Whole Hog Cafe has six different sauces, but you won't need much sauce to dress the meat.
The trophies gleam from its windows, at Sunshine and Campbell, and don’t end when you get inside. Thick, rhythm-driven blues set the mood as the door swings open greeting you with banners which mostly read “first place”. There isn’t a spot in the house where an accolade isn’t being acknowledged and it continues to the flavor.
Whole Hog Cafe has enjoyed success on the barbecue circuit (
go here to view awards – the list is sizable) and is not ashamed to flaunt its hardware. Springfield is the furthest north location with restaurants across the south – from
Santa Fe to
New Orleans, and is based out of Little Rock.
This barbecue is all about the smoke, each tender bite has a light dry rub – no seasonings are too overpowering – and then spends no less than 15 hours bathing in pecan wood. There are six sauces centered on each table – all with a distinct flavor.
The menu offers the basic barbecue rundown (beef brisket, pulled chicken, pork loin) but also reaches a bit in the realm of appetizers. The Barbecue Nachos grab my attention, but seem risky for the lunch hour. The $5.99 feature – a pulled pork sandwich with a pile of seasoned fried potatoes – got the nod.
Pulled pork sandwich with a pile of Cole Slaw - what was on the plate was delicious, but another side would have sent the six-dollar special over the top.
throws a southern twist on their barbecue sandwiches adding a layer of
Cole Slaw under the top bun. I can’t lie, I was a little skeptical at first, but thought I would trust the guys with the awards. It’s a great little change, the flavors and crispness of the slaw complimented the tender pork insatiably. The side of fried potatoes, while very tasty, was pretty minimal and I needed to snack not long after lunch. Next time, a side of baked beans or a salad will for sure join my plate (though a $1.49 side would push a $6.40 lunch close to the $10 mark, throw in a drink and you’re there).
The sauce rundown:
Number 1 – Sweet, mild, molasses
Number 2 – Traditional tomato and vinegar, slightly tangy
Number 3 – Number 2′s twin brother, tomato and vinegar with a little bit of kick (my favorite)
Number 4 – Traditional southern, vinegar and spice
Number 5 – Sweet, heavy, molasses
Number 6 – Rich mustard and vinegar (“an old south favorite” the bottle says)
Whole Hog Cafe
224 W Sunshine
(417) 868-0042
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