The World's best BBQ?
Consider "The best looking woman in the world". Think about how many times you have seen some discussion around that topic. Is (was) it Jaclyn Smith? How about Elizabeth Taylor? Maybe Angelina Jolie? Kate Bosworth? Catherine Zeta-Jones? The possibilities are endless, entirely subjective and dependent on personal taste and what impressed you last.
The same with BBQ. I consider myself a connisieur of southern BBQ, and especially BBQ in the southwest. BBQ is beef brisket, slow smoked and sliced thin. Served plain with the sauce ladled on. Chopped meat stirred with sauce, served on a bun just ain't BBQ. That is MY definition, and I would expect many to disagree with it.
I have had good BBQ in many places. In the final analysis, that is the bottom line. Was it good? Was the place convenient to get to? Was the atmosphere acceptable? When we as pilots talk about BBQ, we are also talking about going to some place we haven't been before. We are going to arrive with headset hair, rumpled clothes and a severe thirst.
Is the parking lot filled with pickup trucks or limos and lexii? Is it permeated with the smell of woodsmoke and cooking meat? Inside, is the prevailing fabric used for clothing, denim or parachute cloth (or, god forbid, wool or silk)? Are the tables or booths bare or plastic covered or linen covered? If the answers are yes or column 1, you are probably in a good place. If it is weekend and you see someone in a tie, go elsewhere.
Since we will be flying home afterwards, the answer to the thirst must be iced tea (the house wine of the south). Is the glass large (12 oz or more)? Is it over cubed ice or crushed ice? Is it clear or cloudy? The answers to these must be the former in all cases. Sweetened or unsweetened is your choice.
Cafeteria style is good, but I have had good BBQ served sitdown. Meat by weight at the pit is good, but so is sliced on slapped onto your plate in front of your hungry eyes. Good coleslaw, potato salad, beans and a dill pickle only adds to the meal. If your W&B will stand it, cobbler is a nice finishing touch. Apple, peach, cherry or blackberry are all good.
Now, where can you get this? Hard 8 in Stephenville, TX. Sanderson's in Graham, TX. A place in Mineral Wells whose name escapes me, but the FBO at Kickapoo Downtown can give you directions. A place in Monticello, AR described by the local chapter of the Airport Bums Society. We have been more places, but those stand out in my memory.
Memorable Dinners
We travel, So we do a number of overnight trips. This means that we eat a number of meals that you wouldn't want to tackle on a Hamburger Run. Here then is a summary of memorable dinners we have eaten. They are arranged by state for easier reference, but the date is included so you can have some idea of the age of the information.
For those of you who live in the area of some of these, we know there may be other, perhaps better, places to eat. But first, that judgement is purely subjective and second, we were only there for a short time and couldn't visit them all.
Hilton Head IslandMarley's (3/13/06)
We found this place in spite of the map on the tourist brochure. It was definitely an upscale place with a menu (and prices) to match, but what would you expect in this place?
The food was excellent and the service was good. I had a pork tenderloin that melted in my mouth.
Peachtree City
Georgia Shrimp Company (3/11/06)
The place is in a corner of a strip mall off the main drag. Not very visible, But right in front of us while waiting in line for tea and nuggets at the Chik Fil A drive thru. It is well worth the effort to look for if you are in the area.
As the name implies, we had shrimp. It was very lightly breaded or lightly floured (depending on the dish and very good. The meal was great in a reasonably good atmosphere with excellent service. I went for the Key Lime pie for dessert which was also good. Total bill with tip was about $40.
Louisiana
New OrleansAcme Oyster Bar (3/8/04)
This place is(was) on the Ponchartrain boat basin. Katrina destroyed it, but if it is ever rebuilt, it might be worth a visit.We arrived just ahead of the dinner rush, and leisurely went through the entire ritual; appetizer, entree and dessert. All the food was excellent and the waitress was right on top of everything until the combination of the dinner rush and a waitperson that didn't come in due to an accident caused a big mess. Every effort (including the manager being on the floor) was made to cover the rush with good humor and the drop in service level was noticeable only because it had been so good.
I did the entire "cajun" thingy. Raw oysters, gumbo, and crawfish etouffe. It was all good to excellent.
Mississippi
NatchezKing's Tavern (10/14/04) (3/7/07)
This place is "number one with a bullet" on our list of places to go. We have been twice and already have a date for late june 2009.
Both times, we have had the stuffed flounder and licked the plate. Nuff said?
Tunica
Blue & White Diner (3/6/07)
This is just a country diner. It has a full menu and plain but excellent food.
New Mexico
CarlsbadStevens Grill (3/9/04)
This is the house restaurant for a nice downtown hotel. The food was very good and the atmosphere was nice.
Oklahoma
AlvaThe bowling alley cafe (6/16/05)
After pumping the lineguy and eliminating the national chains, this is what was left. The atmosphere was what would be expected from a bowling alley, but the food was something else. Typical downscale menu, but well prepared, seasoned and served. The capper was the home made Boston Cream Pie for dessert.
