Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Adventures in our roving cottage

Last year, my hubby and I bought a used Airstream with plans to travel to the different  competition sites he is involved in.  We made a couple of trips last year, and so far we have traveled to New Jersey and to the upper most regions of Illinois this year.


Along the way we enjoy stopping at the noted "world famous" Bar-B-Que places. Last year we visited Oklahoma Joes in Kansas and Big Bob Gibson in Decatur Alabama. With all of the hype that was presented to us, we were expecting food that would radiate across the states. We were sorely disappointed in both establishments.

So on this most recent trip we made our way to another noted Bar-B-Que establishment in St. Louis MO.

Pappy's is reputed to have a wait of two to three hours. Ours was only about 30 minutes but the line seemed to continue to swell as we waited for our food.

 They appeared to be smoking outside on large cookers.
 The menu was typical Bar-B-Que fare.

However, we came away saying that we would not make a special trip back, no matter what the reviewers said. My pulled chicken did not have a bar-b-que flavor and my hubby's ribs and brisket were average. The sides tasted like they were from a can instead of being cooked and flavored.


I was impressed with their tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11.

As we made our way further south, we made a detour west towards Memphis. Hey, we were that close, why not stop for more smoking stuff :-)

We battled our way on the interstate towards Central Bar-B-Que. After sitting at a standstill for 45 minutes, we diverted off of the Interstate and trusted our GPS to direct us to Central Avenue. 

Again Central B-B-Que has a noted reputation for great food.

 THIS time we were not disappointed!  My hubby's ribs were fall off the bone delicious. And my chicken was so good I ate every scrap of meat, leaving the bones dry. I wasn't crazy about their slaw but their baked beans had a special something that made them unique. They make their own crisp and salty potato chips.
Now we don't claim to be experts on good bar-b-que, but my hubby loves to cook and has a cooker that rivals any grill. But we did feel that each place we stopped lacked in their Brisket offering. We have enjoyed much better at Holy Hog BBQ here in Tampa. 

Not much quilting related, but I'll get to that another day. 

Happy Quilting!

10 comments:

Rajesh said...

Interesting experiences.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

MMMM Have to love smoked BBQs!

Ranch Wife said...

Thanks for the reviews. We love BBQ and smoking. DH built his smoker from scratch and loves to smoke everything. We don't travel much, but hope to try Franklin's in Austin at some point. DH is reading his book in the evenings.

Tanna said...

I so hate to be disappointed in my barbeque... ;) Most of the time I just prefer my own. If you are ever in Roanoke, VA you have to try Mission BBQ! Outstanding and the sides are EVEN BETTER. Amazing sides! Plus, I love their patriotic hearts! Thanks for the name of the one in Memphis! Keep us posted on any others. Blessings and hugs and travel safely! tanna

scottylover said...

So sorry you were disappointed with Pappy's! It is good, but the next time you come through St. Louis, check out Salt + Smoke in University City or Sugarfire in Olivette. They are my favorites!

Sandy A in St. Louis

Jeanna said...

We are BBQ snobs. While we enjoy all kinds, I prefer southern style and my husband likes the vinegar based Carolina flavor. It is always fun to get off the beaten path to find good food.

Hope to read more about your travels.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

I'm about 30-40 minutes from Pappy's and have heard/read all about the hype. A couple of summers ago we tried it, and like you we were not impressed. The BBQ was just adequate ... we haven't been back. There's a little BBQ place just about a mile from our house that we really like ... the brisket has a nice flavor and is melt-in-your-mouth tender! And the BBQ beans have a ton of good-sized chunks of pulled pork in them.

Allie-oops Designs said...

I just ate dinner and you're making me hungry again, lol!!!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

If you are ever in Des Moines, IA, stop in at Woody's Smoke Shack. Well worth it. Wish I knew you were in the upper part of Illinois. I would have tried to meet up with you somewhere.

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Nothing beats my husband's BBQ. HOWEVER...we do like to sample other BBQ places. Yes, the first stop looks kind of uninteresting. The last stop looks great. Sides make a meal and if they taste like they are from a can, then that is just not acceptable. We have a place in town that makes the best brisket sandwiches, homemade sweet potatoes and greens. Now I'm hungry!