In the Summer of 2006 local restaurant vet and bar be que nut Tom Davis posted his manifesto. Tom turned down job security to take a chance. Passing up a regular paycheque, vacation and sick time he decided to open his own place. The working title of the restaurant would be Davis’s Old-time Grill. People were invited along to watch as he perfected dishes and played around with names. “I will take you through the various stages of: Menu development, start up costs, design concept, curing room design, financing, marketing, location, auctions, construction (More financing!!!), staffing, and finally the opening!" Ultimately a restaurant would take shape that was on the one hand what Tom had envisioned but on the other hand not necessarily what he wrote. The end product: Tom’s take on (for the most part) southern food. BBQ favourites and soul food (and burgers too). A bit of an eclectic menu but what he’s looking to serve is “Slow fast food.” Known in the south as, “Citified Southern.”
Tom’s dream finally became a reality in the spring of 2010 when he opened what he eventually came to call The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder. The small diner on St. Clair West, just east of the old Toronto stockyards area has a nice rustic feel equally matched inside and out. Exposed brick and unfinished wood give the slender place a certain warmth.
Inside there are no tables but plenty of counter space with about 20 stools. My personal favourite is a seat by the open kitchen. Front row center for the action.
In it’s initial days The stockyards had it’s problems. Or perhaps better said, one problem; it was too popular. It wasn’t only not uncommon to run out of items but seemingly SOP. Two years down the road things are much better. It still happens on occasion but that’s true of all places. Such is the price of fame I suppose. It’s also difficult to keep up sometimes when so much of your menu takes hours to prepare. A recent visit saw them out of pulled pork. The only bright spot is the smell of smoke and pig fat hung in the air as they prepared the next batch.
Well this is all very well and good but it’s the food that counts.
First of all, there are a few things to know. They have a regular menu, a Saturday and Sunday brunch menu and 3 times a week at 5pm you can get your hands on some Q. Tom also does some specialty items periodically.
The biscuits are large and flaky with a nice flavour. When I make ‘em at home they have a nice buttery taste which these seem to lack. Not that I’m saying they should just that it’s not my preference. Mrs. Sippi concurred ranking them “Very good” but not certainly not as good as mine.
The Greens shown here are Kale. Cooked to death with bacon like in the south. The big difference is they add garlic which is not typically southern. Part of the “Citified” thing. The bacon has a great smoky flavour and is quite meaty. The garlic is a bit over the top (can’t believe I’m saying that) but a little pepper sauce we had at home helped to balance things out. Kale is also a bit tougher than Collards, Turnip or Mustard greens and we enjoyed the stronger texture. Honestly, I really didn’t think Mrs. Sippi would like them but surprisingly she very much did. Even ordered more the next visit.
The Fried Chicken and Waffles are amazing. Such an odd combination but this soul food dish dates back centuries.
The Fried Chicken itself is fabulous. More along the lines of the Colonel and his secret recipe with loads of herbs mixed into the batter. Nicely crispy and juicy. The waffles weren’t anything special but I really don’t think they were supposed to be. Simple Belgian waffles done well. The Chili, Maple, Citrus glaze was very nice. Sweet from the maple syrup, tangy from chili and nicely tied together with the citrus. My first taste of this dish and it was an instant hit.
The burger is probably my favourite anywhere. It's a tough call with so many good examples out there but I think three things put this at the top of my list. First of all, it's done on a flat top. I'm sure you’ve read me extol the virtues of this culinary dream machine. Second of all, it's just about exactly what I make at home. It's 6oz (I make 3/lb) with American (aka sliced, aka processed) Cheese and a simple "Wonderbread style" bun. Thirdly, the crust created by the flat top. Most places will give you a patty with a nice crust. Here they play chicken with the griddle. Pushing the limits of how far they can go before making a hockey puck. The burger gets a crust that's far thicker than any other I've had. It provides not only additional flavour but a slight crunch to it that was great. It’s not over cooked either. A slight crust on the flip side ensures it’s still juicy on the inside. Simply excellent.
The Porchetta is fabulous as well. The slow roasted pork roast stuffed with rosemary, garlic and other herbs was simply the best I’ve had. Just the right amount of fattiness and crunch from the skin. It was very rich but the addition of steamed rapini (aka broccoli rabe) was just the perfect way to balance the sandwich and provide additional flavour.
They make their own pastrami from time to time. I had the occasion to try it and let me tell ya, if you can get your hands on some of this stuff, you do it. It's simply the best I've had. Very fatty (which is good for deli meat) and had a great flavour profile. It usually gets snapped up quickly. You'd best phone and find out when they're making some and plan accordingly.
