A Generous Barbecue and Catfish Stop in Pauls Valley

A plate can go in several satisfying directions here: sliced brisket with ribs, catfish with hush puppies and fried okra, or a barbecue-and-fish combination that saves you from having to choose. Just off Interstate 35 in Pauls Valley, the restaurant has the useful, unfussy appeal of a road-trip stop where a serious appetite is expected.

The room has a casual small-town diner character, with booths, counter seating and large TVs visible around the dining area. It works just as well for a quick midday plate as for a family meal that stretches a little longer over pie and coffee.

Barbecue anchors the menu, with brisket, ribs, pulled pork, ham and chicken among the smoked selections. The Pony beef brisket comes sliced, and brisket and ribs are natural partners on a two-meat dinner.

Those combination plates are useful for a table with different cravings. Barbecue sandwiches are available, along with fish-and-rib meals and barbecue-and-fish plates, so the menu does not make diners commit to one cooking style for the whole visit.

A two-meat order might bring sliced brisket and ribs beside macaroni and cheese and fries. Other plate combinations can include pulled pork or chopped brisket, hand-cut fries, fried okra and Texas toast.

The house barbecue sauces are there to complement the meat rather than bury it. Ribs have been noted for being especially tender, the sort that need very little work once they reach the plate.

Fried catfish is not an afterthought on this menu. The fillets are known for being substantial, white-meat and flaky, usually arriving with the traditional supporting cast of hush puppies, fried okra and other sides.

Hush puppies show up often with the fish, and they deserve a little attention of their own. Along with crisp fried okra, they turn a catfish dinner into the familiar, deeply comforting kind of Oklahoma meal that is hard to rush through.

The fryer also handles fried chicken, chicken-fried chicken, fried mushrooms and fried okra. A fried chicken sandwich is another regular favorite, while Rex chicken gives the menu one more option beyond barbecue and fish.

Before settling into the main plate, diners can make a stop at the self-serve pickle and relish bar. Dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, peppers and onions give the meal a bright, vinegary counterpoint to smoked meat, fried food and creamy sides.

It is more than a single pickle spear laid beside the plate. You can assemble a little assortment to suit the meal in front of you: a sweet pickle with brisket, peppers with pulled pork, onions alongside catfish. The setup for additional servings can vary, so it is worth checking at the counter if you want another plate.

The sides run through the comfort-food essentials: macaroni and cheese, slaw, beans, baked potatoes, sweet potato fries, hand-cut fries, hush puppies and fried chips. It is the sort of spread that can make choosing the side nearly as difficult as choosing the entrée.

The hand-cut fries have a notably thin, crisp style. A baked potato can be ordered with its skin browned and salted, a small detail that gives a simple side more character.

A stuffed baked potato is also among the recurring favorites. For diners who want barbecue in a different form than a standard platter, it offers a substantial alternative without leaving the comfort-food lane.

Dessert does not sound like a ceremonial final course here; it sounds like a practical decision to make after a large meal. Cakes, pies and cobblers are available, including layered chocolate cake and carrot cake.

The desserts have a homemade-style appeal and can be packaged to take along. That is handy when the plate itself has already produced leftovers, but a slice of chocolate cake still seems like a good idea.

The restaurant's location just off I-35 makes it easy to fold into a drive through Oklahoma. There is a free parking lot with ample room, and the dining room accommodates solo diners, families and larger groups.

Lunch and early evening can bring a busy, conversational room, though the service moves quickly and staff can help sort through the broad menu. Diners generally settle up at the register near the exit rather than at the table.

Portions are generous enough that leftovers are common, while regular, senior and child portions offer a little flexibility for different appetites. The overall pleasure is simple: pick a smoked meat or a catfish plate, build a few bites at the relish bar, and leave with a takeout box if the meal gets ahead of you.