Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
Home of the One and Only Kansas City #BBQBible!
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Devan’s (Double) Dozen: BBQ Edition, Part I
After a year that took me to nearly every barbeque restaurant, joint, stand, pop-up, and concept in the Kansas City metro, a lot of readers were left asking the one question I had failed to answer, “Which is best?” Here in Kansas City, talking about barbeque is as common as discussing the weather or the local sports team, but far more precarious. The BBQ joint one person swears by will be the one another swears they won’t visit again. That didn’t stop me from weighing in with the first-ever double edition of Devan’s Dozen.
Head for the Hill
A few years ago, when I proposed a Monopoly board layout for KC and included Strawberry Hill, a friend asked, “What’s a Strawberry Hill”. This vibrant Slavic and Latin American community in KCK has a rich history and is full of fantastic spots but even those who may have been to one or two spots have never dug in. Hopefully this highlight reel of Strawberry Hill favorites changes that.
Waiting for Tonight
I remember the first time my mom told me about Caitlin Clark. Even before I watched her play, it seems there was something special about her. The same could be said for Paige Bueckers. We were supposed to see this match-up several times over the years but we never did. And now, this night, three years in the making, is only hours away, and in my nervousness, I write.
Manhattan Knight
As Grand Boulevard re-opens after another successful Big XII Basketball Tournament, I think back on my first year as a fan of a Big XII school. As a passionate UCF fan, the addition of the Knights to the conference gave me a number of opportunities to support my team this year, including a memorable day in Manhattan, Kansas. These were some of the highlights.
The D-Word
Yesterday, hundreds of thousands descended upon Kansas City to celebrate something we have not seen in modern memory - the crowning of a professional sports dynasty. Even Mother Nature seemed to agree this day was special and gave us the proper weather. A day that was virtually perfect quickly turned sour and a day later, I still struggle to process those thoughts as I quickly pieced them together.
KCRW 2024 in Review
Every year, Kansas City Restaurant Week (KCRW) creates a golden opportunity for Kansas Citians to try new restaurants and visit familiar favorites, and enjoy unbelievable deals on multi-course meals. Despite the weather and a busy schedule, I found a way to enjoy KCRW as I do every year. And while I enjoyed three fantastic meals, I found myself asking, “Is KC Restaurant Week really the unbelievable deal it once was?” This was my experience.
2Q23 in Review
A year ago, I wrote to you, my readers, about a dramatic shift for this website in 2023. I declared 2Q23 to be the “Year of the Pit”. After a year that took me to every single BBQ joint in the metro worth visiting, and writing the most comprehensive guide to KC BBQ ever assembled, I sit back and reflect on the year that was 2Q23.
FCS: Best of 2023
For me, this edition of Fountain City Superlatives is always special as I get a chance to recap the year that I had. However, after a year of focusing on almost-exclusively barbeque, I worried that I may not have much more to give. Thankfully, that was not the case. This breaks down the best new things I tried in Kansas City in 2023. Some of the categories you know and love are missing. Some others are brand new. But here lies a, mostly, non-barbeque recap of my year.
FCS: BBQ Sides
Oftentimes, my recommendation on what BBQ joint a person should try is simply based on the question of “What do you like?” While that typically is all about the meats, the fact is that the side dishes are just as much a part of the barbeque experience. Typically, BBQ restaurants aren’t judged on everything else but as a follow up to my meat rankings, I decided to rank, well, everything else that can be found at KC BBQ joints.