Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que

Joe's KC BBQ, Kansas City, MO

The Famous Z-Man Sandwich

Burnt Ends Sandwich w/ Dirty Rice

My last stop of my bbq adventure here in KC. There was no better way to end it. I've heard so many great things about this BBQ joint. It's beloved and truly a gem to the city. 

Joe's is located in a neighborhood type area. It's actually a gas station as well which is unique! This looks like a restaurant attached/part of the gas station which is unique. It doesn't look appetizing from the outside and can be missed while driving if it's not spotted accurately. 

As me and my gf walked inside, I noticed the loud crowd of people eating and the smell of hickory smoke in the air. There are plaques and framed articles written about Joe's Kansas City BBQ. It's highly appraised and taken serious within the bbq culture. 

The lines started to curl short so it was our turn next to order. I had to get their world famous Z-man sandwich which is a toasted kaiser roll stuffed with tender slow cooked beef brisket, smoked provolone cheese, and two crispy fried onion rings. 

As I laid my hands on the sandwich and carefully took my first bite into it, I started to notice the textures from a crispy, gooey, tenderness bite. All in one. I had to squeeze their famous Joe's bbq sauce all over my sandwich to give it extra flavor and just soak in that Kansas City love. Joe's bbq classic bbq sauce ended up being my favorite out of all the bbq joints. 

Let me explain. Joe's bbq sauce has all the components of being what my taste of bbq sauce is suppose to taste like. It was smoky with a bold sweetness to it. The vinegars and brown sugars all played a perfect part. Theres just something about this sauce that sticks out from the rest. It's thick, buttery texture, smokey & sweet taste, just creates this magical blend. It's no wonder why many acclaimed this place to be the top location for BBQ heads. 

My experience at Joe's was great. The busy crowd inside this congested space with lines out the door, and food being called out just made things original. This is a place you have to take serious. You must come prepared and ready to eat what Kansas City has to offer. I personally think Joe's serves more of a modernized creation with their items. Sure you get the classic meats and traditional experience but their items have a better twist. They add little ingredients and toppings into their food that it becomes a fusion almost. For example: onion rings and provolone on beef brisket, pulled pork with sausage on a bun, smoked turkey with slaw, etc. These items aren't found in your typical bbq joint. Thats what makes Joe's stick out from the rest of them. 

* I am from the SF/Bay Area region in CA, and I have to say that Joe's takes the winner of bbq sauce and tasty creations. I definitely recommend tourists like me to come here and try their bbq. This and Arthur B's is a must try on the list of bbq joints. Top two to be exact!

Photo by: Allister de Vera
Joe's KC BBQ, Kansas City, MO

Arthur Bryant's BBQ

Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO

President Obama

Meal Tray: Pulled Pork, Beef, Burnt Ends

Beef N' Fries

My love

Finally. The moment has arrived. I waited years to have their BBQ. I traveled and I conquered. I fought through the snow, the cold wind, the slippy roads, etc. I finally made it. 

Aruthur B's is the face of KC to me and all BBQ joints. This is what I believed it to be like. A hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint with a hard working class of customers. The place isn't your typical clean, organized, modernized type shop. It's like the way it was made form the very beginning. It just wouldn't be the same if they remodeled anything here. From the back kitchen to the front gated entrance. This was purely a neighborhood joint. 

People already know what the deal is. They know how they want their BBQ and what items they specifically aim for. There were even faithful customers who pointed out what I should get and how to pair things such as a "Beef with Fries" aka beef brisket sandwich with A.B.'s special burnt fries. 

Theres no way I was going to settle for just ribs so I had to get the Meal Tray. I had three selections of moist & tender beef brisket, saucy and shredded pulled pork, and burnt ends. These items were carefully hand scooped onto my tray to be weighed. The Meal Tray is comes by weight so for example, 1-pound, 2--pound, etc. The man who prepared my tray hooked it up with a pound and half with five slices of white bread. I also had to order their special house fries thanks to their loyal customer for pointing them out.

As I made my way to the table, I noticed the many celebs including President Obama himself having their experience of Arthur B's. They were framed like trophies on the wall. They also had many awards and written articles about them on their walls. This is such a prestigious bbq joint that almost seems like a museum.

There are three bbq sauce selections to choose from: classic, sweet, and spicy. My favorite was their sweet sauce. It was sweet with a light kick of heat which not only tastes great but is enjoyable on the meats. I loved soaking up my bread with the meats with their signature sauces and taking bites of fresh pickles while sipping local beer. Their french fries are awesome too! They have  a slight burn to them and they naturally curl up due to the oil and fry. These make a perfect pair with their bbq items.

They don't play with their meat here. They have meat trimmers and wooden-brick ovens for their bbq. Everything is authentic inside-out.

My experience here at Arthur Bryant's was fantastic. I finally got to live and experience what bbq culture is suppose to be like. This is how its done folks. Keeping old recipes and vintage techniques alive. Keeping doing what you do A.B.!

Photo by: Allister de Vera
Arthur Bryant's BBQ, Kansas City, MO

Alexander's Patisserie

Alexander's Patisserie, Mountain View, CA

Whiskey Macaron

Chocolate Tart

Right on the money! Alexander's Patisserie truly defines what fine pastry tasting is all about. The look and feel of this place is compared to a high-end spot but with affordable prices. There are a variety of pastries to choose from: macarons, freshly baked breads, tarts, croissants, and soon to be truffles!

As I walked inside, I noticed the way the pastries were placed. The arrangement of these beautiful sweets are behind the glass with enough light to showcase them. It looks like a jewelry shop or gallery the way the pastry cases were set up. This made the sweets stick out more and create an approachable look.

I ordered their popular whiskey macaron which contains Johnny Walker! the texture and size is exactly like these other high end macarons. The taste of it was amazing. The whiskey was light to the tongue and still provides a perfect amount of sweetness tot he macaron itself. My second order was their chocolate tart. The dessert itself looked like an expensive designer pastry with toasted hazelnuts sprinkled around a perfectly ball-shaped chocolate ganache. For $6 this is enough to fulfill your sweet tooth. The tart has so much moisture that once you take a fork and cut it down, the layer is slowly separated and brings along a honey-textured chocolate cream with it for a mind blowing taste. The incredible thing is that this pastry wasn't so sweet; instead it was just right. Both the macaron and tart had a balance of sweetness and a hint of natural salt from their ingredients inside. 

My experience here at Alexander's Patisserie was one that I won't forget. It shocks me to see how amazing these pastries are yet they are priced at such a low cost. Their prices are competitive and the quality is all there. Each item is made from their kitchen inside the shop itself which are made fresh everyday using the finest ingredients possible. Chef Dries Delanghe delivers his expertise and creates high quality assortments. The presentations of each item is a form of modern art with a new twist to pastry-art. Alexander's Patisserie is here to stay and will provide an experience that most will never forget.

Photo by: Allister de Vera
Alexander's Patisserie, Mountain View, CA