KC BBQ: Episode IV

I should have taken pictures.

My father-in-law asked me right before we left, if I was going to have any barbecue. The question should have been: am I going to eat a meal that isn't barbecue.

Saturday night, after the College Basketball Experience, we had Oklahoma Joe's carry-out. This did nothing to change my opinion of OK Joe's. It really is OK. The brisket was probably the best, the ribs were fine and there was nothing wrong with the sausage. All of it was perfectly adequate. But is that what you look for in a meal?

Next stop was the Burnt End Cheesesteak and the Short Rib Melt at Arrowhead. The Cheesesteak was far better and cheaper. Solid stadium choice.

Sunday night we went to Jack Stack. This was the first time that I got to eat in. I chose it because it has the best birthday dinner atmoshphere. There was a waiter, Brit got her choice of plenty of good food (fried mushrooms + spinach salad). Plus, I don't think it's fair to judge carryout only vs eat-in.

I opted for the two meat combo, that includes two sides (I chose fries and beans). For my meats, I picked sliced beef brisket and burnt ends. And I asked for a mixture of pork and beef burnt ends, so I really got three meats, though two portions. The meal came with a slice of perfectly golden Texas Toast, a nice step up from the usual piece of Wonder bread that bbq joints usually serve. And I asked for extra sauce, original and spicy.

It seems as there are two schools of thought on burnt ends. Gates, Arthur Bryants, and Smokehouse all serve a saucy, crispy mixture that looks quite shredded. Jack Stack, Arrowhead Cheesesteak, and LC's all serve big chunks, about 1-inch cubes of meat. I've had good and bad of both variety.

Jack Stack has the best of the cubed variety. They are so tender and well-cooked, you feel like you could just keep popping them in your mouth. Their sliced beef was the best looking I've ever seen. So uniform, you could tell they cook and carve with precision. And the Texas Toast complimented the meat nicely. The fries are solid, and the beans are outstanding, with big chunks of meat. As for the sauce, I thought the original was a little bland, but the spicy version made up for it.

To sum up, high quality, nice presentation, everything tasted great. But...well let's come back to this in a moment.

On our way out of town, on my birthday, I wanted Gates. We pulled in at 12:15 pm, and there weren't any parking spots. I run in and the line is 20 deep. But it moves quickly. Before too long, "HI MAY I HELP YOU?" "BURNT END ON BUN!" I also added an order of fries and potato salad for Brit.

This was the first time I've ordered the burnt end sandwich. I don't think there's anything better. For $5.85, you get a sandwich that is shaped like a Jimmy John's, generously piled with their shredded ends of a brisket. I'm not sure how else to describe how good this was. Each bite had the flavor magnified. It was incredible. How had I not had this before? Their fries are always good, and I love all their sauces.

So this what I was getting at when trying to sum up Jack Stack. They know what they're doing and they have it down to a science. But at Gates, it's an art. They cook with soul. And love. And in every bite it feels like you're getting something special, something that's home-cooked and just for you.

Jack Stack
Pork Burnt Ends: A+
Beef Burnt Ends: A-
Beef Brisket: A
Beans: A+
Fries: A-
Overall: A

Gates
Burnt End on Bun: A++
Fries: A
Overall: A+

For The Record:
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (11/22/10): A+
Arthur Bryant's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/21/10): A+
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (2/13/09): A+
Jack Stack, eat-in, Overland Park (11/21/10): A
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (10/6/07): A
Gates, stadium, Arrowhead (10/7/07): A
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Overland Park (10/6/07): A-
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/23/10): A-
Corky's, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): A-
Carsons, eat-in, Chicago (2/7/09): A-
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (2/13/09): A-
Smokehouse BBQ, eat-in, Overland Park (2/14/09): A-
Smoke Daddy, eat-in, Chicago (5/23/09): B+
Rum Boogie Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B+
Neely's, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B
LC's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/24/10): B-
Blues City Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): C