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Barbecue at its best
Published: 7/30/2007 9:50 PM
Last Modified: 7/30/2007 9:50 PM


Arthur Bryant's brisket. Yum.

Okies are spoiled by good barbecue.

Some of the best can be had in our neighbors’ backyards. Here it’s nothing to known someone who has a commercial-grade smoker or pit where pork, beef and chicken are smoked on the weekends.

And for most of us, it’s only a quick drive to some of the best barbecue restaurants in the country. In Tulsa there’s Elmer’s, Wilson’s, Knotty Pine and many others. Good barbecue is easy to come by in Oklahoma City too, with Leo’s arguably among the best.

That said, you haven’t fully experienced a barbecue restaurant until you’ve been to Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City. The original location, on 18th and Brooklyn, is a jewel.

Diners line up cafeteria-style, grabbing a plate, fork and knife before placing orders at the walk-up window. Gawkers (myself included) peek past the window to the brick-oven like smoker where huge chunks of gleaming beef await.

The menu is simple – sliced beef, pulled pork, chicken, ribs and burnt ends are served by the pound or by the sandwich. Baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and hand-cut french fries are all good sides.

My husband had the sliced beef sandwich. Meat was piled high on a stack of four slices of Wonder bread with a mess of sliced pickles all wrapped tightly in a sheet of butcher paper. We could have easily shared that sandwich. But what fun would that be?

I ordered the house specialty – burnt ends. Oh man, were these good. Arthur Bryant’s burnt ends (the end pieces of a smoked beef brisket) helped put Kansas City barbecue on the map, and it’s easy to see why. Here, they’re covered in a peppery sauce of vinegar and spice.

Burnt ends are to barbecue what carnitas are to Mexican food. They’re slightly crisp, but tender, and so addictive. Before I knew it, my plate of about ½ pound of burnt ends was empty.

In 1974, author Calvin Trillen wrote that Arthur Bryant’s was “possibly the best single restaurant in the world.”

I remember reading that quote years ago and thinking, “Really?” But this week, I answered my own question. Yeah, it’s really that good.



Reader Comments 5 Total
Retired Reader (6 years ago)
Talk about vicarious living ... my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about that barbecue! Do I have any sauce smeared on my face? And oops! There's a blob on my white shirt. Oh, well. It was worth it!
carol smith-reader (6 years ago)
burnt ends sound yummy. i have been going to knotty pine since a child. this for me is the best ever. i will have to take a trip though to try the burnt ends.
Gary Saunders (5 years ago)
Hello ...

We are at last adding Oklahoma and West Virginia to our Southern restaurant listings to our award-winning website.

Can you help us with some expert recommendations?

Check us out at Dixie Dining - you'll see what we are all about.

We are seeking down home eats, BBQ, diners, Mom & Pop places with tons of character.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Maybe your readers can help???

All the best --- and "May the Fork be with You!"

Gary Saunders
CEO (Chief Eating Officer)
Dixie Dining
wtnvif@mail.com (5 years ago)
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iXBrZlIUPHnQRvyy (5 years ago)
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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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