As for drinks they make their own own in house. The Limeade has a nice refreshing mint profile. They round out the liquid menu with an array Boylan products. Some of the best bottled Root Beer you'll find on the market is Boylan.
So there you go. A little taste of the south mixed with some city styling in a quaint setting.
You can visit The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder in Toronto’s Wychwood neighbourhood at 699 St. Clair Ave. W.
View Larger Map
You can also visit them on the web, facebook and Twitter.
Well that’s all for now. See ya next time in the food court.
Davwud
It’s always interesting where you’ll find a good meal. I’m not talking about the obvious spots but the more obscure ones. Like in gas stations or drug stores or in the case of Puckett’s, a grocery store. 
Perhaps you remember Puckett’s from this earlier post. The name is the same but it’s no longer associated with the other two stores. This Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee location has seceded and remained more true to it’s roots. It’s still a grocery store and the menu is BBQ and southern comfort food. No bar or bistro fare here. Unlike Kleer-vu in near by Murfreesboro, the restaurant hasn’t pushed the groceries out yet. They still sell gasoline and have a good selection of household staples and at holiday time they even smoke turkeys and hams for lucky customers.
Opened in the 50’s by the Puckett family, Puckett’s Grocery served the many small communities in Williamson County, Tennessee. Located on the main strip (like there’s much more) in Leiper’s Fork for decades it’s played multiple roles but perhaps most importantly, meeting place. A visit anytime is great but the seafood boil and open mic. night on Thursdays has the joint jumpin'. Get some creole style shrimp or crawfish and check out the next great country music star. So popular is the music that it’s streamed online and you can live message while you watch. Mrs. Sippi got a shout out after posting that she was watching all the way up in Canada. You never know who you’ll end up rubbing elbows with either. Country music legends, producers and movie and TV starts alike stop by for a bite to eat or to see a good show.
The building from the outside is pretty non descript. It’s fitted out with a smoker, patio tables and gas pumps.
Inside grocery shelves and dairy cases make up about a third of the store with an open kitchen, stage and a dining room with mismatched tables and chairs. There’s plenty of antiques and kitsch adorning the walls and ledges.
So enough of all that, let’s get to the goodies.
The Fried Baloney is, well, fried baloney. It’s like a large, round hot dog. It’s good of course but I think it would’ve been better on toast or grilled. Maybe even a slice of American cheese as well.
The Pimento Cheese was great. Made right in house it was more cheesy than the others I’ve tried. Again, I’d like to have tried it on toast but I get scolded for such thoughts.
I’m sure if you’re scoring at home you’ll know by now that just about every time I try Pulled Pork I note that it’s not as smoky as I’d like. Well not here. This is the closest thing I’ve had to my own home made and thus, outstanding. The fact that they don’t sauce it and allow you to do it at the table makes it that much better.
The Fried Chicken is awesome. More like the Colonel’s with a herby, crispy crust. It was just fantastic. I’d suggest waiting for it to be straight out of the fryer. They make batches and they can sit for a little while. It didn’t affect the taste or crispiness but it wasn’t piping hot.
The Fried Okra on the side was very good but sadly the Mac n Cheese really lacked a good cheese punch. I mentioned it to Rob (the owner) and immediately one of his employees said she thought that batch was sub par. So it may be better on another visit.
The Chicken Fried Steak was of course fabulous but even better was the gravy. Some of the best white gravy I’ve had. The Johnny cake was nice and so was the fried okra. The corn casserole was really tasty. A bit light on the corn flavour but very creamy.
The ribs are outstanding. I’m not as much a fan of baby back ribs as you know but these among the best. Fully smoked and pull apart tender. Great when topped with the tangy BBQ sauce. The tater salad was good IMHO but Mrs. Sippi loved it.
Deserts are made by Rob’s wife right on the premises. A cooler full of these tasty treats sits off the dining area. We opted for Chess 
and Pecan pie slices. 
Both were just as good as they could be.
The cinnamon buns are baked fresh every morning but need to be consumed early. I had one after lunch and it wasn’t as fresh as it needed to be. The early bird gets the good cinnamon bun.
A trip through the country side is a beautiful drive and a stop for lunch at Puckett’s is a great way to top it all off.
You can find Puckett’s at 4142 Old Hillsboro Rd. in Leiper’s Fork, Tn.
View Larger Map
You can also find them on the web and facebook.
Well that’s all for now. We’ll see you next time in the food court.
