Had long layovers in KC both ways, so I took the shuttle bus to the different terminals trying to find some KC Q. Only Arthur Bryant's had a place, so I was stuck. First day had a combo with brisket and burnt ends with slaw. Not as transcendental as I remember my visit to the real deal. Second day I grabbed a pork sandwich and beans. Sauces were interesting in a KC kinda way, but I think I like Gates's sauce better. Meats were a bit underwhelming, I liked the burnt ends the best...would have preferred more burnt and less sauce on them. Sides were good. There's a sports bar right next door and you can order your Q from the same person taking your drink order. Not stupendous, but if you're stuck in the KC airport for awhile it's passable. On to Nashville... Lunch at Jack's was kickass as usual. 3 meat combo with brisket (right up there with my fave Texas versions), sausage (ditto) and pork. The Texas sauce and their hot sauce were OK, I put the Tennessee sauce on the pork, and some of their Carolina sauce for the last few bites. Everything was excellent, including the sides. Caught dinner at Rippy's across the street from Jack's. Pretty darned good ribs...didn't care for the sauce at all...too citrus-y. Don't remember what sides I had, so must not have been too killer. If on Broadway I'll go to Jack's exclusively from now on. Got turned around on some of the new roads/highways and made my way back to my hotel on a suburban road in Gallatin, where I found Center Point BBQ, just the kind of new (to me) hole in the wall I had hoped to find. Sat at the counter, enjoyed a minced pork plate with mustardy slaw and white beans. Meat was nicely textured with some sweet smoke to it...both sauces were good, though the spicy was not nearly as hot as I would have liked. Last meal was Corky's, where I had pork and ribs. Ribs were supposed to be half dry half wet, but I got all wet. Maybe just as well ...I tasted one of my buddy's dry ones and it tasted pretty salty to me (more than I remember from previous visits). Meats were excellent, and their hot sauce has a nice kick to it. I don't care for most of their sides at all...beans and slaw have green bell pepper which I abhor, and the potato salad tried this time seemed like the slightly undercooked commercially packaged variety. The fried corn-on-the-cob was excellent though.
Barbecue