Porky G's Southern Style BBQ & Catering

Porky G's Southern Style BBQ and Catering
1527 Northwest Blvd.
(208) 772-6644

“Grilling, broiling, barbecuing - whatever you want to call it - is an art, not just a matter of building a pyre and throwing on a piece of meat as a sacrifice to the gods of the stomach.” ~ James Beard, 'Beard on Food' (1974)

It's no secret that I like meat (don't you even go there), and people have been telling me for several years that I needed to check out the smokehouse specialties of Porky G's. Formerly a hut-and-smoker style operation on Dalton Ave with somewhat tricky hours (they were closed both times in the past I tried to go), they've recently upgraded to a sit-down location on Northwest Blvd (formerly Blondie's Deli), conveniently located right across from the liquor store.

I'd driven by there quite a few times since they opened up (no, it wasn't on trips to the liquor store, thankyouverymuch - I happen to live near there) and poked fun at their crazed Porky Pig logo with the backwards cap. My stomach randomly started screaming the words "need BBQ now, you bastard!" on my lunch break the other day, so I figured that was a sign I should check the place out. I was happy to see they had a drive through because it was snowing like a Mudgy and Millie snow globe outside and honestly, sometimes I just can't be arsed to get out of the car and go in.

You can't fault Porky G's for leaving anything off of their big yellow menu board. The possibilities are rather overwhelming, actually. The basis of their operation, naturally, is meat. Meat, meat, meat and more meat. Texas Beef Brisket, Tri-Tip, Pulled Beef, Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken Breast, half or quarter chickens; Cows, pigs, and major forms of domestic fowl might want to avoid wandering anywhere near the place, for there is a luxury suite already booked for them in Porky G's five-star Smokehouse Hotel of Death. There will be no mint on the fluffy little pillows the next morning, either.

Combo plates are available, piled with two to five meats ($10.95-17.95), or take the sandwich option and have your choice of meat served up on a fresh-baked southern hoagie roll ($5-9). Either way, you get to pick two side dishes with your meal, including baby red potato salad, coleslaw, BBQ beans, "smoked" mac-n-cheese, smoky bacon au gratin potatoes, or a house side green salad (for those who choose to be ultra boring).

I mean really, is Porky G's the sort of place where a sane person would order something as health-conscious as a green salad? Actually, their menu does list three salads that don't sound like they'll be appearing in any Susan Powter "Stop the Insanity" recipe book anytime soon: tri-tip salad, pulled pork salad and chicken salad. Homemade desserts up the butterfat ante; Cobblers and pies and apple dumpling a la mode, oh my!

Porky G's also does catering, and their menu features three mega-sized options, ranging from a Family Meal to a $75 "Pit Master", which has a line up similar to one of Oprah's quick midnight snacks: two slabs of BBQ ribs, one pound of pulled pork or pulled beef, eight chicken quarters, one pound of beef brisket, three large sides, twelve hoagie rolls, and four tubs of BBQ sauce. The only thing missing is the gallon of Jack Daniels and the tickets to the Monster truck rally. And a JETSTREAM G3™ Atherectomy System

Pulled pork has always placed high on my personal top-40 chart of thigh-widening foods, so I decided to go with that particular sandwich option with two sides (the baby red salad and the mac-n-cheese) and a tall, icy sweet tea to really kick up the Spirit of the South factor a few notches. The girl at the drive through was pleasantly chatty, despite my grumpy aura that day, and my she showed back up with my food in fast fashion.

I returned home and opened my Styrofoam clamshell and my lunch was a glorious thing to behold, although right away I could tell it wasn't going to be enough food to match the all-day hunger I'd built up at that point. Still, the pork was perfectly tender and divine, and I liked the fact they chose to include a container of their sweet, tangy BBQ sauce on the side rather than on the actual sandwich so I could exercise a bit of control over the situation. The bun tasted fresh and was durable enough as to hold the whole thing together and not fall apart, a messy fate which befalls many BBQ sandwich scenarios.

My potato salad was super-duper alright, addicting actually, with big nuggets of baby reds in a dill-based, creamy dressing. The "Smoked Mac-n-Cheese" was also magnificent but it came across as more of a macaroni salad situation to me. It must be a southern thing to use giant rigatoni noodles and cook them to the point of collapse, then marry them with a mild cheese (gouda?) and some bread crumblies. It has a quite mellow flavor, but it's something that sneaks up on you and makes you want to wrap your arms around momma's leg until she gets busy making you some more.