Davwud
Say one thing about Southerners. They’re nothing if not colourful. Never mind all the “Redneck” humour and interesting engineering feats for which they’re famous. And as we all know, even the the most fiendish of insults can be hurled without fear of reprisal with the simple preface “Bless their heart…..” They also have their own signature expressions. Bathed in meanness they’ve long endured. “Beat them like a red headed step child” for one. “So good it’ll make you wanna slap your momma” for another.
Just off I-65 in Munfordville, Kentucky Big Bubba Buck’s Belly Bustin’ BBQ Bliss has adopted the “Slap your momma” saying. Offering up food worthy of the maternal clubbing adage. Road weary travellers and locals have been enjoying Bubba’s porky goodness and fried catfish for almost 10 years now. The audience Buck’s is really tapping into though is the trucker. Their expansive parking lot out back offers up plenty of room for the big rigs and their location a half mile off the interstate makes for a quick stop. Daily specials are broadcast every half hour over a CB and orders are frequently radioed in for pick up. To keep the wheels turning as they say. Heck, all they need is a pick up window and a driver would never have to leave the cab.
Bubba’s is really not much more than a shack on the side of the road. From the outside it looks like little more than shed with a handful of smokers and various and sundry items littering the grounds.
On the inside it’s as basic and “Divey” as it can be. Simple paneled walls, rudimentary chairs and tables with plastic table clothes. In other words, scary to one. Oozing cred to another. Yep, other than the lack of smoked pig amoma (the smoker is outside so the smell of greens hung in the air) this place is a true BBQ joint. 
Now keep in mind that Kentucky, just like every other state has health inspectors and they do pay visits to Buck’s. Rest assured, it’s clean. That said, Mrs. Sippi and I have debated the notion that, bless its heart it’s the dumpiest restaurant we’ve been in. It may be, it may not. One thing there was no debate over. The food was top notch. There was plenty of it too. So let’s have a look.
Mrs. Sippi’s catfish was excellent. Buttery and juicy with a nice flour and cornmeal breading. I didn’t even bother trying the tartar sauce.
The fried corn on the cob was, well, interesting. While I always maintain that taste trumps all I’m gonna make an exception here. The taste was indeed good but the texture ruined it for me. Mrs. Sippi agreed. The kernels were mushy on the inside with gummy skins that got caught in your teeth. Give me a nice steamed or roasted ear any time. Where the golden nuggets burst when you sink your teeth into them.
The pinto beans were good. Nothing special. Simply seasoned and cooked. I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.
My combo plate ranged from really good to excellent. Really good was the pulled pork. I didn’t like that they sauced it but it wasn’t overpowered so not a strike against. It had a really nice smoky taste that I really enjoyed. It was very finely shredded which is not my preference but I’m fine with it.
The ribs were great. They’re baby backs which is a half a strike against since I much prefer side ribs for BBQ. They had a great smoke flavour and little seasoning. They actually put them on the smoke naked. Their philosophy on this is a rub inhibits smoke flavour. One very important thing about ribs. They should NOT fall off the bone but yield when pulled gently. Leaving a clean rib. The meat should have some chew to it. Not be a spongy mess. On this, they nailed it.
The smoked pork loin was amazing. Tender, succulent, smoky and porky. A clear winner on my plate.
The mac and cheese wasn’t overly cheesy but still quite serviceable.
The greens were as good as I’d hoped. Less pork taste than I’d have expected but seemed to be super charged with “Greens” flavour. Of course when balanced with pepper sauce, that much better.
The deserts were unimaginably good. I love banana pudding. Quite frankly and not disrespectfully, it’s not hard to make a good one. It was almost as good as my home made much as I expected. 
What really got me though was the apple, black berry cobbler. A great combination of flavour with a smack of cinnamon that was right in my wheelhouse. I love a good cinnamon kick and find that most places downplay its use. An absolute home run here in my books.
So don’t let the ruddy appearance dissuade you. This place serves good food that has the CB radio waves humming.
You can find Big Bubba Buck’s at 1802 Main St, Munfordville, Ky.
View Larger Map
You can also find them on the web.
Well that’s all from off the beaten path in Kentucky. Y’all come back now ya hear.
Davwud
An interesting twist on the family run establishment can be found at Country Boy Restaurant in Leipers Fork, Tennessee. Not one, not two, but four different families have held title to this community anchor since the Mealer family opened it in 1968.
The current owners, Shannon and Charlie Martin set out to give the oldest restaurant in Williamson County still in its original location a facelift. The structure itself would get the TLC that it needs and the menu would be reworked to feature more in house cooking. Seems the “Home cookin’” principals on which the restaurant was founded had started to slide. That needed to be fixed by ditching the pre made frozen foods and concentrating again on in house food prep.
