pickled onions with some sort of a sweet, lime vinaigrette. In short, the caviar was crisp and vibrant. I absolutely loved the pickled onion, which is where most of the flavor came from. This side dish would have been perfect served alongside a big bag of tortilla chips.

My ribs looked amazing, to say the least. They had a beautiful dark red crust and a very evident smoke ring. There was also plenty of visible seasoning, so I knew that I was in for a treat. I tasted a great saltiness with hints of pepper, which is what I would describe as "competition-style" seasoning. The ribs were tender, juicy, wonderfully smoky, and excellently cooked. I don't have one single negative thing to say about them.

The Z-Man has a mysterious, nondescript name, but don't let that scare you away. This bad boy is piled high with brisket, melted provolone cheese, and two crispy onion rings on a Kaiser bun. Yum! The super crunchy onion rings were a perfect compliment to the savory, smoky brisket, and the cheese just tied it all together perfectly. The brisket itself was very tender, particularly in its thin-sliced form. I'm not normally a fan of barbecue sauce, especially with my beef, but Joe's semi-sweet sauce worked well here.

Was Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que the best I've ever eaten? No, to be blunt. But it was extremely good and probably worth the hour-and-a-half wait.

UPDATE (September 13, 2018): I found myself perusing Joe's website, and I stumbled across a new sandwich: The Rocket Pig. This hunk of deliciousness comes with pulled pork, bacon, fried jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and a sweet-hot barbecue sauce. If I'm ever back in Kansas City, I'll definitely have to do a little compare and contrast with The Rocket Pig versus The Z-Man. I can't wait!

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Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que
3002 W 47th Ave
Kansas City, KS 66103
(913) 722-3366
https://www.joeskc.com/

BobbyD's Merchant St. BBQ (Emporia, KS)

BobbyD's Merchant St. BBQ was a last-minute addition to the itinerary for Day Two of my fabulous barbecue roadtrip. I was already passing through Emporia, Kansas, and my next planned stop was open until 10:00pm, so there really wasn't any harm in it.

Inside, it's a much different feel than the diminutive storefront would let on. I expected a cramped deli-type place. Nope. The main dining room is a decent size, with more of a small town diner feel to it. Most of the decor is centered around the Old West and Barney Fife, while the menu and website feature a hip pig in baggy jeans and sunglasses. I'm not sure why, but it is what it is.

This joint has a "Meat Trio +1" menu item that's described as "a healthy sampling of smoked meats." Perfect, just what I wanted. As its name implies, the combo comes with your choice of three meats plus one rib. I picked brisket, burnt ends, and pulled pork as my three, plus cheesy potatoes as my one side dish. After all, it's apparently their house specialty.

I received a large scoop of shredded potatoes. Truth be told, they don't look like much, but they were definitely cheesy and definitely delicious. House specialty, indeed.

The brisket came sliced razor thin, with only a slight smoke ring and no bark. I tasted a mild smokiness, as well as some surprisingly sweet undertones. What fat there was hadn't really been rendered much at all. Nonetheless, the brisket was tasty in its own right, even if it was better suited for a hoagie sandwich.

Next up was the pulled pork, which was tender but had about as much smoke as the brisket. No bark here either, and it could have used more salt. That being said, the pork was nice and juicy, there just wasn't a lot to it.

The burnt ends weren't so much burnt ends as much as they were shredded hunks of the fatty brisket that my slices should have been. I tasted the same sweet sauce here, too. There was some evidence of a smoke ring, and a moderate smoky flavor. At least their smoke level is consistent across the board, so that's something to be proud of I suppose. The meat was decently tasty, but I wasn't too partial to the sugary glaze.

My one rib turned out to be two, which I was able to completely pull apart by hand. They were tough, sort of dry, and definitely overcooked. Weirdly enough, the charred crust left a burned taste in my mouth, rather than the normal pit flavor that I know and love. I think somebody needs to clean the smoker better.

BobbyD's Merchant St. BBQ was ok, and they certainly do some things well, just not enough of them to be more than average. This place is probably closer to a two and a half, but since I don't do half-star ratings, I'll call it a three and move on. After all, I did show up mid-afternoon, and at its peak freshness the barbecue there might be better anyway.

