Things are smokin' at Dexter Bar-B-Que

As a young man, Bruce Vancil worked at restaurants learning the art of smoking meat in a pit. Vancil decided to share his "smokeology" with the public at Dexter Bar-B-Que with locations around Southeast Missouri and in Arkansas.

Before opening his first restaurant, Vancil ran a mobile barbecue service that focused on grocery store promotions and catering. Dexter Bar-B-Que's first location was in Dexter, Mo., in 1983. As its popularity grew, a new restaurant opened in Sikeston, Mo. The Cape Girardeau branch opened in 2002. The newest and most remote addition to the family-owned franchise opened in 2006 in Jonesboro, Ark.

Kathy Vancil said smoking meat in a pit is a slow process. It requires many factors, including perfect heat and the exact combination of smoke, seasoning and sauce to reveal the true flavor of the meat.

"The barbecue is cooked fresh daily and pulled all day long. We take pride in how it is prepared," Kathy said.

"We strive for good quality food, a comfortable, clean atmosphere, courtesy to the customers and good portions," she said.

One of the first things Robert Ridenhour notices about a restaurant is whether it is clean, he said while at Dexter Bar-B-Que with his mother Elsie Ridenhour.

"The food is good and the restaurant is very clean," Robert said of Dexter Bar-B-Que.

He and his mother always stop at Dexter's after her eye doctor's appointment on their way back to Illinois.

Pat Hogendobler and her husband, Ken, of Virginia Beach, Va., learned about the restaurant from friends in the Cape Girardeau area.

"The quality of it was good, smoky. The flavor was good. It was freshly cooked," Ken Hogendobler said.

Dexter Bar-B-Que offers catering, carryout and dine-in. Its banquet room often hosts wedding rehearsal dinners and anniversary celebrations. It also ships meat all over the country.

Dexter Bar-B-Que even catered Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama's recent visit to Cape Girardeau.

Dexter Bar-B-Que in Cape Girardeau is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and closed Sundays. For more information on all the locations, visit www.dexterbbq.com.

Dexter Bar-B-Que

236 S. Broadview St.

334-9600