936 MS-15, Ackerman
6 62. 2 85. 8 074
Open Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.FOOD & ENTERTAINING
Back Road Bistros
potatoes (they are huge). If you have
a sweet tooth, the changing list of
homemade desserts will be the cher-
ry on top to your visit.
Sonny’s is a one-of-a-kind place,
friendly, with huge portions, and rea-
sonable prices. There is nothing fancy
here, so come to eat, not to look, but
it does have its special charm. Sonny
Strickland may be a laid-back pit-
master, but master he is.Sonny’s Smokehouse may be the
quintessential small-town barbecue
joint. Don’t even think about getting
here by GPS; it won’t work. Don’t look
for a flashy sign; there isn’t one, not
even a hand-painted sign. The chanc-
es are that you’ll have to stop and ask
someone where it is. That’s what I had
to do, and that’s precisely the way that
owner Sonny Strickland wants it.
I think it is obvious that Sonny’s
is all about barbecue, but with a side
attitude.
Sonny makes everything by hand,
from scratch. He uses hickory for
smoking, and it is locally harvested
and split in his backyard. Many bar-
becue joints use an expensive gas-
fired smoker with digital controls,
but Sonny has an old-school smoker,
and the only thing that burns in it is
h ickor y.writer & photographer JULIAN BRUNTLET US KNOW about your favorite Back Road Bistro! Email your favorites to [email protected].You don’t have to hang out here
long to see the steady stream of people
lining up for delicious barbecue. Most
are locals, but a few out-of-towners,
like me, show up as well. This place
has a serious reputation and has been
growing since it opened 17 years ago.
Ask Sonny what his best-sellers
are, and he will start with the steaks.
Yup, you heard right. I was a bit dubi-
ous, but I have to admit, the certified
black angus steak I sampled was one
of the best I have ever had. Cooked
medium-well, I was amazed that this
steak was both juicy and perfectly
crisp, as this is a challenging feat to
achieve. This was steak perfection.
So, what else is good? Pulled pork,
ribs, and briskets are the classics,
and Sonny excels at all. There is a
long list of sandwiches, plates, sides,
steaks, shrimp, and amazing stuffed92 JULY | AUGUST 2019
sonny’s
smokehouse
M