I mentioned yesterday that I'm attending a comic convention in Kansas City next month and that I intend to try some of that town's barbecue restaurants. I have since received twenty-three recommendations that I try Gates Barbecue, which is apparently the unanimous favorite of folks in that area who read this website. A few of them also suggested that if I want to try a second place while I'm there, I should hit Arthur Bryant's, Jack Stack and/or Oklahoma Joe's.
Actually, many years ago, there was a short-lived outlet of the Gates empire in Las Vegas. I tried it and didn't like it much…but I wouldn't hold that against the ones in Missouri and Kansas. Maybe it closed in Vegas because it just didn't equal the quality of the original. If I have a say in where we go during the con, I'm dragging everyone to Gates.
In case anyone's interested, my current fave BBQ place in Southern California is Porky's, a wonderful little establishment located in a former KFC drive-thru in Inglewood, right near The Forum. I especially like their pulled pork and pork ribs, plus they serve Golden Bird fried chicken. Golden Bird was once a thriving chain in and around Los Angeles and it had the finest, extra-crispy-crusted poultry around. They're down now to just a few locations and happily, Porky's licensed the recipe and added it to their wondrous menu. (Porky's, by the way, also has a location in Long Beach — to which I have not been — and is about to open another in San Pedro.)