Lisa and I finally got out on the Harley last night and took a ride out to Parker’s Smokehouse. We hadn’t been there in a while. The weather was perfect, a glorious night for a motorcycle ride.
Since it was a Monday night, we were able to get a booth without waiting. We decided to split their sampler platter (an appetizer, but enough to feed two easily) and a couple of side salads. I have to say, the food has actually improved – and that is no mean feat. The salads were a couple of notches better than we had had there before; a nice bed of Romaine lettuce, nice toasty croutons, well presented. We were off to a good start!
I had always liked their ribs. They have always been very good, but maybe not the most tender I’d had. Last night they were much more tender and a little smokier than we’d had there before, and seemed to have a little more sweet BBQ flavor as well. Not overpowering or trying to hide the flavor of the meat, but really good. We also noticed that there was more meat on the ribs. I’d say they are some of the best ribs we’ve had in a restaurant anywhere. The rib tips were also superb, very smoky. The chicken was very tender and juicy, and the catfish fingers were done to perfection.
We’ve seen a lot of restaurants start out great and gradually decline (like Colton’s, for example, or Millard Road House). Parker’s seems to be getting even better than they were, which means someone is working hard.