Cape Girardeau's Pilot House: Elite meat and heat

In my unending quest to continue eating out without really eating out, I have gotten far more introspective and aware of the places I pick. Because of this increase in thoughtfulness, I realized I had neglected to write about one of the places I often turn to for lunch. I mean, I thought I had written about it, or maybe another foodie had covered it in full, but no, somehow I had missed giving this place its due.

An absolute staple of Cape Girardeau, the Pilot House checks all the boxes for a local landmark. With its low, long building and parking lot clutching the sides of a pretty decent ravine, there is an air of danger just parking (not really ... I just have an overactive imagination). Then, when you go in, a thick smoky meat smell permeates everything. I imagine that if you wanted to eat paint off of the wall, it would taste like smoked pork. The register counter was made with love, patience and neatly lined up pennies and resin. I did not live here as a small child, but if I had, I would have thought that counter was amazing. I kind of still do.

Now, I almost feel silly writing about the Pilot House. I mean, if you haven't tried it yet, where have you been? But on the off chance that I can introduce this place to someone, here it is. What I can do for the rest of you, maybe, is tell you about something on the menu that you haven't tried yet, and let you know what my go-to is.

Personally, when I crave the Pilot House, my taste buds call up the Combo Q with regular fries. The Combo Q is shredded smoked pork with pimento cheese and barbecue sauce, toasted and warm and perfect. From the sauce used to the rich smoked meat to the amount of cheese, everything is on point. I always ask for extra barbecue on the side, but that's just me. I also crave those fries, because although they are just normal crinkle cuts, the Pilot House cooks them just right, with that deep golden crunch and steamy interior. I've never gotten a floppy fry here.

But for this article, I wanted to try something new, and that day, something new happened to be The Tank. Yes, I capitalized "The" because this sandwich deserves it. Layers upon layers of thinly sliced prime rib sat upon delicately sliced ham. Jalapeño peppers are sprinkled throughout, and the whole towering inferno of heat and meat was held together with Swiss and American cheese on hefty slices of grilled and toasted sourdough bread. Phew. Now, obviously, this sandwich is only going to appeal to people who like a little heat, which usually isn't me. But I'm always ready to try something new, and I have no regrets. True spicy-heat lovers probably won't think this sandwich is that hot, but for me, I felt it from my mouth all the way down to my stomach. It was not a painful burn, and the jalapeños never deadened my taste buds like too much spice so often does. I enjoy the way jalapeños taste, but I don't like the hot bite. This time, however, the rich creamy cheeses and the buttery bread curbed much of the heat and I could actually taste the peppers, and the prime rib, and even the delicate note of ham. It was balanced wonderfully, and was an insanely heavy sandwich, ready to fill any empty stomach.

The prettiest bowl of chili you ever did see will warm you up at the Pilot House.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

I ordered The Tank with seasoned fries, because this is another thing the Pilot House is known for, and my family members absolutely swear by them. Those same well-cooked crinkle fries are sprinkled with a seasoning that gives them a flavor very much like a BBQ chip, in my opinion. Smoky, a little spicy but with absolutely no burn, these fries are popping with flavor and don't need ketchup.

Now, please be aware that the Pilot House is also a bar, but don't let that deter you. It takes the food seriously, and the food never takes a back seat to the beer. I think it's the perfect lunch place, and beer and barbecue were born to be together. The Pilot House is dark, smoky, and seeped in years of good food and good times. It has maintained a quality of food that is near legendary for decades.

Kudos.

The Pilot House is located at 3532 Perryville Road in Cape Girardeau.