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| - I keep thinking my experience at Smoky Jon's will be better than it ever is. I lived and worked nearby for a number of years, and ate there often.
The staff were always incredibly friendly, and even got to know my order after awhile. Their sugar fried biscuits were a must until I had to go gluten-free, and I always enjoyed the corn and mashed potatoes with my pork shoulder.
Overshadowing this, though, were the counterproductive idiosyncracies of the business. I enjoy quirky (and don't see it often enough these days,) but in this case, in the business sense, it confused me.
The owner is a bit...eccentric, to say the least.
Also, he's famous for his BBQ sauces. There are awards and ribbons all over the restaurant saying so. Fantastic! Why can't I get them on my dinner?
There's only ONE sauce available in the restaurant (and it's on the sweeter end of the spectrum.) What about adding a mustard-based sauce? Or something in a spicier Texas-style?
Your sauce skills may be excellent, but if you don't allow your restaurant patrons to experience them, you're leaving them with a really narrow excerpt of what you have to offer. TELLING us how wonderful your work is PALES in comparison letting us TASTE it.
Even if there were only 2-3 options, that would put a whole 'nother spin on the SJ dining experience!
Additionally, the sides are tasty, but TEENY! I know the focus is on the protein, but even simply increasing the portion size by 50% (and keep the 2 sides/entree) would be a good start. Or double+ their size and have 1 side/entree. (The entrees w/sides aren't exactly cheap.)
In closing, next time you stop by, on your way in, take a look at the happy, oblivious-looking pig painted on the building, sitting on the globe, munching on a rack of tasty pork ribs.
Is he just there for the award-winning sauce, or do you think he knows he's unintentionally advocating porcine cannibalism?
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