Bandana’s
 Barbecue
is as old as smoke, but it’s the
hottest new restaurant trend in
the metro, reversing a 50-year
downward cycle for a tradition
that was always geographically
challenged in Iowa. South of the
“frigid zone,” food was smoked
for preservation. Since ice served
that purpose here, wood was better
used for heating. So the current
BBQ revival appeals to our sense
of the exotic rather than the
nostalgic — smoke houses, and
quasi-smokehouses, deliver the
taste of the American South.
Bandana’s is a real Southern
smokehouse, meaning they barbecue
on site with smoke generated by
real wood. Such authentic Q is
endangered as traditional strongholds
fall to environmental protection
codes — even Raleigh, N.C., has
banned wood burning. That’s why
some so-called barbecue chains
tend toward simulation rather
than the dirty work of real smoking.
And that’s why Bandana’s is the
best chain to open a store in
the metro. Based in St. Louis
with roots in north Florida, Bandana’s
presents Southern BBQ: Meats are
seasoned with a “brown sugar dry
rub” and smoked without sauce
over select hardwoods (14 hours
with hickory for pork butts and
“special beef cuts;” five hours
with various woods for ribs and
chicken), and they are hand-cut
to order.
This chain also knows its market.
Each time I visited, a server
explained the method to me, assured
me that the authentic smoke ring
didn’t mean the meats were undercooked
and introduced four house sauces.
One of those was “specially formulated
for Midwesterners,” which means
it’s extremely sweet. The mustard
based “Original” sauce tasted
like South Carolina. The meats
were uneven but way above average.
Pulled pork shoulder was best,
with enough skin to give it a
diversity of textures that was
missing in other meats, plus it
was perfectly moist. Sausage was
exceptional, and that’s not as
easy as it sounds. Bandana’s links
include both beef and pork in
natural casings that cracked under
my teeth.
Chicken came with nice flavor
contrasts from the smoked skin
and the ring. As usual, the dark
meat was better than the white.
Pork ribs will please all but
pro Q judge types. They were tender
and smoky but clung too much to
the bone one time and slipped
completely loose off the bone
a second time — missing the window
of perfection both times.
Beef wasn’t as good. Servers
gave a different answer each time
I asked what part of the cow it
was. One thing is certain: it
was not brisket and that’s part
of the problem. The difficulty
with brisket is that, more than
other cuts, it needs to be hand
sliced when ordered. Bandana’s
wastes the careful work of hand
slicing with their mystery cuts
of beef, which were far too dry
on my plate. There was also a
turkey product, but when my server
told me it wasn’t “a real bird
with bones like a chicken,” I
didn’t bother to order it.
Side dishes were more inconsistent
than the meats. Hot boiled peanuts
and Brunswick stew ranked with
the better versions of the Deep
South. Baked beans were top notch,
with smoky meats thrown into a
sauce that was not overly sweet.
Fried corn on the cob disappointed
with a dry texture. Cole slaw
and potato salad seemed like concessions
to non-Southern tastes, lacking
the acid kick of vinegar or lemon
I anticipated from a Southern
place. Green beans were awful,
as if warmed from a can. Chocolate
cake, apple pie and ice cream
comprised the dessert list, all
of which were deserving of their
low prices. A children’s menu
presented 15 choices priced $2-$4.
It showed a proud, erect chicken
pointing a gun — this is no spineless
turkey.
Side Dish
Raccoon River Brewing Company
hosts an exceptional five-course
beer dinner on Jan. 16. Let a
few names tease you — Washington
oysters, Dungeness crab and Niman
Ranch pork. Each course is paired
with original beers. Cost is $45,
including tax and tip. Call 362-5222.
C
Bandana's
301 E. First Street, Ankeny
(515) 964-9989
Sun. - Thurs.: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Fri. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
By Jim Duncan CVFDude@aol.com
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