Back at it - Finally - Bonner Springs, KS BBQ

Well the couple that started it all, Roy and Annette, and Betsey and I went out for BBQ last night.  As you may remember in an earlier post Roy was the one that said "You should start a food blog".    And that started on a trip to BBQ in Lawence at Biggs BBQ which needs to get to the food channel somehow.  I think Biggs could be the best in the area for BBQ.

Last night was Papa Bobs BBQ in Bonner Springs, KS.  This happens to be the closest restaurant to Topeka (where we live) listed on Foodie Pie (except for BoBo's in Topeka) which is a wonderful site "For Foodies Only! Find the foods and restaurants as seen on The Food Network & The Travel Channel."

Wow was there a squirrel in here?  Something distracted me - could have been that 49ers Falcon game.  Good ending. 

Back to the BBQ last night.  The ride there and back was marvelous - well the ride back had a little snoring from the back seat and it wasn't Annette.  The atmosphere at Bob's was great - small and quaint but what one might expect from a roadside bbq spot on a Kansas secondary highway.  Miranda was our waitress and she took very good care of us - but we might have been one of her only tables.  Not too busy on a Saturday night. 

The appetizers that we had were good - the Deep Fried Cauliflower and the Deep Fried Okra were both very good but I dont think they were prepared in house.  But they came out extremely hot and were good.  Sweet tea was disappointing - could have been a mix and not sweet tea or could have been sitting around awhile.  I know what you all are thinking "Sweet tea in Kansas???"; yes there are some restaurants that have sweet tea figured out.



I had ribs, sausage, pulled pork; Roy had ham and beef; and the ladies both had the burnt ends.  To me the highlight of the meal was the sweet and sour cole slaw and the beans.  The beans had almost as much meat in them as beans.  Burnt ends were a smaller cut than the gals were used to which could have attributed to their dryness.  Roy said the ham was good and the beef brisket was ok.  The ribs were the highlight of my meats and the sausage was good as well.  Pulled pork was average. 


Ask them for some of the "crummy" sauce.  Bob came out with a little and it was quite tasty - had some cinnamon in it.  A newer taste for the BBQ sauce field.

As I read what I wrote it sounds like I wouldn't recommend this place or go back but I will.  The service, hype, and the fact that Adam Richman lost the challenge for the Ultimate Destroyer of which you get 45 minutes to eat it brings us foodies in.  Don't think I would attempt the Ultimate Destroyer.  Papa Bobs is reasonably priced and good bbq. 

Oh, and if you are looking for a good pulled pork recipe just put a rubbed (I use Corkys seasoning) pork shoulder butt roast (whatever you want to call it) in a baking dish with 3 cups of root beer and cover with foil - 325 degrees for about 6 hours - check in 5 and if you can stick a fork in it and it pulls apart easily it is done.  Take it into the living room put it on a tv tray and use 2 forks to pull it apart.  Make sure you have a good meat bowl and a bad meat bowl because you will want to discard some of the fat.  Let me know if you like it.