The all day breakfast, a staple for the place since inception would of course remain.
Locals had regaled me with tales of a dumpy, run down room that was in desperate need of attention. What has resulted after a renovation lasting more than a month and 5,500 man hours is a clean country home setting. Unfortunately, with the change the place loses a lot of that character. So it’s not all roses but I’m not complaining. Ambience is nice but what come out of the kitchen is really what matters.
So lets have a look at what is coming out of the kitchen then shall we??
The Fried Chicken was crispy and juicy but I like a heavily seasoned and herbaceous breading. It was a simple breading so I can’t rate it near the top on my scale. It was however perfectly done. Really good all 'round flavour.
The Greens weren’t as “Porky” as I’ve had but that said they were still fantastic. Of course a little pepper sauce always helps too.
The Mac & Cheese was outstanding. A creamy cheese sauce mixed into the noodles with grated cheese melted on top. Very cheesy. Very tasty.
The simple dinner roll was perfect for sopping.
The Country Fried Steak was fabulous. Crispy breading that stood up well to the gravy and tender steak inside.
The Fried Okra was very good but not really my thing.
The Pinto Beans were very tasty too. Again, not too porky like the greens but all in all, had a really good taste that really allowed the earthiness of the beans to shine.
The Corn Bread was fine. It was true Southern style and as such, not my favourite.
We were so full from dinner that we had to take desert to go. Country Boy also makes Fried Pies on site and that was too good to resist. We had a few options but we went with the “Elvis.” Peanut butter and bananas encased in pie dough and deep fried. It was fantastic.
You can find Country Boy Restaurant at 4141 Old Hillsboro Road, in Franklin, Tennessee.
You can also find them on the web, facebook and twitter.
Well that’s all for now. Catch ya later in the food court.
Davwud
About an hour drive south east of Nashville is the small artist community of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The old railroad town, listed in the National Register of Historic Places was once left for dead but has been resurrected. Restored into a beautiful and quaint little burg numbering less than 500 residents. It's also the home of the RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival.
Celebrating the quintessential southern staples, RC Cola and Moon Pies. For those not from the south, a Moon Pie is a layered graham cracker and marshmallow treat that's (originally) covered in chocolate. They come in over a half dozen flavours now.
Arriving in town from the west, Railroad Square is somewhat obscured. You're almost on the tracks before you get a good view. One good look though will let you know that you're in for something special. Among the single story store fronts sits Bell Buckle Cafe. A good ole down home "Meat and 3" with live country music on Friday and Saturday night.
While not the only restaurant in town, Bell Buckle Cafe is certainly the busiest. The parking lot was full to over flowing when we arrived on Sunday just before noon. We were lucky we only had a 10 minute wait. Church lets out at noon and it quickly became obvious that for locals, the Sunday morning ritual is church then lunch at the Cafe.
Waiting in line Mrs. Sippi interrogated a local on the food options. Asked to pick a favourite he couldn't. He did suggest the smothered chops that were one of the specials of the day. He went on to offer about a half dozen more things before declaring everything "Great." Seated beside us were two older couples. "Every Sunday" one told me of how often they patronize the Cafe. In her pantheon of Meat and 3's Mrs. Sippi has declared Bell Buckle Cafe one of the triumvirate. Along with Stan's and Dixie Freeze. Pretty select company. I'll go one further. It's the best I've been to.
A Meat and Three for the uninitiated is a restaurant offering a meat option with a choice of three sides. Most places give you your choice of anywhere from 3 to 6 main options. Bell Buckle has over a dozen on their menu and another half dozen on the specials board. Your sides choices number between 6 and 10. Bell Buckle has at least a dozen. There's also a half dozen desert options. More if you consider that I'm counting "Pie" and "Cobbler" as one item each. They have several options in both category.
So it's about time we got to the food.
Smothered chops with turnip greens, mac and cheese and squash casserole for me and chicken fried steak with white beans, fried corn and fried okra for Mrs. Sippi. Both came with a johnny cake.
Smothered chops are pork chops that are simmered in gravy. They were fall apart tender and very tasty. They gravy was very good and not too salty. I'd actually have liked just a bit more on mine.
The turnip greens were quite good. Not the best I've had but there was the exact right amount of pot likker. It was the perfect amount for sopping with the corn cake.
The squash casserole was fantastic although not as good as Puckett's. Not "Squashy" at all if you know what I mean. It had a nice balance of flavours.
