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As written by Goshen Gourmet
Whether you spell it "Barbecue," Bar-B-Que," "BBQ" or something altogether different, it still means smoky, meaty goodness and now it's waiting for you at a new restaurant in Maryville, Illinois.
If you've been around as long as I have, you'll remember the name "Randy" because of several previous restaurant incarnations over the years, primarily down the road from Maryville in Troy, Illinois. The name "Randy" has always meant great steaks, delicious Ranch dressing (yes, it's an odd thing to be famous for, but trust me) and now flavorful ribs, pulled pork, brisket and pulled chicken.
You'll find Randy's House of Barbecue in a small strip mall on IL-159 sandwiched (yes, it's a pun) in-between Bobby's Frozen Custard and the Red Apple Family Restaurant. The new place is a great addition to the Maryville dining scene.
On a recent visit our table of five sampled the pulled pork sandwiches, a barbecue salad topped with pulled pork and a rack of ribs. The ribs came to the table in their own cocoon of foil fresh from the smoker.
The meat is prepared with a dry rub and sauces are presented on the side. You can choose among the Competition sauce, the Hot sauce flavored with chipotle peppers or the sweet sauce. The ribs (pictured below) are tender and meaty, yet substantial. Real rib lovers will tell you that the ribs should bite back and not fall off the bone. That's exactly what's happening at Randy's.
By the way, Randy's boasts of winning seven American Royal International Reserve Championships (that's the big deal barbecue competition in Kansas City) and 27 other championships across the U.S. That's where the Competition sauce at Randy's gets its name.
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Sides include potato salad (pronounced delicious by our table), baked beans and slaw. Oddly, a 12-inch pizza also graces the menu. It can be topped with sausage, pepperoni or chicken. A young woman at the table next to ours ordered one and told us it was terrific. We'll have to look forward to trying it ourselves at a later date. |
There's nothing fancy at Randy's but the good food. Lunch or dinner comes on heavy-duty paper plates and the sides are in little to-go cups. Drinks are limited right now to a cooler filled with bottled sodas and water. Staff told us additional items would be added to the menu in the future.
Randy's is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., although they were open past 7 p.m. on this past Sunday when we visited. You can call them at 618-288-0227.
Stop by Randy's next time you're in Maryville and try the BBQ for yourself. |
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