Smoke and Fire BBQ

COMO Smoke and Fire BBQ

4600 Paris Road Columbia Missouri



 

 

Columbia is starting to get a lot of BBQ restaurants!  Not sure why we suddenly have such an influx, but it is welcome.  The newest addition is Smoke and Fire BBQ on Paris Road.  I noticed the sign after the new year, and got the chance to stop end of last week.  It is in a location that has had several restaurants in the last years.  It is certainly easy to get to from the north part of Columbia.  The décor is familiar from the previous restaurants, with some BBQ memorabilia added.

 

It has a varied menu, with limited BBQ offerings.  It has the BBQ basics, and it has lots of other options for any in the party that want something else.

 

 

 

I had the brisket.  It was cut thick, as thick as I think I have ever had it.  By weight, it is a heck of a lot of meat.  It has a nice flavor.  I prefer a thinner cut, but that is my preference.  Hard to argue with the choice when it is as tasty as this was. With fries and slaw and texas toast it is a nice meal for a price that would be considered middle of the pack.

 

I came a little before the lunch rush and it was easy to see that they were learning to handle a full dinning room.  By the time I left every table was filled, and staff were really straining to keep up with all of the orders.  I think it will be a bit of a learning curve to get the service up to expectations, it would help if they hired a few more to help.  That is not to say the meal did not come quickly, because it was really fast from entry to eating.  What became difficult was paying for it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Biffle’s Barbeque

Biffle’s Barbeque

103 NE 2^nd Street, Concordia,  Mo 64020

 

I was by Biffle's a little after the first of the year, and they had a note on the door that they were closed.  I was not clear if this was a short closing or a permanent closing.  It is certainly not my information to spread, so I am a little worried that I might have it wrong.  Still if it is going to close, I don't want to let it go unacknowledged.

Biffle's was a main stay of I70 since 1983.  Located at Concordia it was midway between Columbia and Kansas City.  At one point in my career I was located not very far from it.  In fact I was in that area when it opened.  Unfortunately it was also a time in my career when my salary and family obligations did not leave me much disposable income, so I was not a frequent visitor.  Over the years as I moved around north Missouri I often found myself traveling by Biffle's.  I tried to organize my time so that I could stop by a couple of times a year.  It became kind of a standard against which to compare other BBQ. 

It was a nice family restaurant.  They had a large menu, and all of it was good.  The service was helpful, but not overwhelming.  They could be very busy on weekends and when I70 was carrying a lot of traffic. 

I can't believe they would be closing, but if true I will surly miss them!