ANNOUNCER: Sometimes a craving consumes you. You know, when you get an idea in your head and it won't go away? That's what happened this week to Dutch, he was hankering for some good ole' barbeque and Jim Bob's Chuck Wagon in Lacey seemed like just the place to fulfill his BBQ daydreams.
DUTCH: If you're craving BBQ, then with a name like Jim Bob's Chuck Wagon, it's reasonable to have high expectations. Don't worry, here your cravings will be satisfied, including beer, bread and brisket. Everything is made in-house from the smoked brisket to the corn bread. Additionally, the service is so friendly, you will feel like you are simply at a neighborhood cook-out complete with picnic tables.
JACKIE: This is a no-frills sort of vibe. The building has been reworked from what looks like used to be a fast food chain to the BBQ destination it finds itself today. I mulled over the menu, indecisive for more than a minute, with loads of meaty options and wafts of delectable meat cooking smells transfixing me. Ultimately, I settled on dabbling in a few of the options to really get a feel for the place starting with the pulled pork sandwich, which was tasty, the sauce boasts a nice tang and complemented the pork to perfection. The sandwiches come a la carte, but there are plenty of side options to choose from including the usual suspects: mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and yes, even fried okra.
DUTCH: I selected the Two Meat Plate and chose ribs and brisket. Two sizeable baby back ribs were served with two slices of brisket. Both were smokey and tender with the ribs dripping in the house-made sauce of which I took the liberty of dipping my brisket in as well. Additionally, the plate comes with two sides and either a fresh baked roll, or a hot, right-out-of-the-oven corn muffin. As a bit of a purist, I went with the corn bread and immediately drenched it in butter and honey. For my sides, I got potato salad and onion rings. I'm sure that no matter what sides I chose, I would have been wowed.
JACKIE: Next, I dove into the Volcano Burger which is a behemoth! A half-pound patty with a bun to match is slathered in hot n' spicy cheese, sautéed onions and JB's spicy BBQ sauce. Though I prefer my volcano burgers to have a more robust eruption (AKA more spice please), this burger is an appetite pleaser and was served up alongside a soda and fries.
DUTCH: The homemade desserts include cinnamon rolls for the breakfast crowd and chocolate cake for the later diners. But the chocolate peanut butter cake is what it's all about. Deep rich chocolate cake alternates layers with rich peanut butter frosting and then topped with more of the same peanut buttery sweet goodness. And best of all, the slices are huge with plenty for two. I'm not ashamed to say that I ate the whole thing myself.
JACKIE: I'll have to save room for dessert next time. House made sweet treats tend to be my favorite part of the experience, but by the end of my visit I was suffering from the meat sweats.
JIM BOB'S CHUCK WAGON, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday-Sunday; 4011 Pacific Ave. SE, 360.491.5090, jimbobschuckwagon.com