Barbecue Inn

Where: 8102 Maple St. SW, Tillicum, 253.584.0832

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Friday, 2 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. on weekends

Cuisine: Home style barbecue ribs, chicken and pulled barbecue sandwiches, burgers, salads, tacos, steaks, hot wings

Scene: Casual bar and restaurant with pool, darts and all-ages karaoke Wed.-Sat. 9-11 p.m.

Drinkies: Full bar, standard nonalcoholic beverages, sweet tea

Prices: $2.85-$12.99

ANNOUNCER: Family owned and operated, the Barbecue Inn in Tillicum is considered an area landmark - much like the Poodle Dog in Fife. You can see the Barbecue Inn's sign from the freeway. Whether they've just eaten or not, the boys are attacked by hunger pains every time they drive past on Interstate 5 South. It's a place everyone knows about; yet, it sits on the road less traveled, because let's face it, unless you live in Tillicum, on base or nearby, or work in the area, there's no reason you'd take exit 123. Well, maybe for a $6 haircut. Curiosity won. Jake and Jason made a field trip out of discovering karaoke, pool, darts, and home style barbecue go well together.

Much of the menu items are made home style in the kitchen: salad dressings, three hot sauces, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, corn bread, ribs, baked chicken, you name it.

JAKE: It was crickets as we came through the front door. I'm talking not one other soul was there at 7 p.m. on a Friday, which wasn't too terribly surprising since Barbecue Inn has a massive lunch crowd. Our late arrival meant we got to choose where we sat. I have a feeling Barbecue Inn is an order-at-the-bar kind of place, but our blonde waitress was nice enough to come to our table to take our order.

JASON: Man, we hadn't had jalapeño poppers in ages. I had forgotten how good the hot breading, warm cream cheese and spicy pepper are together. Not a low fat, remotely healthy or wife approved appetizer, certainly, but hell, we were in Tillicum. That's as good as going to Elko, Nev. You do stuff there you'd never do at home. Admit it.

JAKE: You're right on both counts. I can just see my wife shaking her head. A short time later, pulled pork sandwich arrived on a grilled sesame seed bun. Tender meat was piled up thick, liberally wet with barbecue sauce and smothered in melted cheddar. Crisp, lightly salted French fries got dunked in ranch and blue cheese. I made an immediate mess.

JASON: That's what your wife said about your honeymoon. Oooooh snap! All three house made barbecue sauces seemed ultra tangy to me but lacked any real heat.

JAKE: Lacked any real heat, huh? That's what your wife said about you. I think your taste buds have been burned off from all of the spicy food you've been eating lately. Hot sauce was hot, not unbearably so as our waitress suggested, but still, it kicked. And since we'd decided anything we ordered would stop our hearts, you said "platter me up, baby." The combination plate held three ribs, a quarter chicken, corn bread, and two sides for $11.95. By the way, hot sauce has completely addled your brain.

JASON: Hefty ribs held good flavor but needed more time to cook slowly, I thought. Chewy meat did not fall off the bone. Chicken skin was delicious, the meat inside a bit dry. Odd. Bits of pork, onion and green pepper mingled with saucy baked beans. Potato salad was dusted with paprika, had onion and celery chopped up in it, and was mounded high. We were told both side dishes were family recipes. Those recipes are worth passing down.

JAKE: I have a "hell yeah" for the corn bread. It's sad how often it sucks at places that call themselves true blue barbecue joints. Moist, buttery corn meal that actually tastes like corn meal and is not a crumbling mess and served warm - those are the things I think make for good bread. Tillicum's out of the way landmark nailed them all. I felt like weeping.

JASON: Sissy. We were told there were no desserts currently, but they may get some pies back in. Keep your fingers crossed. We heard the homemade key lime pie is just like mom makes. And you can call me a sissy for that; I don't care. I bet the military boys would like it, too.