I just got back from an emergency run (funeral) to the old hometown in
central MO, passing thru MCI on the way. Naturally, I had to stop at
one of my favorite Q joints to get some food to sustain me for the 90
mile drive ahead. The name of the place I so enjoy is something like
Smokehouse or Smokestack Barbecue, I don't recall the name fully, but
it's located off Tiffany Springs Road, across from the Embassy Suites up
by the airport. Their sauce is absolutely classic KC style, and about
all they lack is pulled pork. I had a sandwich of turkey and sliced
sausage, slathered with their sauce. It was so good, I didn't even
spill a drop on my clean shirt. The slaw and potato salad were classic
as well.

You're probably familiar with the place, and if you're not, I'm sure
they have others in the KC area. Let me know what you think. IMHO, it
doesn't offer the finest Q in KC, but I've never been disappointed in
it, either. Their sauce is good, though and the portions and price are
right as well.
--
---Nonnymus---
No matter how large your boat,
the person you are talking with will
have a close friend with a larger one.
---Observation by my son

Nunya Bidnits wrote:

> What's your hometown in MO?
>
> MartyB in KC
>

The bride and I are from Marshall. It's a small farming/college town in
the center of the state, about 30 miles north of Sedalia and 60 west of
Columbia. Marshall once had Bruner's barbeque. It was a black beer
joint with ribs so good you'd cry when you ate them. Legend has it that
Ocey Bruner sold his recipe to Kraft back in the 50's, but who knows?



--
---Nonnymus---
No matter how large your boat,
the person you are talking with will
have a close friend with a larger one.
---Observation by my son

On 20-Dec-2007, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

> "Nonnymus" > wrote
> %<
> > The bride and I are from Marshall. It's a small farming/college town in
> > the center of the state, about 30 miles north of Sedalia and 60 west of
> > Columbia. Marshall once had Bruner's barbeque. It was a black beer
> > joint with ribs so good you'd cry when you ate them. Legend has it that
> > Ocey Bruner sold his recipe to Kraft back in the 50's, but who knows?
> >
> I've driven past the Marshall exit numerous times but never have actually
> been there. Ocey Bruner, that name even sounds like bbq! Gotta wonder if
> he
> knew Otis Boyd, a similar KC legend in the 50's through 90's, who was
> blessed with a similarly perfect bbq name. That's where my dad took me for
> the first barbecue I ever had. Boyd and Son is also now defunct, but was
> written up in the book Smoke and Spice (Jamison and Jamison) along with a
> decent knock-off recipe attempt at their sauce.
>
> I'd sure like to sell a recipe to Kraft. That's my ultimate objective in
> marketing sauce and seasonings, to be like Rich Davis' KC Masterpiece, who
> sold his recipe and label rights (but not restaurant rights) to Clorox
> Corporation (owners of Kingsford) for a right tidy sum. Never mind that
> none
> of the KCM sauces taste anything remotely like his original product, but
> mostly like sweetened ketchup or molasses. Davis developed KCM into a
> strong
> regional label that Clorox thought could go national, and the rest is bbq
> history.
>
> OT, but next time you fly in and are driving around up north, check out
> Stroud's. Best fried chicken in the world, a KC landmark, James Beard and
> Zagat winners, written up nationally numerous times, it started as a
> roadhouse which the city demolished recently in a shameful act of
> butt-stupid cost-cutting ignorance to remodel a neighboring bridge which
> they now don't want to remodel because the heavy restaurant traffic is
> gone.
> Grrrrr. They are still open up north and its wonderful.
>
> MartyB in KC

But, but, but, I have to know about the Golden Ox Restaurant at the
stockyards. It apparently is still at the same location, lo, after all this
many years. I haven't been there since about 1972.

http://www.goldenox.com/menu.php#lunch

According to their current menu, they're pretty proud of their barbecue.
Back in my day, I was interested in the absolutely killer bean soup they
served every thursday. Even though the chef freely shared his recipe, I
was never able to duplicate it. Hell, maybe it was just the atmosphere
I couldn't duplicate. I do make some pretty good bean soup.
--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)

