Diners, Drive-ins and Dives...coming to Dayton, OH next year !

Ever watch the Food Network's TV show, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives?" Well, you are hearing it first on this blog. Guy Fieri and his team is coming to Dayton, OH to do a segment highlighting Dayton, OH's "Smokin Bar-B-Que" and rightly so.
   I stopped in at this little diner located at the Gateway to The Historical Oregon District, late one night after some upscale dining just around the corner, at a superb seafood place. It was late, nearly the bewitching hour. a rainy night. Normally, at this hour, this place would be hopping as it is right on the corner of revived historical district. Like Beale St. in Memphis, and Bourbon St. in New Orleans, this street is in the process of restoration. Old stores being taken over by new management, art galleries opening up their doors to evening patrons, bistros and pubs serving late into the evening. But once all the patrons have had enough to drink, they start looking for food and most eateries are closed. The SMOKIN BAR-B-QUE is not only serving, but it has been preparing all day for its late night showtime - open and serving until 4 am. Yep, that`s right, until 4 in the morning.
   I apologized to Melanie, the young woman in charge of this late shift, for not being able to really do justice to the SMOKIN BAR-B-QUE`s menu by ordering something substantial from their menu as I had just come from a bountiful dinner. Melanie laughed and said, `No problem! But you must try our specialty, the smoked pulled pork.` I agreed and she went to the back of her service kitchen counter, took out some pulled pork and put a nice portion into a sampling cup for me. Thank you, young lady! That was the best pulled pork I have had in the southern USA and I have tasted a few orders. This one was just juicy enough that it didnt need any barbecue sauce, often used to mask or enhance the flavor of the meat. This meat was perfect as was, juicy and with a lovely hint of smokiness.  To douse it with some bbq sauce would have been sacrilegious - just a bit of salt and pepper please! `Wow...deeeelicious !` Melanie`s assistant, Charlie, smiled at me in a knowing way, as I sang out my compliments.

   The SMOKIN BAR-B-QUE is owned and operated by Jim Teal, who as a teenager worked with Colonel Sanders of KFC fame.The training paid off. As Melanie explained, ``Jim uses only the highest quality meats: beef brisket, pork, turkey, ham and chicken. He hickory smokes his meats very slowly, all day if need be, so that the tastes are infused into the deepest part of the meats.`` And that attention to the best quality of meat and slow cookin,` really pays off.
   The prices in the the displayed photo show you that this is an old and authentic photo. When was the last time you had pie for 40 cents or French fries for 30 cents? And Jim Teal isn`t quite as slim today as he was back when he was 19. But then, from the taste of his cooking, that is quite understandable.
   The SMOKIN BAR-B-QUE  caters too, offering patrons ``Wholes``...Whole Turkey, Whole Brisket, Whole Hams, Whole Salmons, Whole Trouts, Whole Ducks and Racks of Lamb. Now, this would be ideal for a backyard barbecue...perfectly smoked, perfectly cooked meats without all the work.
    Sure would be phonin Jim Teal`s place if I lived in Dayton, OH. Just in case, their phone number is
937-586-9790. Tell `em, ``Szpinner sent you !``
    Visit back again !