Lonnie Ray's BBQ

Lonnie Ray's is a lot like Sutton's in Columbia, just with an all-white clientele in place of the all-black crowd. A sociology grad student could delve into the deeper meaning of this, examining contemporary race relations through the prism of two fabulous bbq joints. But I am not that person. I'm just here for the 'cue.

Inside Lonnie Ray's, chrome-sided tables and blue chairs look freshly plucked from a 50s diner. Old photos on the wall tell a history of Harrisburg (pop. 184). And, just like at Sutton's, a tv in the corner carries Paul Pepper's creepy, geriatric show. Every adult in the place had an "I voted" sticker on their chest and the crowd is (elitist alert) surprisingly cosmopolitan; one brave guy is in shirt and tie and there's only one trucker hat is in sight. A man in the kitchen seems to know everyone in the place and yells goodbyes to departing customers.

I sat down and ordered the combo plate, which comes with ribs, pulled pork and brisket as well as three sides (coleslaw, "charro's" and green beans in my case...no tamales today). All are excellent, with the brisket being my personal favorite. After eating, the owner tells me his Texas-style rub pleased a Lone Star native just last week. I believe it. It's a perfect balance of fat and dry with a good bark and remarkable smoke ring. Maybe the best brisket I've ever had. Flavorful rib meat falls off the bones and the pulled pork is tender and lightly smoky. It's all fantastic. Charro's - Lonnie Ray's spicy side of beans - is fiery hot and great. Coleslaw and green beans are fine. Their signature sauce is served on the side and is different than any other I've had. It's thick and rich and has something in it I couldn't quite place. I guessed chocolate and the server laughed and shook his head. They aren't talking.

The owner, Mike, is talking, however. A natural salesman with a buzz cut and a thick build (really, would you trust the barbeque of a skinny guy?), Mike tells me after I eat (and in less than three minutes):

• He buys his meats at Sam's
• Gas prices are a pain
• They sponsor a car show across the street every third Saturday from 11-3
• By-the-pound prices for take-out meat (with tax)
• They've been open a little over five years
• He's going to have a booth at the Roots 'n Blues 'n BBQ festival (but isn't competing)
• He burned a lot of brisket before finally "getting it right"
• They cater
• There's a $30 delivery charge for catering (see "gas prices," "pain")
  
• He hates it when he goes through all the work of making tamales and then no one orders them
• He keeps a list of customer phone numbers on hand and calls them when he has tamales (scribbling my number on an order pad)

It was a dizzying, exhilarating conversation and the food - half of which now sits in the fridge - was outstanding. He is a passionate bbq-warrior and must be made to stay in business. On the whole, I rate Lonnie Ray's just ahead of Sutton's, primarily on speed and the (slightly) superior meats. Charro's don't hurt either. If they had collards/turnip greens in Harrisburg I'd really be in trouble.

So get thee to Harrisburg soon. Just don't try it on Sunday or Monday.

Lonnie Ray's Cafe
81 E. Sexton Street
Harrisburg, MO 65256
(573) 874-0020

Seriously, call before you haul

As often happens these days, I got a serious jonesin' for bbq yesterday and decided to make the lunchtime trek up to Harrisburg for some Lonnie Ray's; I've heard much praise for the place. About the same time I hit 63 a thought occurred to me: "It's Monday. Wouldn't it be funny if I drove all the way up there and they were closed?"

They were.

Lonnie Ray's BBQ. Closed Sundays and Mondays for your info. The nice ladies at the C&S Grocery just down the street fixed me up a good country ham sandwich (with white bread, cheddar, mayo and mustard) to ease my disappointment. The corner has been home to a grocery store (formerly known as Price's) for more than 100 years. My sandwich cost less than two dollars. On the bench out front three boys, sitting shirtless, were eating ice cream and enjoying the waning days of summer. It felt palpably familiar. Throw in a grape Rocky Top soda and it might have been 1983 at my grandparents' farm in Camdenton. And the drive was beautiful, too.

