The local barbecue debate might be decided on national television.
The crew from Food Wars, a new show set to debut in March on the Travel Channel, is in town this weekend filming for an episode that pits the ribs from Arthur Bryant's against those of Gates Barbecue in a battle of Kansas City heavyweights.
Food Wars (it premiers Tuesday, March 9, at 9 p.m.) goes from city to city to decide which fans are right when it comes to two local makers of a town's iconic food. Upcoming episodes will test cheese steaks in Philadelphia, Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago and hot dogs in Detroit.
But right now it's Kansas City's turn. Host Camille Ford will be at Gates Bar-B-Q (1221 Brooklyn Avenue) between 12 and 4 p.m. today. Fans of Gates are encouraged to show up to be interviewed and talk about why the ribs are superior.
The crew moves on to Arthur Bryant's (1727 Brooklyn) on Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. And those who feel that Arthur Bryant's is the best in town are asked to stop by to lend their support.
The ribs from both joints go head-to-head on the last day of filming, which is slated for noon on Sunday at the Negro Leagues Museum (1616 E. 18th St.). Fans of Gates and Arthur Bryant's will then be asked to tell the difference between the ribs while eating them blindfolded. Wear your barbecue paraphernalia and bring homemade signs -- that's your best bet for seeing yourself on television.
The show has a tongue-in-cheek militaristic tone but is serious in its approach to settling state's rivalries. Watching the trailer, it appears as if the host visits two restaurants in each city before putting them up and against one another in a blind taste test. The other thing I learned from the trailer: Chicagoans love to swear and a lot of guys rock mustaches. The Italian beef battle between Mr. Beef and Al's Italian Beef will be resolved during the first episode.
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OK joes is ok but this ain't Oklahoma folks. Bryants is the answer. OF course if you are afraid to come out of Kansas I understand.
Since I've lived in KC all my life I've tried most of the good BBQ joints. Just where is Oklahoma Joes? I'd like to try it.
I have to assume that this is a seeded tournament and Bryant's vs Gates is the play-in game to face the number one seed Oklahoma Joe's.
Remember folks, they're not looking for the "Best" of anything, they're simply battling it out between the two most recognizable eateries of the host city's signature dish. Gates and Bryant's are perfect for a TV show of this type. As for arguing who has the best BBQ in Kansas City ... it's an exercise in futility. Guess what? If you say (_____) is the best BBQ, you're right! It's the best for you, and nobody can prove you wrong, because ... you're right!
I totally understand why they chose Bryant's and Gates. They are definitely the most famous bar-be-cue places in town (at least for people visiting KC). That being said, I hate both of them. I'd rather have OK Joe's, LC's, or even Jack Stack (with cloth napkins and all) any day. I'm convinced that the only reason people still cling to Bryant's and Gate's is based on their memories of what they were 30 years ago. For instance, I've had more than one person tell me that Bryant's has the best fries in the world. That is clearly untrue these days unless your idea of good fries is a soggy pile of potatoes covered with a generous helping of grease. The grease in this case seems to be only there to add a nice glean to the food and, apparently, is unable to accomplish its traditional role of making fries crispy.
Danny Edwards?!?!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Hilarious. And OK Joe's? Too bad it's in KANSAS.
Gates and Bryant's are easily the two most famous BBQ places in town, so these omissions shouldn't be surprising at all. Plus they are both down the street from the Negro Leagues Museum which is a nice tie in.
Gates will win, I'm sure. But no mention of Danny Edwards Blvd BBQ? By far the best BBQ in the Metro!
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