KC Burnt End Double Review: Gates (again) and Zarda (for the first time)

Easily the best part of the trip from O'Fallon, Illinois to Denver, Colorado is the barbecue pit stop in Kansas City. (pun intended)

The day was June 4, 2011. I had my choice of any place I wanted to go. The answer was Gates.

Previous visits had taken us to the Gates in Overland Park based on where the cheap hotels are. This time, on I-70 West, we pulled into a Gates on State in Kansas City, Kansas.

I would have liked to get a combo plate, to taste multiple meats, but the only variety plate they had was $17 and I assumed enough for two people.

So I ordered what I loved last time: Burnt End on Bun with fries.

Here's what Gates' burnt ends look like:

This was the sandwich that just 8 months ago I rated A++.

This time...I wasn't as impressed. Which surprised me.

Perhaps it was the high expectations. Perhaps it was the different location. (Though the sandwich looked the same. I thought the fries were as good as always.)

But the meat didn't wow me. Again, I think this was largely my own expectations vs reality.

In the two weeks since, I've reflected how the first time I got pork burnt ends at Jack Stack (October 07) was way better than the second time (February 09). So maybe the lesson is to always try something new.

Regardless, I enjoyed the food. It's good quality. A real nice dinner. Just not world-class.

Burnt End on Bun: A-
Fries: A
Overall: A-

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Coming back on June 10, I wanted to try a new place. We pulled into the Zarda BBQ in Blue Springs, on the Missouri side of Kansas City.

Again, I looked for a way to order multiple meats but settled for a burnt end sandwich. Here's what Zarda serves up:

The sandwich comes on a smaller, circular bun here. And the meat comes in solid chunks, not shredded like at Gates and Arthur Bryant's. They had a good variety of sauces which you can see sampled on the left side of my plate.

Suprisingly, my reaction was similar to my Gates review. Good, nothing special. The sides were good. But the meat wasn't blowing me away. The texture wasn't my favorite. I've had big chunks of burnt ends before. Jack Stack serves up this style, but the meat is tender and you could shred it with your fingers if you wanted to. At Zarda, the texture was more solid.

This place was good enough that I'd try it again one day, but I wouldn't order the burnt ends. 

Burnt End: B+
Fries: A
Beans: A-
Overall: B+


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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
Gates, eat-in, Kansas City, Kansas (6/4/11): A-
Jabo's, eat-in, Denver, (12/1/10) 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-
Zarda: eat-in, Blue Springs (6/10/11): B+
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
Famous Dave's, eat-in, Peoria (11/26/10) B-
LC's, eat-in, Kansas City (4/24/10): B-
Blues City Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): C