And yes, I'm going back today.

Columbia's Best: Sutton's Community Market and BBQ

View Larger Map
I just had lunch at Sutton's and have the sauce on my pants to prove it (yes, really...feeling pretty good about myself here in my IT training on campus I can assure you). But it doesn't matter. I have just had the best bbq I've had in Columbia in a long time. It was at Sutton's. Even though it's just two blocks north of Broadway (and McBaine and Ash), I'd never seen it before. It would be easy to miss as there's no sign aside from the neon "open" in the window.

Inside the flapping screen door you feel like you've walked into someone's house. A movie plays on the tv/VCR and people sit chatting at a handful of small tables. Three giant black men were at one, laughing and welcoming friends coming through the door. It was comfortable, homey. I ordered the three meat platter (choosing pork, ribs and burnt ends), fried okra and greens and sat down with a book I'd brought. Good thing too, because nothing at Sutton's happens quickly.

Ten minutes in I was informed that they didn't have okra, pork or burnt ends. Turkey, beef and fries were subbed out. After another ten minutes I looked up from my book and realized that nobody else was eating. Strange, as it was now 12:15 pm.

Eventually, food escaped the kitchen; I instantly forgot my wait. The sliced brisket and turkey were amazing. Lightly smoked and tender, they each sported just a drizzle of tangy sauce. The ribs were hefty, with a nice bark and smoke ring. Flavorful but a hair on the tough side, they were the lesser of the three meats - though still very good. The greens - a combination of collard and turnip - were some of the best I've had. I tend to cook my greens for a shorter time and then throw in some vinegar and Tabasco. These put up no resistance and carried only the spice from the turnip greens. They were masterfully simple; delicious. The whole generous meal ran $15, but normal-sized portions are much cheaper.

All told, this was the best bbq I've had in Columbia, bar none. But plan ahead. Give yourself plenty of time and call ahead if you want to know what they smoked that day. They also sell their meats by the pound, and I will be slinging sandwiches with that turkey very soon. I still have a smile on my face (if also the red splash on my khakis).

Sutton's Community Market and BBQ
201 McBaine Ave
Columbia, MO
(573) 874-2227

Update: Sutton's is now technically "JR Barton's." Same family, different brother.

Plush Pig BBQ

For some unknown reason, quality bbq eludes Columbia like the plague. Serious bbq aficionados are left a) settling for mediocre, b) learning how to make it themselves or c) traveling to Kansas City. Nobody can extol the virtues of Buckingham's, Bandana's or Smokin' Chicks with a straight face having been to the mountaintop (which could be any of a number of KC establishments, Dreamland in Tuscaloosa or Maurice's Piggy Park in Columbia, SC). Columbia's too good of a town to not have at least one great place for 'cue, but we don't even have that (it's been a while, but I seem to remember the late Sutton's being a quality spot).

Unfortunately, the newly-opened Lampert's Plush Pig doesn't take us any further in the right direction. The menu listed fried pickles, mac and cheese and the usual assortment of smoked meats. All I tasted was salt. Lots and lots of salt. Blood pressure-spiking mountains of salt. Now, smoking meat was historically about preservation first and foremost; salt plays a role in that as well. But the Plush Pig shovels it so wantonly onto your plate I quickly downed the (just thawed out and flavorless) green beans simply to even things out.

The worst offender was the fried pickles. Done well, this Southern specialty provides a tart, crisp break from the heaviness of a platter of sausage and baked beans, for instance. It's a palate cleanser. These nuked my tastebuds with so much sodium I was left gulping water after a single, pallid chip. The sausage and to a lesser extent the ribs followed suit. Only the smokeless, forgettable pulled pork escaped the salt lick effect.

The ribs proved decent; the "regular" and "spicy" bbq sauces were excellent, though the "Alabama gold" sauce would not have been out of place in a Happy Meal, so much did it resemble McDonald's honey mustard.

I hear there is bbq to be had in Jefferson City at Lutz'. Some place in Rolla. It's clearly time to venture further afield.