You cannot get closer to the center-point in the Arkansas Delta than Brinkley. It's the halfway stop between Little Rock and West Memphis on Interstate 40 and the midpoint between Jonesboro and Helena-West Helena on US Highway 49. It is the crossroads.
Gene's Barbecue lies at the center of that crossroads, not just by highway miles but by services rendered and goods offered. From the pickles on the counter to the catfish on the table to the celebrated offerings in the back room, you just can't get more Delta than this.
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Gene's may be in a building that was formerly home to LuJon's Restaurant, though it's been a very, very long time since LuJon's was around. |
Gene’s has taken advantage of that mystery, and throughout the restaurant you’ll find images and stories about the bird, long thought extinct from this part of the world. There’s even an Ivory-Billed Burger on the menu - with two patties of beef with bacon and mozzarella cheese.
But there’s a heck of a lot more on the menu, including barbecue and catfish and chicken fried steak, sandwiches and burgers, quail and country ham... and in the mornings, a breakfast that will stick to your ribs. In fact, the steak and eggs served up for breakfast are certainly skillet-licking good.
Gene’s catfish has also become legendary, with its substantial cornbread coating and thick fillets. Nothing but American-grown catfish here. You can get it on a platter or in a sandwich, and it’s always fried up fresh when you order it.
There's also a Southern Foodways Alliance documentary about that dinner.
Gene’s Barbecue is open every day, even Christmas and New Year’s and Easter. You’ll find Gene’s at 1107 Arkansas Highway 17, a couple blocks south of Interstate 40. (870) 734-9965.
Hey Kat! Believe it or not, this made me miss Monroe County... just a little, mind you. ;) It's been a really long time since I had Sweetpea's catfish!
ReplyDeleteHey Kat! Believe it or not, this made me miss Monroe County... just a little, mind you. ;) It's been a really long time since I had Sweetpea's catfish!
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