In our Lunching in Little Rock blog series, Michael Kirkpatrick will explore and review the city’s best restaurants – all in time to get back to the office. This week, Michael ate lunch at Jo-Jo’s Barbecue.

Advertising is a great field of work for someone who likes variety, learning different businesses and traveling to different places. We have clients scattered across the country and I love eating where they eat. There is something extra special about visiting a good client right here in Central Arkansas and trying a place I have never been. The guys at Capitol Equipment in Sherwood took me to their favorite lunchtime hangout, Jo-Jo’s Barbecue.

Located at 117 Country Club Road in Sherwood, Jo-Jo’s was just the place for three hungry guys to go have a good home-cooked-style meal and swap hunting stories, with maybe a little business mixed in. The seating is simple with the small menu and paper towels already on the table. They wanted to go to Jo-Jo’s today because the restaurant had the pork chop special. As we sat down, the waitress took our drink order and told us more about the amazing thick cut chops, which came with two sides and a roll. My mouth was watering already – I didn’t even have to look at the menu. She made my day when she asked if I would like brown or white gravy with my potatoes. I have a rule that white gravy is for breakfast and brown gravy is for lunch and dinner. I ordered brown gravy. Technically, the whole table ordered brown gravy, as all three of us ordered the exact same thing. Good taste.

The combination of good conversation and quick service made the wait seem unbelievably short. Before I knew it, we were all being served our platters of two thick cut juicy fried pork chops, fresh cut green beans and smooth buttery mashed potatoes with brown gravy. A large piece of buttered Texas toast accompanied the meal. These were some juicy chops and they were so big I could only finish one.

If you love a good fried pork chop, visit the guys at Jo-Jo’s Barbecue on a Tuesday. Don’t even look at the menu and don’t forget the brown gravy.