OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — When someone says Kansas City, a few things may come to mind: The Chiefs, Royals, jazz and of course, barbecue.
When 3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole, who was born and raised in Kansas City, heard there was a new restaurant in Omaha called A Taste of Kansas City Barbecue, she had to check it out.
If you're looking for good barbecue, drive down 40th and Ames and follow your nose.
"Just follow the smoke," laughed A Taste of Kansas City BBQ co-owner Derrick Caldwell. "We get people that come every day and say that smoke got me and then they turn into faithful customers."
A Taste of Kansas City BBQ opened six months ago.
"The atmosphere. The vibe. Everything about it, we're bringing K.C. right here to Omaha," explained co-owner Whitney Caldwell.
Derrick and Whitney Caldwell grew up in K.C.
They were raised eating and cooking Kansas City barbecue.
"It's unique, the way we smoke our woods. We use mainly woods on everything. I love using fruitwood," Derrick said.
From how the meat is smoked...
"The time that you put into it makes it KC BBQ. It takes time and patience because we marinate all our meat every single day. We wrap them just to keep the flavor and everything inside," Whitney shared.
To the sauce...
"I can't tell you what's in it, but I guarantee you'll love it," Derrick chuckled.
They say there's just something special about barbecue the K.C. way.
The couple moved to Omaha after their youngest daughter started receiving medical care here.
"We couldn't keep traveling back and forth, it was starting to be too much," Whitney explained.
A restaurant was never a part of the plan.
"We just bought a little trailer and decided to sell a little bit of barbecue on the side just to stall time while we were here. Then we saw how much people loved our food," Whitney shared.
Derrick smokes the meat.
"He loves what he does. I see the way he works out there on that grill. He cooks everything to perfection," Whitney said with a smile.
Whitney handles the sides.
"Our baked beans... a big, big seller. Everybody wants to know what's in that recipe," she laughed. "Sometimes they don't come in here for barbecue, they just want baked beans."
But the main attraction is...
"The rib tips, definitely the rib tips," the couple said in unison.
"I can sell at least two cases a day," Derrick added.
Once Derrick takes the rib tips off the grill, he cuts them up and smothers them in their homemade sauce.
"On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 100," he chuckled.
Whitney says there's just one way to eat them: "Just dive in."
It's not all barbecue all the time.
The restaurant also serves up a mean K.C. Philly.
"Aw man, it's to die for, it's good. It makes you feel like you're in your own home kitchen," Whitney described.
The portions at the restaurant are generous.
"Yes, we're not stingy," Whitney grinned.
And everything is fresh.
"Nothing is getting warmed up. That's the thing about good barbecue, a lot of people come here and know it's fresh off the grill," Derrick said.
One of the most popular deals at a Taste of Kansas City BBQ is three bones (ribs), two wings and one drink. It's all less than 15 dollars.
The reviews are good.
"A lot of people come in here and they say 'you guys brought a good thing to Omaha. You know, now we don't have to go all the way to Kansas City to get Kansas City barbecue, you guys are right here,'" Whitney said.
A Taste of Kansas City BBQ is located at 4001 Ames. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday.
For more information, follow them on Facebook @TheAmericanDreamBbq.
Here are some of the deals you can find at A Taste of Kansas City BBQ:
Catdaddy Sandwich: Catfish & Fries - $10
Full Order Rib Tips: - $12
KC Plate: 3 Bones, 2 Wings, 2 Sides, 1 Drink - $20
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