By Christine Imbs
You know it’s summer in St. Louis when the Cardinals are playing and the pork steaks hit the grill. But if your barbecue skills are lacking or you just want to taste some lip-smacking ribs without all the fuss, there are three little pigs in the area just waiting for a hungry wolf.
 Larry Lampert and daughter Angie Lampert, co-owners, Lampert’s Plush Pig. |
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In the very heart of Clayton is Lampert’s Plush Pig. But don’t let the address or the name fool you. As owner Larry Lampert says, “It’s a barbecue joint, pure and simple.” And that means an old-fashioned, family-style atmosphere complete with a slamming screen door, picnic tables, and some of the friendliest folks you’ll ever meet. “We come around to the tables and tell people ‘If you need anything just holler.’ And we mean it,” Lampert says laughing. “We want our customers to feel at home, to know we care.”
They not only care, they make great barbecue. The meat is smoked with cherry wood rather than mesquite or hickory giving it a fruity flavor. And the menu is simple with five meats to choose from—Carolina pulled pork, Texas beef brisket, mild sausage, full spare ribs and chicken. The barbecue sauce is on the table and not to be missed. It’s Lampert’s own recipe minus the sugar found in so many others. And if you like it with a kick, just ask. There’s a hotter version that’s incredible.
Lunch or dinner at the Plush Pig will run you anywhere from $4.95 for a pulled pork sandwich to $15.95 for a plate of full spare ribs. Unsure of what to get? Customers suggest the one, two, or three meat plates with their delicious homemade sides.
| Jan Brigulio, owner and Marcus Love, grill master, Jaboni’s Flying Pig. |
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For a more southern-style barbecue experience there’s Jaboni’s Flying Pig at the corner of Manchester and Tower Grove Avenues. Owner Jan Brigulio says it’s a totally different dining experience from her previous venture, Jaboni’s Bistro. “The bistro was more fine dining,” she says. “I’m from the south. I’ve always wanted to do this type of restaurant.”
Brigulio says all of the sauces, the side dishes and even the way the meat is cooked come from family recipes. “We make authentic slow cooked, smoked barbecue in barrel pits out in our parking lot,” she says. “You can smell the barbecue a mile away. It’s really delicious.”
Jaboni’s has a casual, homey atmosphere and of course, the signature flying pig over the bar. The menu includes several items such as barbecue chicken breasts, rib tips, pulled pork, beef brisket and St. Louis-style pork steaks, a big customer favorite. There are also a number of freshly made sides including hushpuppies, cole slaw, baked beans, and potato salad. Nothing is over $7.99. And for something different, there’s a fish fry on Fridays and a happy hour where you can load up on a pound of wings for only $6.
| Cathie Funk, manager, Pigs in a Poke. |
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If you find yourself in Belleville craving barbecue, check out Pigs in a Poke. It originally started ten years ago in a parking lot with just a grill. Everything at that time was, of course, put in to-go bags. And since pigs were generally taken to market in bags called pokes, the name seemed appropriate.
Today you can still get your pig in a poke or dine in. Whatever you choose you will find the prices very reasonable and the menu varied. A pulled pork or beef brisket sandwich for instance will cost about $4.25, $3.25 for a smaller version. A full side of ribs is just $13.95. There are five different homemade barbeque sauces to choose from or you can go without. The choice is yours. But customers say what you don’t want to go without is the homemade macaroni and cheese simply loaded with the good stuff or the twice-baked potato casserole. You’ll think mom was in the kitchen.
TalkingPOINTS
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Lampert’s Plush Pig
7814 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, MO 63105
phone: (314) 725-4411
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Jaboni’s Flying Pig
4301 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110
phone: (314) 531-5317
Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Pigs in a Poke
2005 Old Saint Louis Rd., Belleville, IL 62226
phone: (618) 233-5248
Hours:
Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
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