Restaurant Review: Louie's Bucket of Bones, Ironton, MN

The Husband recently brought home the latest issue of Minnesota Monthly with the Top 10 BBQ places splashed across it's cover. We thought they were going to focus mostly on the restaurants in the Twin Cities, but much to our surprise, it was mostly out-state restaurants. Also, much to our dismay, our favorite BBQ joint, Market BBQ, didn't even get a notable mention. Alas! Alas!

As we were happily googling the location of said top 10, one in our neck of the woods appeared. Louie's Bucket of Bones. It just so happened that we would be driving by Ironton over the Forth of July Weekend. About lunch time.

This restaurant, according to the article in MN Monthly, established in 2002. Not a large establishment by any stretch of the imagination (I think the building used to be a gas station in days gone by) it holds about four tables inside and four outside during nice weather.

Louie's has a small menu featuring pork, chicken, beef, jo-jo's, and homemade Texas toast. The Husband and I split a plate of St. Louis Ribs and fried chicken, with jo-jo's and the toast. The ribs were outstanding - succulent, tender and just enough sauce to make them sing. The husband prefers to add his own sauce, but I think even he agreed they were still pretty darn good. The Texas toast was outstanding - thick, soft and delicious. Perfect to mop up the bits of rib sauce. The fried chicken - eh. It was dry and slightly overcooked.

Our only complaint was with the owner's obsession with telling people how to eat their food. Upon arriving, we received a tutorial on her spice rub and a complete walk through of her menu. Umm, every indie restaurant has their own special spice rub, I don't need to sniff a tub of it and I'm perfectly capable of reading the menu and picking out my ribs. That in and of itself would have been fine, but after we were served (well after we were served), she came bustling over and assaulted our jo-jo's for Jo-Jo 101. Which was basically: cut the large wedge french fry down the middle, slather it with sour cream then pour her special sauce over that. Neither the Husband or I particularly cared for the 'special sauce' and I like it even less to have my food handled by someone else after it's been sitting in front of me.

Still, the ribs were indeed outstanding. We'd go back just for ribs and the Texas toast (and the jo-jo's if we're left alone).