Based on my first experience, and its location nearby my house (and next to the nearest place to buy bottle of Jagermeister), I'll most likely make Porky G's at least a semi-regular lunch stop. My only beef (sorry pun gods) was that the sandwich and portion sides seemed a little on the wee side, and I'm not even much of an overeater these days. My lunch was fully delicious, but only left me feeling about 1/4 of the way there. A half-scoop or so more of the sides would have done the trick and taken the Southern Indulgence vibe over the top, y'all!

Pyramid Skate Shop to Host Benefit BBQ, Concert, and Suspension Show

Pyramid Skate Shop
1000 E 3rd Ave., Post Falls
(208) 773-4620

July 31, 2010, 3 p.m.

If you’re the type of person who’s a bit squeamish, you may want to put down your toast right now. Watching someone have several extremely sharp hooks pierced through their back flesh then dangle in the air from ropes several feet off the ground may not be everyone’s idea of a fun way to spend a sunny summer afternoon at a benefit barbecue, but Colleen Smith, owner of Weenis Inc. piercing studio, has never been one to subscribe to the idea of doing things the normal way.

On July 31 at 3 p.m., Pyramid Skate Shop in Post Falls will be hosting an all-ages event that will incorporate not only several eye-popping human body suspensions, but also three rock bands, some excellent food, and lots of skateboarders performing their many knee-killing, arm-scraping tricks. There’s going to be a lot happening to keep people entertained, but many of the attendees will walk away at the end of the day with somewhat bittersweet feelings. The show is planned to be the last in a long series of these kinds of local events conceptualized, planned and hosted by Smith and her “Team Weenis” before she abandons North Idaho for the potentially greener pastures of the Portland area in August.

On a brighter note, most of the funds raised will go to Smith to enable her to pay for medical procedures that will allow her to recover from certain debilitating medical issues she’s been struggling with in recent years.

When Smith informed me she was planning her last benefit show in the area, I asked her who it was going to benefit and she replied “Me, actually.” If anyone else had told me they were throwing a gala benefit for themselves, I probably would have given them some serious side-eye and laughed into my Pabst, but if anyone deserves to get away with it, it’s Colleen.

Over the years, so many people have been affected positively by Smith’s kindness, it’s about time she received some major payback. She inherited her gigantic charitable heart from the late, great Dolly Smith, an inimitable woman who gave to the community in many ways, from ringing Salvation Army bells for spare change to heading up the “Christmas for All” children’s charity for several years before passing the torch on to her daughter.

Colleen could have gone the usual silent auction or wine tasting route to raise some cash to help underprivileged kids get a visit from Santa Claus, but instead chose to do something significantly more unusual. Around fifteen years ago, she began holding punk and metal shows, sometimes involving body modification sessions and various other underground arts, in any venue she could find willing to host them, from dank Tattoo shop basements, to elementary school gymnasiums and even actual nightclubs. They were always packed with a ton of freaks, and I mean that in the best way possible, and all money raised went directly to Christmas for All.

It’s a slightly unorthodox way to raise money for charity, especially for sleepy North Idaho, and her efforts were initially met with some controversy, but her passion for creating a local live music scene where none existed and bringing folks together for a good cause won over even the most conservative thinkers and impacted the lives of many, both though the charity itself, and also in the way she was able to forge a support network of like-minded individuals. There are definitely going to be Colleen-shaped holes in the hearts of many without her presence in the area.

Metal/Alternative acts L.O.C., The Ghoul and Grounded will be providing the musical backdrop to give her a proper rock-n-roll send-off. Colleen and her crew will be performing at least two full body suspensions, and if you still have the stomach for it after witnessing such things, there will be a full range of barbecued burgers, steaks and chicken. You may even be able to perform your own piercing act with a long metal skewer through a nice, juicy hot dog.

Famous Willie's BBQ

Famous Willies BBQ
107 E. 7th Ave., Post Falls
(208) 773-0000

"It is better to have burnt and lost, then never to have barbecued at all" - William Shakespeare

I do believe I’ve discovered possibly the last restaurant in the entire USA with an 8-track tape player still happily in use. A wall-mounted rack full of the chunky tapes immediately jumped out at my eyeballs when I entered Famous Willies BBQ in Post Falls one recent afternoon and I was a bit perplexed. I haven’t even seen those things floating around the thrift stores in at least ten years.