Texas
BrenhamBurton Cafe (4/13/02)
The Burton Café is an authentic rustic downtown café, offering a simple menu and live entertainment on Saturday night. The Chicken Fried Steak is fabulous and a piece of pie later was also great. The entertainment was a couple playing an eclectic mix of music, old and new. A most enjoyable evening for less than $30 (including tip for the entertainment).
GalvestonGaidos (12/19/04)
Seafood deluxe in a very good atmosphere. Somewhat upscale, but well worth it.
Mount PleasantLuigi's
It is Italian, what else can we say? This was technically a hamburger run, but we were late enough to get the evening menu. When I jokingly told the waitress to bring the pitcher when we ordered our tea, that is just what she did. The menu was surprisingly broad and all well prepared and seasoned.
San MarcosTexas Red's (5/7/04)
Hard to find, but well worth the effort. They have cow done just about any way you could think of and what we had was excellent. Service and atmosphere were both worth the pricey menu.
FredericksburgDer Lindenbaum (3/10/05)
I had as good a Wiener Schnitzel as I have had since my time in Germany nearly 40 years ago. The raspberry cake was also good.
Wyoming
SheridanSheridan Inn (6/20/05)
This was Buffalo Bills home here. The wait was long even on a Monday night, but the food and atmosphere were well worth it. I had prime rib that was mouth wateringly good.
Our best lunches
As we were discussing the memorable places we had been prior to starting this page, it became obvious that a number of them were sandwich shops. It is hard to beat a good sandwich for lunch. There are also a few cafes with "blue plate specials". These are probably also good dinner stops.
Many of the places we don't have a name for, but ask the guys in the FBO. That is usually how we found them.
Arkansas
StuttgartFBO (6/24/03)
We arrived there for lunch and fuel to discover that Airnav and Flight Guide notwithstanding, there was no courtesy car. However, the FBO guy offered to fix us a hamburger. While I was gassing the bird, he fired up a grill in the hangar and fixed us two of the finest hamburgers we have ever eaten. Huge pattys done just right with limited but adequate fixins. He refused any payment, but I left him a good tip.
Don't count on this if you stop there. But it was a memorable lunch.
Monticello A barbecue place (6/10/04) Recommended by the local ABS (Airport Bum Society). On the road into town. Good BBQ with a spicy but not overpowering sauce.
Georgia
SavannaThe Cotton Exchange Tavern (3/13/06)
I had a bowl of clam chowder that was excellent.
The Grill on Tybee Island (3/14/06)
Good place to eat and watch a downpour. Full lunchtime menu with a limited view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Louisiana
NachitochesMamas Oyster House (many times)
This is our lunch stop going either way if we will be close. Try the gumbo and sandwich.
New Orleans Alex Patout's (3/7/04)
On the north shore of Ponchartrain in Mandeville. This was about the best gumbo I have ever tasted.
Minden The City Bakery (3/17/06)
Try the sandwiches on home baked, fresh sourdough bread.
Mississippi
NatchezThe Carriage House (10/14/04) On the grounds of Stanton Hall. The wait staff wears frilly dress shirts and cummerbunds. But the food was excellent and the price was more than reasonable.
Oklahoma
Pauls ValleyDowntown cafe (3/28/05)
A family run cafe. We had the "Blue Plate". My baked chicken was very good.
Chickasha Jakes Ribs (6/23/05)
Good barbeque. Tender juicy meat, thinly sliced (for sandwichs), mild but tasty sauce. Everybody in town was there even though it was past lunchtime.
South Carolina
BarnwellWinton Inn (3/12/06)
We did the Sunday buffet. Sandra still thinks the fried chicken was the best she ever ate.
South Dakota
Cheyenne CrossingThe cafe (6/19/05)
The hamburgers were nothing really special, but they had blackberry shortcake for dessert. All we can say is Wow!
Tennessee
Tullahoma
Downtown Cafe (6/14/04)
Another "Blue Plate" lunch. Food was good, then came dessert, strawberry shortcake. The cake was homemade yellow cake, the strawberries had never seen a freezer and the whipped cream did not come out of a can.
Texas
FredericksburgAirport Diner (3/10/05)
Authentic atmosphere of a mid 40s diner. Good food while you watch the ramp. What else can you ask?
Granbury Sandwich shop (several times)
On the southwest corner of the square. They make a good sandwich.
Graham Sandersons (11/30/02)
This is a full service restuarant and we ate there on a Sunday afternoon, so the dinner is probably good also. I had BBQ which was good lean brisket with a good sauce.
LongviewJohnny Cace's (several times)
Johnny Cace's, nuff said!
McGregorThe Coffee Shop (2/26/06)
Good downscale menu for lunch. Try the hot roast beef sandwich.
StephenvilleHard 8 BBQ (11/30/03)
Hard 8 BBQ, nuff said!
Victoria
Mexican food (11/22/05)
Recommended by the FBO. Good authentic mexican food.
Waco
Catfish Plantation (4/24/05)
Good Sunday lunch if you can beat the church crowd.
