note: this joint is in Hillsdale KS
HBbbq is 20 min from bucolic Overland Park and smack dab
between Spring Hill and Paola. A caboose
is appended to the world's tiniest old bank building. The owners have filled the premises with
quaint furnishings and decor - everything from a wooden canoe to snowshoes and
fishing rods, a poor man's version of country shabby chic.
The proprietor took our order. I wanted a selection of burn ends, beef, and
sausage. He was very congenial in
suggesting the less expensive way of getting our sampler platter. Very nice.
This is the kind of consideration you get from a place run by
Mom&Pop themselves and who don't start screaming "WHAT DO YOU
WANT" the minute you walk in the door.
Thanks for the peace!
Gorgeous and I shared a burnt end "sandwich"
(basically a generous plateful of burnt ends with a couple slices of Wonder
Bread on top) and the two meat sampler of beef and sausage. The sausage was a ball park spicy polish dog
that had been smoked. Not really very
good. The beef was NOT brisket. I talked to the owner/chef about it. The slice of beef ran "along the grain"
over the 6" or so of the cut. I
thought this was doomed. However, the
meat (a shoulder round) was as tender as could be with a fantastic smoke ring. The burnt ends were nothing but pulled
pork. I was hoping for beef or rib burnt
ends, but for what it was, the pork was fantastic - lean, flavorful with a bark
as dark as a co-ed returning from Spring Break. (Just checking to see if you
are still with me.)
My professional assessment (based on my
scoring standards):
Brisket...
Taste: 8 Tenderness: 8 Appearance: 6 = Overall: 7.6
Burnt
Ends... Taste: 8 Tenderness:
8 Appearance: 6 = Overall: 7.6
Sausage…
Taste: 5 Tenderness: 4 Appearance: 5 = Overall: 4.6
I was turned off by the sauce (both spicy and regular). It was translucent and homogenous which
signaled, to me, a mere confluence of prepared fluids. Bottles for sale at the counter list corn
syrup, ketchup, vinegar, etc. That just
won't cut it in KC.
The thick, hand cut fries were firm and crisp. Sweet potato fries were as good as to be
expected for a member of the morning glory plant family. Baked beans and potato salad also were no
disappointment. The tab for our 2
entrées was just over $20 before tax and tip.
Not bad.
I maintain a soft spot for Mom&Pops and I wish these
folks the best. I'm eager to hear from
some of my other bbq aficionadoes about your impression of this rural option on
the KC BBQ scene.
