Man versus Food Visits Pappys Tonight on the Travel Channel

The Travel Channel's Man versus Food visited Pappy's recently while in town to take Crown Candy's Malt Milkshake Challenge - five 24-oz malts in 30 minutes. The show, which features host Adam Richman attempting to down nauseating volumes of food in a short period of time ('it's wafer-thin') airs at 9:00 pm tonight with the episode repeated at 10pm & 1am.

The Shaved Duck

My friend Coyote & I get together about once a month to try out a new restaurant (independent of the BBQ Quest) and this month he suggested The Shaved Duck, a spot surprisingly close to my house that featured "BBQ & beer". Did I want to go?

Well, duh.

Up front - the beer list is great - I had the Bell's Two-Hearted Ale - a great hoppy ale. But I'll let the stlhops blog tell you about the brews - this is where we talk BBQ.

I got the Big Jimmy sampler as it was the only item on the menu that featured burnt ends. A little too much food, I thought, even after sharing but I'd take some home (plus, you know, anything for the blog). In fact I was expecting a Maurice-sized glutton fest.

But no.

The 'side' of baked beans was nearly the largest single item on the plate. Sauce came in a bottle (no sin there) - in fact three bottles: a traditional (very mild) tomato-based, a SC-style mustard-based (again - very mild, especially after having just been there for the real deal), and a vinegar-based sauce in coconut milk (very intriguing, but a little goes a long way and again - no heat).

My meat samples were brisket (bland - if there was a rub, it rubbed off long ago), pulled pork (bland), pulled chicken (bland), and ribs (bland). The meat was all quite tender, but no spice and, worse yet, next to no smoke. Oh yeah - did you see what was missing? Burnt ends.

When I asked, the waitress said that had been dropped but was still on the menu (it's not on the web menu but I look at the menu in front of me at the table, not my Blackberry - who am I kidding? I don't have a Blackberry). She offered to round some up for me. Meanwhile, I noticed I had three, not the advertised four ribs. What she brought back was not Burnt Ends, or Burnt Anything for that matter, but a soggy mess soaked in sauce.

Oh yeah, this sampler plate was $15.99.

Of marginal value given the options in this town IF the portions were as advertised and IF they had packed some flavor. As is was, I couldn't help feeling I was over-promised & under-delivered.

The decor was nice, the service excellent, but please, free up the meat for someone that knows how to cook it and move on to the next incarnation.

Plush Pig - Ask for a Bag

You'd think in the middle of a recession restaurants would know better but apparently not.

My 'to go' order (the pulled pork sandwich special) shows up at the window inside a styrofoam clamshell with a specimen cup of sauce balanced on top. When I protested that couldn't be my order because a to-go order would be in a BAG. I was told they don't just GIVE OUT bags you have to ASK for a bag.

Well guys - I don't have to GIVE you my business, you have to EARN my business. You're not the only (or even one of the best) BBQ joints in St. Louis (maybe you are in Clayton, but there are lots of other good lunch spots).

I'll give them a couple of months to get their attitude on right and if they haven't driven themselves out of business, try them again then.

AYCE BBQ at The Kitchen at Lumiere Place

So I'm driving up I-44 and Wham! I see this billboard. All-you-can-eat BBQ buffet! Turns out the Kitchen, located at St. Louis's newest casino, Lumiere Place, is featuring the endless BBQ bar on Sunday nights. Hours are 5pm - 10pm. I've not been there yet, but if you go, be prepared to pay casino buffet prices. Oh yeah . . . and let me know what you think.