And an outside-the-box brunch

Join Sara Hebert and Chris Jay as they go on dates and share their local restaurant choices and activities.

In recent years, barbecue competitions have become incredibly popular throughout the United States. Initially, events like Memphis in May and New Orleans’ “Hogs for the Cause” – two of the best-known barbecue competitions – started out as not much more than a few ragtag barbecue teams coming together to eat and drink while demonstrating their culinary craft.

Today, these events can attract more than 500 teams and thousands of spectators, many of whom will travel great lengths to attend. The Ark-La- Tex Ambassadors BBQ Cook-Off, Shreveport-Bossier City’s most prolific barbecue competition, is held each April in conjunction with Holiday in Dixie. The second annual event was held April 26 in downtown Shreveport’s Festival Plaza.

While the Ark-La-Tex Ambassadors BBQ Cook-Off is still a new event, it definitely seems to be finding an audience with barbecue-lovers. Admission – which was $10 for adults and free for children ages 11 and younger – included three tasting samples of barbecue from teams that opted to compete for the People’s Choice Award, and additional “tastes” could have been purchased. The public was encouraged to taste as many samples as possible and cast their vote for the award. The fun part of these events was comparing notes with fellow festivalgoers and directing one another to the booths with the best-tasting ‘cue.

During the Ark-La-Tex Ambassadors BBQ Cook-Off, I focused on pulled pork. I managed to taste six samples before casting my vote for the Bank-Tec South “Piggy Bank” team, whose pulled pork was succulent, tender and smoky. Their incredible, South Carolina-style vinegar sauce was tart and sweet, setting off the natural flavors of the pork nicely.

While I wandered Festival Plaza in a pork-induced haze, I enjoyed checking out the cleverly decorated booths set up by teams with names like Pork Fiction and Certified Pork Assassins (CPAs). Live music performed by the Blake Brothers Bluegrass Band created a nice atmosphere as festivalgoers took turns riding a mechanical bull, enjoying bounce houses set up for the enjoyment of children, and – of course – eating. More than any other event that comes to mind, the Ark-La-Tex Ambassadors BBQ Cook-Off illustrates how Shreveport-Bossier City benefits from a close proximity to Texas, where grilling meat has been elevated to an art form.

To learn more about the Ark-La-Tex Ambassadors BBQ Cook-Off, visit www.arklatexambassadors.com.

–Chris Jay

I love brunch. I love sleeping in an extra hour on Saturday and Sunday, then asking Chris if we can spend an hour or two soaking up the weekend over plates of steamy deliciousness. This month, we grew tired of the same old Eggs Benedict and mimosas. Sometimes, I just want a hot, steamy bowl of pho, a Vietnamese rice noodle soup served in a savory broth.

At first, I thought my brunch craving was odd (Who eats soup for brunch?), but Chris informed me that pho is typically eaten for breakfast in Vietnam.

Luckily, Pho Bowl at 1605 Benton Road in Bossier City opens at 11 a.m., including Saturdays and Sundays – the perfect time to slurp up some noodles and broth. Pho Bowl allows you to choose from a variety of proteins: beef slices, chicken, meatballs, tendons, tripe, shrimp, (imitation) crabmeat and tofu. My favorite combo is shrimp, crabmeat and tofu with a hefty squirt of Sriracha hot sauce, savory oyster sauce and all of the veggies that come on the side (mung bean sprouts, jalapenos, lime wedge and basil).

I love pho so much that I inevitably