Hi Yelp. Hope this day, this moment in time finds you loved, in good health, and willing to find your smile in any and all situations. Life is, what we make it, so let's make it awesome.
Like this BBQ spaces service, awesome. 3 struggle stars, thpugh 5 star service. I'm in Junction City, Kansas. Super small, quaint military town. The supply chain shortages impact small towns harder than large cities.
I feel for small town businesses effected by joblessness in the city at-large, it's difficult to put out your best when dealing with product shortages.
So let's roll into my issues they can improve. First. When I'm out for BBQ, whether a trailer smoker, or restaurant, I first open the car window as I approach to smell smoke. I didn't smell any, none, narry. Went in anyway, no smoke smell. No BBQ smell, sterile. That was crazy for me.
Server/greeter, was super friendly, super great welcoming smile that said stay, give us a try. I did. Order a baked spud loaded, ribs, sliced brisket, smoked sausage, fried okra, fries.
Order came out timely, but in the car driving home, still no smokey aroma from the containers. None? How is this smoked meat, with no smoked aroma blasting my senses?
Got home, popped open the containers, looks spot on, picturesque bbq, like the picture. Ribs, fall off the bone, good cook on them, great color,,but just not a deep enough smoked flavor. Not really seasoned. Um, this is sposed to be pit bbq, that was the point. It's bbq. Smoke required. Rub required.
Brisket, same. It looked perfect, was cooked tender, but it was like eating a great picture due to the lack of wood smoke. Great texture, great flavor for oven baked, but not bbq. This would kill Arby's as roast beef, but it's supposed to be smoked beef. So great as the other, not so great as bbq. Just get a wood fire going, this would have been almost Texas bbq.
Sides were sides. Great at what they are, but it's like the Pips singing their hearts out, doing their smoothest steps, but Gladys Knight wasn't singing on key.
Sausage save me!!! Nope. It was as if a rope sausage sized Decker bologna. This was not smoked sausage. It was sausage sized bolo. I love bolo, but not as sausage.
I so wanted this to go well for the money. The prices got no "shortages adjustment". Full price? Then give us full smoke.
I'm out of town visiting fam. Maybe by next visit, they will have found some hickory, and rub. If I ride up and don't smell smoke, will have to still go in, the ribs were worth it, as was the brisket, but I'll adjust my expectations that it's just great roasted meat, not bbq.
Tipped healthy because the young person at the counter truly had great energy, chatted up each customer that approached with so much small town charisma and warm so as to put shine on the whole place. That has to be worth everything the food missed in smoke. I give her 10 . She mentioned wanting to go to culinary school. I hope she does, and succeeds at opening her own place. I know the smiles and energy will be stellar.
Take care peeps. Be well. Be happy. Be generous with your gifts. Be the smile you want returned. And if you had an experience worth mentioning, share it here with the rest of us.
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