On 22-Dec-2007, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

> "Brick" > wrote
> >
> > But, but, but, I have to know about the Golden Ox Restaurant at the
> > stockyards. It apparently is still at the same location, lo, after all
> this
> > many years. I haven't been there since about 1972.
> >
> > http://www.goldenox.com/menu.php#lunch
> >
> > According to their current menu, they're pretty proud of their barbecue.
> > Back in my day, I was interested in the absolutely killer bean soup they
> > served every thursday. Even though the chef freely shared his recipe, I
> > was never able to duplicate it. Hell, maybe it was just the atmosphere
> > I couldn't duplicate. I do make some pretty good bean soup.
> > --
> > Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)
>
> Its still going strong, but their big reputation is for the steaks, which
> are great. I have eaten there many times and never had the bean soup! I'll
> be sure to try it next time. I've never had barbecue there either, since
> I'm
> always about the steak whenever I go there. The barbecue may be a later
> addition for them. Since the Governor's Exposition building was built and
> became the site of the American Royal Barbecue Contest, and being less
> than
> two blocks away, they probably decided to capitalize on the mystique of
> their location. Based on their steaks, I would expect them to turn out
> some
> pretty good Q as well. Its one of the oldest restaurants in KC and
> certainly
> qualifies as a venerable institution around here and they have survived
> that
> long with good reason. And thankfully, there aren't stockyards in the
> neighborhood any more. (phew!)
>
> MartyB in KC

Thank you so much Marty. Alas, there's no stopping progress. Back
in the early '70's I was stationed at Richards-Gebauer AFB out there
by Grandview. I didn't get around KC very much and what I did
experience has changed so much it is unrecognizable today. It would
be interesting to check out the soup of the day at the Golden Ox
on a thursday and find out if, a. it is still bean soup and b, if it's good
enough to be memorable. Oh yeh, I don't remember the Golden
Ox ever being touted for BBQ. It was and apparently is a Steak
House of choice.

I remember having BBQ at an east side restaurant during lunch time.
It had a serving counter about ten feet long at the most. The ovens
were directly behind the counter and the meat was prepped and
served right there at the counter. The dining room was filled with
four seat tables covered with oil cloth. And the parking lot was
filled with cadillacs, lincolns and corvettes. The lunch clientele
included a lot of jacket and tie. The 'Q' was simply outstanding.
I had ribs, beans and slaw as I remember. That was more then
thirty years ago. It was a lot of years before I had 'Q' as good
again. I don't know what the name of the restaurant was. It
seemed to be on the east side and it was run totally by black
folks.

I had some good 'Q' again in Houston some years later. Again
the restaurant was rather rustic and run totally by black folks.
That was some time in the mid '80's and I don't remember
the name of that one either.
--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)

On 23-Dec-2007, "Nunya Bidnits" > wrote:

> "Brick" > wrote
> %<
> > I remember having BBQ at an east side restaurant during lunch time.
> > It had a serving counter about ten feet long at the most. The ovens
> > were directly behind the counter and the meat was prepped and
> > served right there at the counter. The dining room was filled with
> > four seat tables covered with oil cloth. And the parking lot was
> > filled with cadillacs, lincolns and corvettes. The lunch clientele
> > included a lot of jacket and tie. The 'Q' was simply outstanding.
> > I had ribs, beans and slaw as I remember. That was more then
> > thirty years ago. It was a lot of years before I had 'Q' as good
> > again. I don't know what the name of the restaurant was. It
> > seemed to be on the east side and it was run totally by black
> > folks.
>
> Sound's like Bryant's. (Arthur Bryant's) Its world famous. But back then
> it
> could also have been Boyd's, which was also self serve, but had a longer
> counter. But from the description Bryant's would be my best guess.
> Bryant's
> main sauce is more like a southern style vinegar/cayenne type sauce rather
> than the tomato based sauce which is more common in KC. However they do
> have
> a tomato based sauce they put on their burnt ends. They have served
> everyone
> from day laborers to the rich and/or famous, including US presidents.
> Personally, I just refer to it as "The Shrine".
>
> MartyB in KC

I've seen some fairly recent pictures of Bryants and it doesn't ring any
bells, but I suppose it's possible the property could have been improved
sometime in the last thirty years or so. I really think it was Bryants, but
I couldn't swear to it. Whoever it was, they sure were popular.

--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)