Bandana's: A study of paisley and pork

When I decided to try Bandana's Bar-B-Q as a possible food article target, I already knew it was a chain restaurant. Lately, I've been trying to give chains the benefit of the doubt, because we know that all franchises are not created equal. Bandana's has been in town since 2019, and I had not visited it yet. Why? I'm not really sure, because I usually try every restaurant at least once in case it is a diamond in the rough and has that one amazing plate that I think about with a certain amount of salivary gland stimulation. Maybe it is because Bandana's is located where Bob Evans used to be, and that was a location I didn't frequent very often. Whatever the case, I am sorry that I have been missing out for nearly three years.

Bandana's has a concise double-sided placemat-shaped menu. After a quick once over, I knew I had to try the hot boiled peanuts. Hot boiled peanuts are exactly what they sound like. Served hot, but not so hot that you can't shell them, the raw peanuts had been boiled in brine and were very salty. The shells opened easily, as they had been softened by the boiling. Inside, the peanut kernel was soft but firm, just about the texture of a canned chick pea. And here, for the first time in my life, I found direct sensory evidence that the peanut is indeed in the legume family. Through the salt, the hot boiled peanuts undeniably tasted like a very mild bean, like a washed-out kidney bean flavor. It was odd, but the experience was enjoyable.

The Brisket sandwich, full of smoky, beefy flavor and paired with potato salad.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

Since I was there for lunch, I was looking for a smaller plate. I focused on the "Budget Busters," which was a 3-ounce serving of either smoked pork, chicken, turkey, sausage, brisket or ribs and two sides with a piece of garlic bread. The price was $7.59, which I thought sounded very reasonable, but I wasn't expecting much food for that price. Oof. Was I wrong! Folks, if you're still paying $10 for a value meal at a fast food joint and you're not in a huge hurry, you are doing yourselves and places like this a huge disservice. There was probably a cup's worth of meat on the plate, along with two generous bowls full of my chosen sides — coleslaw and barbecue beans. The piece of garlic bread was as large as my hand.

I gleefully tried every one of the six barbecue sauces at the table on my pile of pulled pork. I figured my favorite would be sweet and smoky, because that's what I usually prefer, but this time, the dark horse won the race. The bottle labeled "spicy," which I almost didn't try because I usually don't go there, proved to be my favorite sauce. Noticeably redder and thinner than the other sauces, it was smoky with just a bit of heat, not coming anywhere close to approaching that burning mouth feel that I dislike. It was delicious.

The insanely huge chicken tenders dinner, served with mac and cheese and a chunky applesauce that was delicious.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

The coleslaw was standard fare, and the barbecue beans had quite a bit of meat in them as well, little chunks of brisket and longer ribbons of shredded pork, filling and full of flavor. The garlic bread was skillet toasted with butter, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. But honestly, who doesn't love bread?

My husband ordered the burnt ends sandwich. On Bandana's website, I learned that the burnt ends come from the points on the brisket, and mmm, were those pieces of meat yummy. Cut into about one-inch cubes, the burnt ends were tender and had that pink smoke ring inside that indicated long and effective smoking. When I return for supper, I'll probably splurge for the burnt ends plate.

My daughter ordered the chicken tender plate and it was impressively large. But she ordered a side of applesauce that was chunky with little actual apple pieces. It had a lovely texture and a perfect not-too-sweet flavor that I enjoyed.

I had no idea that Bandana's had so many locations. You can find restaurants in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky. Our Bandana's in Cape Girardeau can be found at 156 Vantage Drive, right off of the interstate. It is another good barbecue option in our area, and the price is right.

And yes, I did see actual paisley bandanas there. Hung over the windows like a country valance, the place certainly lives up to its name.