I really liked the mac and cheese. This was a great "Side" mac and cheese. It didn't have a stand out personality but a nice creamy, cheesy taste that would play well in the sandbox with anything.
Mrs. Sippi's chicken fried steak was unbelievable. It had a well seasoned breading that the Colonel and his 11 herbs and spices would be impressed with. Again, the gravy wasn't too salty which can be a problem. This milk or sawmill gravy was excellent.
Fried corn is corn that's cut from the cob and fried in butter (or bacon grease) until it has the consistency of cream corn. I hadn't had it done right before. Now I have. Mrs. Sippi proclaimed it perfect.
The white beans had all the earmarks of being southern style. Slow simmered with hunks of pig for hours. So good.
The fried okra was also spectacular. Very crispy and delicious. Their breading is fantastic.
The desert menu is on the napkin dispenser and it says "Save room for desert." Who am I to argue??
Since I was in Bell Buckle I had to have a moon pie. One of the desert offerings was a moon pie sundae. So why not? A banana moon pie with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. It was very good however predictable.
Mrs. Sippi couldn't get her mind off the peach cobbler. It was excellent. A nice buttery crust and warm sweet peach filling with the ice cream melting all over it. It was a text book southern cobbler.
With all the desert options we just couldn't narrow it down to two. I polled the people around our table and kept coming up with one thing. It was calling me. It was fate. I had to have it. I'd never heard of it. It sounded interesting. It said "Covered in caramel sauce." I like caramel sauce. I give you, the oatmeal cake.
It's rare that I order a desert that doesn't have chocolate in it. If I do, I generally try to figure out where to add chocolate. This desert is more proof that god wants us to be happy. It was like a moist 2" thick oatmeal cookie smothered in caramel sauce. It's impossible for me to impress upon you how much this desert impressed me. I was almost reduced to tears.
I also couldn't pass up the opportunity to have and RC Cola as well.
You can find Bell Buckle Cafe on Railroad Square in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
View Larger Map
You can find them on the web or become a Facebook fan.
Well that's all for now. 'Til next time.
Davwud
Tom’s dream finally became a reality in the spring of 2010 when he opened what he eventually came to call The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder. The small diner on St. Clair West, just east of the old Toronto stockyards area has a nice rustic feel equally matched inside and out. Exposed brick and unfinished wood give the slender place a certain warmth. 
Inside there are no tables but plenty of counter space with about 20 stools. My personal favourite is a seat by the open kitchen. Front row center for the action. 
The biscuits are large and flaky with a nice flavour. When I make ‘em at home they have a nice buttery taste which these seem to lack. Not that I’m saying they should just that it’s not my preference. Mrs. Sippi concurred ranking them “Very good” but not certainly not as good as mine.
The Greens shown here are Kale. Cooked to death with bacon like in the south. The big difference is they add garlic which is not typically southern. Part of the “Citified” thing. The bacon has a great smoky flavour and is quite meaty. The garlic is a bit over the top (can’t believe I’m saying that) but a little pepper sauce we had at home helped to balance things out. Kale is also a bit tougher than Collards, Turnip or Mustard greens and we enjoyed the stronger texture. Honestly, I really didn’t think Mrs. Sippi would like them but surprisingly she very much did. Even ordered more the next visit.
The Fried Chicken and Waffles are amazing. Such an odd combination but this soul food dish dates back centuries. 
The burger is probably my favourite anywhere. It's a tough call with so many good examples out there but I think three things put this at the top of my list. First of all, it's done on a flat top. I'm sure you’ve read me extol the virtues of this culinary dream machine. Second of all, it's just about exactly what I make at home. It's 6oz (I make 3/lb) with American (aka sliced, aka processed) Cheese and a simple "Wonderbread style" bun. Thirdly, the crust created by the flat top. Most places will give you a patty with a nice crust. Here they play chicken with the griddle. Pushing the limits of how far they can go before making a hockey puck. The burger gets a crust that's far thicker than any other I've had. It provides not only additional flavour but a slight crunch to it that was great. It’s not over cooked either. A slight crust on the flip side ensures it’s still juicy on the inside. Simply excellent.
They make their own pastrami from time to time. I had the occasion to try it and let me tell ya, if you can get your hands on some of this stuff, you do it. It's simply the best I've had. Very fatty (which is good for deli meat) and had a great flavour profile. It usually gets snapped up quickly. You'd best phone and find out when they're making some and plan accordingly.
As for drinks they make their own own in house. The Limeade has a nice refreshing mint profile. They round out the liquid menu with an array Boylan products. Some of the best bottled Root Beer you'll find on the market is Boylan. 
