BY CAROLE ROSNER

The first thing you notice when you walk into The Kansas City BBQ Company is the aroma—it’s smoky, woody, robust and mouthwatering. The scent of hickory lingers on your hands and clothes after you leave the place, but it’s worth it. It’s a great memory of this terrific little BBQ place in North Hollywood.

Top: Chicken; center: Ribs; bottom: Burnt end Sandwich. Photos: Carole Rosner

Brother and sister Nabeel and Shireen Kort opened The Kansas City BBQ Company in North Hollywood in 2006 because Nabeel couldn’t find “authentic BBQ food” in L.A. as good as he got in Kansas City, Missouri.

Hickory is brought in from Oklahoma.

The Korts know it’s the wood and the smoke that makes the food so delicious. Hickory is brought in from Oklahoma and the meat is slowly smoked for hours to get that depth of flavor. In fact, the brisket smokes for over 20 hours.

The menu is simple here and it is a meat lover’s delight—chicken, pork, beef brisket, baby back and beef ribs, pork hot links and “burnt ends” (a combo of brisket and pork that’s shredded, sauced and smoked again). Hearty sandwiches come with home style fries or for $1 more, perfectly cooked sweet potato fries.

Co-owner Shireen Kort at the bar.

Dinners (which are available for lunch too) come with a choice of two sides (like potato salad, baked beans or cole slaw), white bread and lots and lots of napkins. If you’re still hungry, the homemade desserts include deep fried Pop Tarts a la mode, sweet potato pie and peach cobbler.

“I’ve never been here before and it’s amazing!” customer Adam Brogan exclaimed. “It’s nice and smoky. The sweet potato fries are great too.”

Combo plate: Links, ribs and brisket.

Beer and wine are available at the restaurant and the adjoining sports bar. The bar serves 17 beers on tap and over 35 different types of bottled beer including Delrium Tremens (a Belgian strong pale ale voted “the world’s best beer”), 22 ounce bottles of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Oregon and Old Speckled Hen English Red Ale from the United Kingdom.

Slow cooking ribs on the smoker.

The Kansas City BBQ Company caters too. This place serves finger-licking, messy meals that tastes even better the next day.  It’s a real deal BBQ, so that’s your thing, it’s worth the drive.

Sandwiches : $7.99 -$9.50. Dinners: 1/2 chicken is $11.99, 1/2 rack ribs $15.99, Combo plate (choice of 3) is $17.99 including 2 sides and bread.

The Kansas City BBQ Company 10863 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91604 Ph: 818.754.0030 www.thekansascitybbqcompany.com Open: Monday-Sunday: 11am -11pm. Free parking in lot.

Carole Rosner is a native Valley Girl who took the school bus with Michael and Janet Jackson and worked at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in its heyday. She likes to spend her free time finding bargains at Crossroads Trading Company, eating Chinese chicken salad at Stanley’s and admiring the view from Fryman Canyon. Check out her new blog: www.anythinggoodlately.blogspot.com – reading, watching and eating.

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