Happy In Bag

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Could Chuck Wood










Was I hallucinating? My first visit to Woodyard Bar-B-Que was so disorienting that I'm still not sure my eyes and taste buds could be trusted. The establishment is impossibly strange. Loaded with random knickknacks, the ramshackle joint resembles an abandoned movie set. Children bounced on a trampoline across Merriam Lane. A cat patrolled the combination parking lot/junkyard to the south. A freaky musician who may or may not have been Sterling Witt warbled on a makeshift patio. Its remarkable smoked meats aside, Woodyard's offerings were not much better than the food I prepare in my own kitchen. The unique experience Woodyard offers, however, makes me feel as if I just found a new home.

posted by Happy In Bag @ 8:56 AM  

11 Comments:

  • At 7:15 PM, Anonymous Average Jane said…

    I'm glad to hear someone else say that. My husband and I live quite close to Woodyard but we can't seem to bring ourselves to commit to a repeat visit after the rather odd experience we had the first time around.

     

  • At 8:27 AM, Blogger Happy In Bag said…

    I played a fun guessing game with my companion, AJ. Who, among our shared acquaintances would like this place? It was a very short list. But let me be clear- I like Woodyard a lot.

     

  • At 5:10 PM, Blogger bgo said…

    Any barbecue house that makes you sit down for table service and has cloth napkins just does not seem right. The idea of a rip joint is being able to slide to your scarfing spot after ordering at a counter.

     

  • At 5:18 PM, Blogger Happy In Bag said…

    Nothing to fear from Woodyard, BGO. You order and pay at the counter then select your own "scarfing spot."

     

  • At 5:26 PM, Blogger bgo said…

    I've been to Woodyard. Love the lack of ambiance and all the distractions. Meat great but other stuff I can take or leave. I was referring to upscale places like Jackstack, which I avoid like the plague. The worst this town ever offered is now thankfully gone for good, KC Masterpiece. Their sauces are dreadful and full of high fructose corn syrup. Arthur is spinning in his grave.

     

  • At 5:36 PM, Blogger Happy In Bag said…

    Amen.

     

  • At 5:45 PM, Blogger bgo said…

    HIB,

    It's funny that the world now mainly thinks of KC style sauce as being somewhat sweet and containing molasses. I can go to over a dozen joints, both black & white, and find unique sauces that have a nice kick and no molasses to be found. That crap comes from inferior Ozark BBQ. The best sauce I ever tasted was at Harris Barbecue, 24th and Brooklyn. Me and Wedow used to go there every Friday evening in the early 1980's. And every Friday I would play Chick Willis on the jukebox and request that John T the owner crank it up a bit.

     

  • At 12:06 AM, Anonymous Rick in PV said…

    I tried Woodyard the other day ... meh.

     

  • At 6:16 AM, Blogger the unthinking lemming said…

    I used to go there when it was actually just a wood yard. I'd buy wood for my smoker and the owner would invariably have a plate of something he had just smoked for his customers to try.

     

  • At 1:25 PM, Blogger Julie said…

    I've been there twice and never noticed the metal sculpture or the trampoline. Guess I'll have to go back....

    I love the ambience - or lack of it, esp the slamming screen door. Makes me feel like I'm out in the country somewhere. And yes, we bought some wood while we were at it.

     

  • At 7:40 AM, Blogger Happy In Bag said…

    I failed to mention the slamming screen door, Julie. That might be Woodyard's oddest element.

    I'm led to believe, UL, that Woodyard still supplies the wood for its more acclaimed counterparts.

    That's too bad, Rick. I've been thinking about making Woodyard the default location for all of my celebrations.

     

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