Get Your Grill On

I had a little time recently in the Kansas City Airport so instead of sitting there wasting time I figured I would get me some famous KC bbq. I looked up restaurants and since I didn’t have time to make the drive anywhere else I headed off to Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. And since their website says they’ve been voted KC’s Best for 19 years I figured I couldn’t lose.

As I pulled up in front of the place I couldn’t help but get excited. Stacks and stacks of wood could be found on the side of the building and sweet blue smoked billowed from the chimney on top of the building. Walking into the building I could immediately smell the smell of the smoke.

My friends and I were immediately seated. We had to walk past tiffany style lamps and our table had cloth napkins. Not the normal type of bbq decor I’m used to. But with stack of wood, smoke and aroma in the place I still had high hopes.

The menu was full of great sounding items. There are several different types of combination plates to choose from. I chose the “Chef’s Special.” One beef rib, two spares, two pieces of chicken and some sausage. I was very disappointed that the plate came to the table drenched in sauce. They must ladle it on in the back. I subscribe to the theory that bbq restaurants that serve their meats already sauced are hiding something. What Smokehouse Bar-B-Que was hiding was any hint of smoke flavor. The sauce not only covered the meat it erased any hope flavor other than the sauce.

You got to also wonder about a Q joint that has wait staff that didn’t know baby backs came for a pig. Ours thought they were beef. Other than that little error the service was good and attentive, at least until we were done. Because it was the middle of the afternoon there weren’t very many patrons in the place so after we paid for our meal we just sat their talking, mostly about the “beef baby backs.” That was until the waitress informed us that she was done with her shift and she wanted to go home. And that she couldn’t go home until we left. She stood there until we left.

All and all it wasn’t what I would have expected from KC’s Best. I know, personally, a couple of hundred back-yarders that could create better bbq. Just average, at best. But then again it’s not just anywhere that you can get beef baby back ribs.