The Fork and The Road, LLC

Kansas City Barbecue

Kansas City - 1 year ago - Mary

It is  usually my food blogging spouse who gets to experience  and report on interesting dining experiences,  but when she heard that I was going to go to a famous barbecue joint in Kansas City, she offered for me to be a “guest blogger” for The Fork and the Road.  Since I’m a guest blogger,  I get to break the rule about destinations that are a day’s drive from Pittsburgh, and, being a guest,  I was also threatened with non-acceptance of my blog if doesn’t rise to “Fork” standards.

The setting was a weekend trip to Kansas City, MO to visit friends, do some biking, and take in some local color and cuisine.  Long time Kansas City residents recommended Oklahoma Joe’s as a great place to experience  the best of Kansas City barbecue.

While I was expecting a steak house type of setting with things like reservations, sitting on chairs, wait staff, etc,  that’s not how you get to experience Oklahoma Joe’s barbecue.  Listed as one of Anthony Bourdain’s  “13 Places to eat before you die”  this restaurant is literally housed in a structure that is part gas station, part convenience store and part cafeteria style/ take out/ sit down food joint.  If the old adage that you can tell how good a restaurant is by how many cars are parked outside, then the full hour of waiting in line to order  (and not during peak dinner time mind you) vouches for the fame and popularity of Oklahoma Joe’s.  I was just happy that our part of the line made it inside the building before the afternoon downpour hit.

The aroma upon entering caused our mouths to start watering like one of Pavlov’s dogs, and the longer we stood in line, the bigger our order became.  We eventually decided that it was only proper to have some of just about everything on the menu.   This meant amounts measured in racks and pounds of beef ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork.  Four or five side dishes like red beans and rice were added to round out the survey.   We also decided in the line to take the food back to our host’s home  rather than try to vie for one of the scarce tables –  the local ground rules for nabbing a table were clearly posted, but we chose not to compete.

Complimented perfectly by the local brew, Boulevard Wheat Ale, I can honestly say this was just about the best barbecue I have ever tasted.    The ribs were moist, smoky, tangy, and slightly sweet.  The brisket (everyone’s favorite) was thin sliced, tender, and lean.  I hesitate to say too much about the pulled pork as I have several friends who consider themselves experts on this subject.  The sides were not just the standard baked beans, French fries, and creamy cole slaw, but unique stand alone taste treats.  I’m not sure if the calories expended on the bike ride negated the trip to Oklahoma Joe’s (who am I kidding? ) but it was one of those places that was more than worth it.