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BobbyD's Merchant St. BBQ
607 Merchant St
Emporia, KS 66801
(620) 342-1990
https://www.bobbydsbbq.com

Pig In! Pig Out! BBQ (Wichita, KS)

My original plan for Wichita was to stop at Bite Me BBQ, which was supposed to have some of the best 'que in that part of Kansas. But then I pulled up their website and was aghast at the prominent "fine print" rules:

  - All kids must stay seated with an adult at all times.
  - No unattended kids at the condiment table.
  - If you ask for extra of something you'll be charged extra.
  - No ordering off of the catering menu for dine-in customers.
  - If you get a catering order you can't eat any of it inside the restaurant.
  - $2.00 upcharge to share a plate with someone.
  - Menu prices may be changed without notice.

All of these strict, librarian-esque rules were a real turnoff, even though none of them applied to me today. Barbecue is supposed to embody a relaxed "low and slow" attitude, and relaxed this place is not. So forget that crap, I decided to try my luck at the nearby Pig In! Pig Out! BBQ instead.

This joint is a little skimpy in the decor department, unless you count awards, in which case they're loaded up. Pig In! Pig Out! is altogether quiet and unassuming, with few frills of any kind. The lunch run had long since ended, so I pretty much had the place to myself. But I actually appreciated the peacefulness of it after being on the road for a few hours.

I ordered up a 4 Meat Sampler Dinner to try as much of their food as possible. Brisket, pulled pork, hot links, and ribs would do nicely for the meats, and I picked pasta salad and peach cobbler as my two sides. Dessert for a side? Because I could, that's why.

The pasta salad was fairly heavy on the mayo, to the extent that I couldn't really taste much else. Tri-color rotini pasta was a nice choice though, as were the black olives.

My brisket didn't look all that spectacular, with the bark pretty well removed. The thick, lean slices crumbled at each prod, but upon closer inspection they weren't really overcooked, so I'm not sure what the issue was exactly. I found the beef to be pleasantly smoky and rather tender, it just wasn't my style, as I prefer fatty bark-laden brisket.

Conversely, the pork looked much more inviting than the brisket, and it was tastier, too. There were certainly plenty of smoke-colored pieces to go around, although not much bark here either. Most of the pork was tender and juicy, but a few bites were drier than others. I tasted a moderate amount of smoke and little seasoning other than some salt, which was just fine by me.

The hot link's red casing matched its fiery interior perfectly. The casing was crisp with a good snap, and the coarse-ground meat inside had plenty of pepper throughout. I didn't purchase a drink to go with my meal, but the heat level at play here made me wish that I had. To be honest, I couldn't taste much more than heat, though perhaps that's the point of a hot link.

While the rest of my plate ranged from passable to mediocre, the ribs were really, really good. The salt and spices of the crust hit me right away, followed by a lingering smokiness. Juicy and succulent pork came away cleanly from the bone with each bite. The smoke ring didn't extend much below the crust, but I'll take flavor over appearance any day.

The cobbler was a bit doughy and chewy for my liking. On the plus side, the peaches were nice and sweet, and I always love the combination of fruit and brown sugar. I think some more cinnamon would have been nice though, as would a crunchy streusel topping.

Your best bet at Pig In! Pig Out! BBQ is to just get a rack of ribs and be done with it.

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1003 E 13th St N
Wichita, KS 67214
(316) 263-7474
https://www.pipobbq.com

Burn Co. Barbeque (Tulsa, OK)

Apparently Burn Co. Barbeque is pretty popular amongst Tulsa locals and tourists alike. When I pulled up at 10:00am, a full half-hour before opening time, there were already a handful of hungry people waiting by the door. That line grew to over three dozen by 10:30am. It's not the kind of crowd you'd expect for Franklin's in Austin, but impressive nonetheless. I'd have been closer to the front if six people hadn't cut their way into "saved spots." Grrr!

I absolutely loved the vibe here. Their huge barbecue-themed murals were awesome and appropriate. Smoke filled the air like someone had just shut off a fog machine. Fun music and enthusiastic employees also added to the ambiance. If you're in the mood to cook your own food instead, Burn Co. has a meat counter full of fresh cut steaks, sausages, jerky, and more. In short, this place was entirely excellent.

