Rural Missouri - April 2011 - (Page 19)

10th Annual Restaurant Dining worth the drive Northwest: The Q BBQ 225 West 1st St., Clearmont 660-729-3377 Don’t let the simple surroundings of this place located in a small house fool you. The Q BBQ, a newcomer to our list, is dishing out a pork tenderloin sandwich on Texas toast that can’t be beat. all this the year of the upset. After tallying up all your votes sent in by mail, along with those that came in online, we are amazed at how many new winners rose to the top this year for our 10th annual “Best of Rural Missouri” contest. Kudos to you guys for going out and ﬁnding these new places and hidden gems. Some newcomers — places our experts didn’t know — overtook perennial winners. We were amazed that some of the top picks in categories have only been open for around a year. Hooray for new businesses! Places such as Copper Run Distillery in Walnut Shade and Mort-N-Maggies Pizza in Albany took home victories in the Wild Card category, but combined they have only been open for two years. Surprises also came in a category we brought back from the past: Best Chili. Two of the winners — Dixon’s and Casper’s — have previously won. But we were excited to hear about C NW NE Northeast: Piggy’s BarBQ CENTRAL SW SE 327 S. Main St., O’Fallon 636-272-7444 www.piggysbarbq.com If the hilarious billboard with the hind-ends of two pigs off Interstate 70 in St. Charles County doesn’t entice you enough to stop at Piggy’s, the aroma of sweet, Kansas City-style barbecue will make you want to pull off Exit 217 in O’Fallon. Best Restaurant — Southwest: The Rusty Jug, El Dorado Springs 417-876-4669 www.rustyjug.com Though it was named after the “rusty juggers” that used to stop and collect water from the town’s springs, the Rusty Jug is all about ﬁlling up your stomach rather than a metal canteen. Known for its gluttonous dishes and to-die-for barbecue, this is a must stop for those with a big appetite. Ewald’s and their 65-year history in Perryville and glad to learn the nostalgic 63 Diner in Columbia is still dishing out great bowls of red. Thanks again to all those who voted. Also, congratulations to Debbie Ransom of Leasburg, Doris Smith of Mountain Grove, Cheryl Huffman of Lebanon, Bob Berthold of Lake St. Louis and Shawn Love of Springﬁeld for submitting entries and winning a Best of Missouri gift basket. Central: Charley’s Buffet 23785 Highway B, Lincoln 660-668-3806 Typically, “all-you-can-eat” and “made-from-scratch” don’t go together, but that’s exactly what you get at Charley and Evonne Peaster’s buffet in rural Benton County, along with more than 60 homemade treats on a 30-foot dessert bar. Open Friday and Saturday nights only. Southeast: Sybill’s Saint James Southwest: The Rusty Jug Barbecue Smoked meat that can’t be beat Northwest: Wabash BBQ 646 S. Kansas City Ave., Excelsior Springs 816-630-7700 www.wabashbbq.com Besides enjoying a plate of their famous baby-back smoked ribs slathered in their homemade barbecue sauce, check out one of Wabash BBQ’s summer concerts on the lawn behind the historic train depot the restaurant is located in. 1209 S. High St., El Dorado Springs 1100 N. Jefferson St., St. James 573-265-4224 One of the state’s most revered restaurants is known for its elegant dining and boutique shopping. Located inside a plantation-style building, Sybill’s not only serves high-quality steaks and pasta, but its gift shop sells unique decorative items and jewelry. Kyle Spradley ﬁnds hard to resist. Just don’t try ordering fries. Central: Chuck Wagon BBQ 13685 Highway 7 West, Warsaw 660-438-2503 The Chuck Wagon deserves its popularity. Everything we tried was outstanding. The ribs were tender and delicious. Open Thursday through Sunday in the summer; Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the winter. Hamburger Beef at its best Northwest: Barnard Roadhouse Grill 421 4th St., Barnard 660-652-4040 http://barnardroadhouse.wordpress. com New to this year’s winners is chef Willie Diggs’ scrumptious burgers at Barnard Roadhouse Grill. “We take high-quality round and chuck roast to make our own ground beef daily,” says Willie. Burger fans can have their beef several ways — with bacon, buffalo sauce, longhorn cheese and bacon, onghorn mushrooms and Swiss cheese, BBQ , style or Cajun style with pepperjack cheese and Cajun spices. Southwest: Bumstead’s Southwest: The Rusty Jug Northeast: Piggy’s BarBQ 327 S. Main St., O’Fallon 636-272-7444 www.piggysbarbq.com Co-owner Gary Hellyer is from Kansas City, so you know what style of barbecue to expect. The rub they created is the secret to their success. 1209 S. High St., El Dorado Springs 417-876-4669 www.rustyjug.com Not only does the Rusty Jug serve some of the best smoked meats around, they offer one of the most unique dishes: deep-fried ribs. The slow-smoked ribs are battered and lightly fried and drizzled with a homemade sweet sauce. 1528 N. Main St., Nixa 417-724-9399 www.iaols.com “It’s just a good ole-fashioned burger,” says Bumstead’s owner Michael Bolling. “But we add our own blend of secret spices that gives it a great taste.” If eating on the cheap, then look to Bumstead’s hearty quarter-pound burger basket with fries for only $3.99. Those with a larger appetite can step up to a 1- or 2-pound burger with a mound of fresh-cut french fries seasoned to perfection. 1314 Bus. Highway 60, Dexter 573-624-4950 www.thehickorylog.com Besides the warm atmosphere, the ﬁngerlicking barbecue and pleasant service, what keeps people coming back year after year is the consistent quality owners John and LaVeda have kept in place since they opened in 1967. Ribs are a top choice, but for dinner try the seasoned, sirloin beef steaks that are slow cooked in Best Barbecue — Northwest: their smoker for more Wabash BBQ, Excelsior Springs than ﬁve hours. Southeast: Hickory Log Northeast: JJ’s Best Burger — Southwest: Bumstead’s, Nixa 1215 S. Duchesne, St. Charles 636-946-3500 www.jjsstcharles.com JJ’s is open any day of the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the big crowds show up Tuesdays and Saturdays for their burgers a la carte and fries for only $5. Central: Booches 110 S. 9th St., Columbia 573-874-9519 Since 1884, this pool hall and burger joint has been a staple for University of Missouri students. Although small and served on a sheet of wax paper, these burgers and a bowl of chili are a combination Field Editor Southeast: Kirby’s Sandwich Shop 109 N. Kingshighway St., Sikeston 573-471-1318 Thanks to the distinctive taste the Kirby burgers get from being cooked with shredded onions at this classic diner in Sikeston, generations have enjoyed the best burgers in the Bootheel for more than a century. http://www.piggysbarbq.com http://www.rustyjug.com http://www.iaols.com http://www.wabashbbq.com http://barnardroadhouse.wordpress.com http://barnardroadhouse.wordpress.com http://www.rustyjug.com http://www.piggysbarbq.com http://www.thehickorylog.com http://www.jjsstcharles.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - April 2011

Rural Missouri - April 2011
Contents
Comments
Columns
Memories of that Mountain Music
Growing pains
Mail Bag
International instruction
Best of Rural Missouri
Hearth and Home
News Briefs
Prairie passage pit stop
Marketplace
Around Missouri
Valley of Many Deer Gallery
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - April 2011