An odd form of décor, I thought, but after settling in at my table, I heard Johnny Cash fade away mid-song, only to return to the airwaves a few seconds later. The waitress confirmed my hunch when she came to take my order. The 8-track action is one the many delightful quirks that, along with memorable food and an easygoing vibe, make Famous Willie’s an impressive new entry in the local restaurant handbook.

Willie Spradley and his wife moved to town from Texas and began serving their signature smoked, slow-cooked meats in a funky old converted home. The apostrophe in the name “Famous Willie’s” seems optional, as it could also refer to the several dozen “Famous Willies” whose framed photos cleverly decorate the restaurant’s walls. There’s Willie Nelson, Will Rogers, Williams Tell and Shatner, even Free Willy, along with a few others whose fame eludes me. I looked for my personal favorite, Willie Wonka, but unless he was hiding around the corner, I didn’t see him.

The tables and fixtures are clean and modern, but the overall atmosphere of the place is that of an old-school Texas Roadhouse BBQ joint. The slogan printed on their menu reads “We know we are not the best, bet we are the best we know”, but this seems a bit on the humble side considering the grand authenticity of the overall experience, especially the food itself. To put it bluntly, this ain’t no McRib.

The entire menu is scrawled out by hand with colored chalk on a blackboard behind the counter, which is charming but slightly difficult to read. Fortunately, printed menus are available at each table and are also hung randomly on old doorknobs affixed to the walls. Large or small sandwiches are served stuffed with either Cajun pork shoulder, beef brisket, or tender smoked chicken. Vegetarians might want to cheat when they get an eye and nose full of Willie’s barbecued meats, but they also serve a Veggie Burger for those truly devoted to avoiding the real deal.

For bigger appetites, and for the quintessential Texas BBQ session, the Chuckwagon Plates are where it’s at. A full rack of “Willie’s Irresistible Tender Ribs” with two sides and a roll isn’t exactly cheap, but probably worth every penny spent. When Willie says his ribs are “a deep Southern tradition, marinated with a secret family recipe that is slow-cooked and smoke with oak”, he’s not just whistling Dixie. The smokehouse out back testifies to that fact, and the appetite reels with the wondrous potential of it all.

More reasonably priced, and also including the all-important fluffy white roll, is the Rancher’s Deluxe with three barbecued meat varieties, and a choice of coleslaw, chili beans, or Southern potato salad. The Rancher’s “Not So” Deluxe is basically the same, but stars only one meat option. Or fatten up with the Cowboy Stuffed Potato, which layers on chopped chicken, brisket or pork with BBQ sauce, sour cream and butter.

I was a little surprised when my brisket sandwich arrived naked, but realized this was meant as an opportunity to sample the four different squeeze bottles of barbecue sauce gathered on my table in an old Jones Soda box. The Jalapeno and Cajun were both my favorites because I do like it spicy, but the milder sauces were certainly do-able as well. The tender, chunky meat and Texas-sized bun met all my high expectations, and my side dishes actually exceeded them.

“Coleslaw with a difference” claims the menu, and the difference is that it is clearly fresh-made from scratch, includes sweet chopped apples, and is made with a delicate dill dressing. The Mexican Cornbread is a far cry above the Jiffy box cornbread I’m used to, with cheddar cheese and jalapenos giving it a weight, texture, and flavor normally only found at least 600 miles to the South. Amazing, and at only 75 cents a piece, it’s tempting to overindulge.

Actually, it’s nearly impossible not to overindulge at Famous Willie’s but I did have to draw the line when the waitress returned to offer up the home-made dessert item of the day, Peach Cobbler. A friend of mine tried it recently and she said it was completely fabulous, but I’ll have to take her word for it and assume that the extra calories were worth it.

Willie Spradley and his BBQ gang may not exactly be as famous as some of the Willies on the wall, yet. But, as evidenced by the number of full tables on the sleepy weekday afternoon I visited, if he keeps on serving the finest barbecue in North Idaho, he’ll be shooing away the paparazzi in no time.