Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
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Devan’s (Double) Dozen: BBQ Edition, Part II
After a year that took me to nearly every barbeque restaurant, joint, stand, pop-up, and concept in the Kansas City metro, a lot of readers were left asking the one question I had failed to answer, “Which is best?” Here in Kansas City, talking about barbeque is as common as discussing the weather or the local sports team, but far more precarious. The BBQ joint one person swears by will be the one another swears they won’t visit again. That didn’t stop me from weighing in with the first-ever double edition of Devan’s Dozen. This part contains a countdown from #12 to #1!
Head for the Hill
A few years ago, when I proposed a Monopoly board layout for KC and included Strawberry Hill, a friend asked, “What’s a Strawberry Hill”. This vibrant Slavic and Latin American community in KCK has a rich history and is full of fantastic spots but even those who may have been to one or two spots have never dug in. Hopefully this highlight reel of Strawberry Hill favorites changes that.
FCS: The Meats
“With great palate comes great responsibility.” Perhaps that was not the line exactly as Ben Parker famously delivered it, but does it not hold true? Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” With that in mind, after a year that took me to every BBQ joint worth visiting, this column names the best BBQ joints in the metro, based on the cuts of meat where each spot excels.
Devan’s Dozen: Burnt Ends Edition
While it is unclear exactly how long the beef burnt end has been a part of Kansas City’s barbeque tradition, they have been our national calling card for over half a century. These delightful chunks of meat candy are often replicated in other regions but have no doubt, they were created and popularized here. In honor of National Burnt End Day, I talked about my own love affair with burnt ends and ranked my Top 12, make that 13, places to find them in KC.
Devan’s Dozen: (Pork) Ribs Edition
When it comes to barbeque, I consider few meats more luxurious than a properly smoked pork rib. Given the wide range of ribs present in KC, from the truly great to the utterly inedible, I decided to rank the 12 best slabs of ribs in the city. But first, I laid out my own 4 C’s as it relates to ribs for explaining what one should look for in a truly great rib. After all, every single great rib has one key characteristic in common.
Devan’s Dozen: Heartland Edition
Similar to the worldwide sensation, the Cow Parade, that came to our city 20 years ago, the Parade of Hearts is a public art installation of 154 fiberglass “KC hearts” by 123 local artists spread throughout the Metro until the end of May. If you don’t have time to see all 154, no worries! These are the 12 you must be sure to visit!
Mr. Monopoly Goes To Kansas City
Last Monday, it was announced that Hasbro would be releasing an official Kansas City edition of the popular Monopoly boardgame later this fall. With the company taking suggestions from Kansas Citians, I decided to design my own gameboard. And let me tell you, with so many great neighborhoods and landmarks (and so few spaces!), it was much tougher than I could have imagined.
Irish I Had a Reuben!
Around a century ago, a hotel chef in Omaha fused together elements of Irish, German, Russian, and Jewish cuisine and then did the most midwestern thing possible - added salad dressing and cheese. Thus, the Reuben was born! As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, bars and restaurants across the city begin serving Reubens. However, for me, it’s a year-round love affair. In this piece, I detail five KC spots where you can grab a Reuben in March, and in the other 11 months as well.
Devan’s Dozen: BBQ Edition
More than political party, sports team, or religion; your barbeque of choice will define you in this town. While that kind of pressure can be quite daunting, this edition of Devan’s Dozen explores the 12 best BBQ joints in the World Capital of ‘Que.