There was one menu item that I knew would be part of my meal, regardless of what else I ordered: The Fatty. Bacon wrapped around ground sausage wrapped around ground-up hot links wrapped around more ground sausage wrapped around a smoked sausage link. It's like some glorious pork-filled barbecue turducken. As filling as that sounds on its own, you can also get The Fatty as part of an off-menu "Happy Plate." This three-pound plate of deliciousness will run you over $40.00, but you get to sample all of their meats: brisket, pulled pork, smoked bologna, chicken, ribs, several kinds of sausage, and of course The Fatty. How could I possibly resist??? If that isn't enough, you also get two sides, so I snagged a little mac and cheese and grilled potato salad. Their gluttonous platter also comes with two drinks, so clearly it's meant to share, but I just took that as an opportunity to double-fist some strawberry Fanta.

Grilled potato salad sounded pretty unique, and in fact it was. I found hunks of grilled peppers and onions laced throughout the crispy homefry-style potatoes. That alone was good enough, but then lo and behold, bacon! It was more akin to a breakfast hash, but scrumptious either way. The mac and cheese was piled high with big, creamy shell pasta. And what did I find underneath? More bacon. I liked this place a lot.

Burn Co.'s brisket comes chopped, not sliced, and it also comes pre-sauced. But despite my preconceptions, it was super good. There was a slight spiciness and a definite smokiness. Crisp bark was intermixed in each bite of the incredibly tender beef. Even in its chopped form you could still see the smoke ring.

The chicken drumstick was almost black and oozed smoke, a rarity for barbecue chicken. Crisp skin on top and juicy meat beneath was a perfect combination, and each part was seasoned very nicely. I did notice some hints of sweetness on the skin that were particularly enjoyable.

My giant heap of pulled pork was very moist and carried a great smoke level. There was also smoke-kissed bark throughout, which made things extra savory and added a crunchy texture to the tender meat. There was no sauce on the pork, and it definitely didn't need any. I had to force myself to stop eating it.

There were two kinds of sausage on my plate: a regular variety and their spicy "lava link." The plain sausage was a coarse-ground homemade link, full of black pepper and full of flavor. The casings popped with each bite, and that's something I always appreciate. The hot link was good too, although I preferred its companion. My first bite of the spicy sausage wasn't too bad, giving me a false sense of security. The second bite, however, lingered in the back of my throat for several minutes, making me tear up a little.

The meat on my pork ribs went up a solid inch above the bone, if not more. There was a beautiful rosy crust covered in a great peppery rub. The meat was very juicy and packed tons of smoke. Neither under nor overcooked, these Goldilocks ribs were just right.

Bologna, aka Oklahoma prime rib, isn't one of my usual barbecue selections. But when it's done well, it's superb. And this bologna, my friends, was done very well. I found it surprisingly smoky with a crisp, nicely charred skin. Unlike most other meats which mostly retain their own natural flavors, the bologna had soaked up all of the gloriousness that the pit had to offer.

Finally, it was time for the coup de grace: The Fatty. Most of the main flavors at work were similar to a semi-spicy breakfast sausage. There was also a touch of barbecue sauce here and there that jazzed things up nicely, and there was plenty of smoke to go around. The Fatty was definitely an interesting addition to my lunch, though more of a novelty than something I'd order regularly. Either way, I'm glad that I ate it.

In the end, I needed three big to-go containers to house all of my Burn Co. Barbecue leftovers, which I joyfully looked forward to finishing in the coming week.

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Burn Co. Barbeque
1738 S Boston Ave
Tulsa, OK 74119
(918) 574-2777
http://www.burnbbq.com

Sideways (Rockwall, TX)

Dallas was a great home to my wife and I for many years, and while I'm always ready for a nostalgic visit, I don't have the slightest desire to fight its horrendous traffic anymore. A barbecue joint called Sideways opened up shop a few months ago on the East side of Lake Ray Hubbard, and since eating there meant that I could bypass most of the gridlock, it didn't take much convincing to make this my scheduled DFW dinner run.

