I am amazed at the number of BBQ restaurants around me that I have become aware of or have opened in the recent year. A number I hope to write about in the future. At the same time I have to note some that have closed (or at least I think they have closed, I am not the one to be make this news.)
One of the issues we have in our current electronic world is that many of the restaurants continue to have a presence on the web long after they have closed. Many of the restaurant review sites are great at listing a place, but extremely slow at either noting a new place or letting you know it has closed. I am sure they suffer from the same limits that I have. Who do you notify that your are opening? Who do you notify that you are closing?
A number of times I have tried to check if a restaurant is still open, found recent updates and travel the miles only to find the restaurant closed. Not just closed, but repurposed to some new function that insures that it is not open. I guess there is always the possibility that they have moved to a new location, but without a way to discover that I have less belief that that has occurred.
One of note is Michael's Unforgettable BBQ which was located in Jefferson City Missouri across the street from Oscar's restaurant. It opened about seven years ago, and was open for two or three years before closing. In fact it closed, reopened and then closed again. I think it was run by "Michael" who was a great pit master. Then I think it was run by a daughter or other family member, then by some other friends. Eventually it was run by a two people, a woman who cooked and a lady who manned the counter. The building remains, and is available for special occasions, if the sign is to be believed. They had good BBQ particularly the pulled pork, but I liked their hotdogs even better. To this day it is listed in my Garmin GPS, and in my various apps on my phone as open for business. Since I eat at Oscar's on a relatively frequent basis I know that it is not open at that location.
This past spring I made a number of trips around the central Missouri area, some for business some for pleasure. I had some freedom to schedule the times, and often tried to arrange to be at a favorite BBQ restaurant near lunch time. On many occasions I was disappointed to find the restaurant closed.
Grump's Bar B Que in Rocheport was a nice restaurant. It started as a double car port with a few picnic tables, and food prepared in an RV parked nearby. Over a couple of years it expanded to two car ports, and then the car ports were given walls as well as doors and windows. A couple ran the place as a way to add revenue to their retirement. They were well know by the workman in the area for providing good food for a low price. One of my favorite memories was the waitress who at the time might have been 4 years old. If you came in and sat down, she would come over with a pad of paper and a pencil and "take your order." I would watch her scribble on the pad, not giving me much confidence that I was going to get what I wanted. I then noticed that her grandmother listening at the other side of the room heard what I had asked for, and provided me good food quickly and efficiently. I liked the brisket in particular. But there were good pies and a number of respectful offerings. The last few times I have driven by the building is still there, but nothing leads me to believe that it is open.
There was a BBQ restaurant that opened a number of years ago in Sweet Springs Missouri, and then closed before I had a chance to try it. It was something like Applewood BBQ. I drove by it, noted its existence but did not stop soon enough.
There is of course Biffles Smokehouse BBQ in Concordia which I wrote about some months ago. At the time I had stopped by just a few days after it closed. It was an important site along I70 for a number of years. When I first become aware of it I did not have the disposable cash to be spending on the "expensive" BBQ at just anytime, so it was only for special occasions. As the years past it became a more frequent experience. It was a well run family operation. I am very surprised that it has not continued into another generation.
A BBQ restaurant that I discovered probably 20 years ago was Bill Sharps BBQ located between Knob Noster and Warrensburg on HWY 50. At the time it had been open many more years. In fact it had burned to the ground and been rebuilt at least once before I ever stopped to eat. There was an older man, I assume Bill Sharp who ran the place, and obviously was a pit master. They served good BBQ, and the size of the portions were huge. Located near Whiteman Air Force Base, they had a large connection to the service men that came to the base. They had a lot of pictures of planes and air force memorabilia, I am sure given to Bill by appreciative customers. Seating was at big tables, so you did not necessarily know who you would end up sitting with. I expect that much of my particular taste for BBQ was shaped at Bill Sharp's.
You can't mention amazing restaurants without mentioning Perry Foster's BBQ in Warrensburg. It was an amazing place. It was open and then closed, open then closed. I don't know the truth of it, but I understand it depended on whether Mr. Foster was in or out of jail. It had some of the best BBQ I have ever tasted. The portions were legendary. The service was generally just this side of rude, certainly it was abrupt with little patience for someone like me that was not real clear on all of the ways things worked there. The restaurants ambiance was of open windows without screens, so you occasionally took a mouthful with a fly. It was all worth it. I can remember taking my wife and daughter there once, and neither would eat anything....The building is now a car lot, and I understand Mr. Foster has moved to Georgia to open a restaurant there. If I found out about the location I would drive there to eat.....
I will probably think of some others...
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