Sideways has the fun atmosphere that you'd expect from a harbor restaurant. They have a nice bar area, big screen TVs, and a huge outdoor patio. But since it was 100 degrees even with full cloud cover, I took a seat in the air conditioning. There was sort of an upscale rustic motif going on here with a splash of farmhouse sheik, which I liked it, and considering how busy they were, so did everyone else. A small stage area for live music was being set up, but I would likely be gone by the time that got rocking.

I ordered myself a 3 Meat Plate of brisket, pork ribs, and pulled pork. Upon selecting brisket, the waitress immediately asked for my preference of fatty or lean. Now that's my kind of place! Naturally I picked the fatty beef, but I'm sure their lean cut is good, too. I also made sure to snag some of their baked hatch chili mac and cheese as my one side dish. Oh, hatch chilies, how I've missed you.

Large shell pasta was a welcome change from basic elbow macaroni. The mac was creamy and cheesy, with a nice bite from the peppers. Cheese and spice complimented each other nicely. This was a really enjoyable side dish, and I made sure to take some leftovers with me so that I could enjoy it again.

The brisket had a deep black crust with a small red smoke ring beneath. Its big fatty layer along the bottom could have stood a wee bit more rendering, but it tasted great and melted in my mouth. A good amount of salt and black pepper in each bite was all the seasoning this needed. The thick slices were very smoky and not the slightest bit dry.

Their pork had the appearance and taste of meat that's been tossed in sauce. At least it was a vinegary one rather than the overly sweet variety. I caught hints of spiciness here and there, as well as a nice smoke level. The pork was sufficiently tender and juicy, though not really the pulled pork I had wanted.

My ribs looked fantastic! Coarse black pepper coated the ruby red crust, which extended deep below the surface. They were super moist, incredibly juicy, and wonderfully smoky. The meat stayed put until each successive bite, but then pulled off the bone with little more than a slight tug. In short, they were cooked perfectly.

If the pulled pork had been up to snuff, and the brisket slightly better, Sideways would certainly be a five-star barbecue joint. But even as is, this place is worth a visit.

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Sideways
2067 Summer Lee Dr
Suite 105
Rockwall, TX 75032
(469) 769-1551
https://sidewaysbbq.com

Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que (Paris, TX)

My darling wife persuaded me to add another day to my planned barbecue roadtrip, and who am I to turn that down? I think she intended me to spread out my existing itinerary, but instead I just added on more barbecue. So, before venturing into Oklahoma, I decided to first head West toward Paris, Texas to check out Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que.

The parking lot was a veritable ghost town at 4:00pm. I wasn't even sure that Scholl Bros. was open for business, especially since their neon sign was off. But, needing a break from the road, I checked anyway. Good thing that I did. This joint screams "small town," from the rustic tin ceiling to the deer heads scattered about. More so than many places I've visited, I felt at home here.

Scholl's offers a four-meat/no sides sampler plate for just $18.00. You can get a version of this magnificent platter with three side dishes for a mere $2.00 more, but I was feeling carnivorous today. I took my meaty combo with brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and sausage. The guy generously threw in a free drink since I bought a solid pound of meat.

I received lean slices of brisket, but there was still a good line of fat to be had. There was also a perfect rosy smoke ring, matched by a mild smokiness. Their brisket is seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper, which allowed the natural beefiness to shine equally alongside the smoke.

Beautiful smoke-kissed bits and a well-seasoned layer of charred bark stood front and center in my pile of pork. It was tender and nicely smoked. In fact, the pork was noticeably smokier than the brisket. I wouldn't have dreamed of adding sauce, and it certainly didn't need any.

Scholl's sausage didn't strike me as being homemade, which is always a shame, especially from small town barbecue. The crisp casing had a great snap. I could only taste minimal smoke, but that's to be expected with sausage generally, especially the store-bought stuff.

The ribs came out lightly sauced. They also came with the membrane still intact, so I had to work a little bit to avoid that. I easily pulled the meat completely off with my fingers. Either the ribs were cooked too long or they sat under the warming lights too long, I'm not sure which. The sauce was too sweet for my liking, particularly for Texas barbecue.

A few other hungry folks showed up by the time I climbed back into my truck. Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que probably does very well in Paris, but they need a little work to really hang with the big boys.

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Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que
1528 Lamar Ave
Paris, TX 75460
(903) 739-8080
http://www.schollbrosbbq.net