Kream Kastle, Blytheville, Arkansas

Here is another lesson why you should not limit yourself to famous barbecue places.  Get out and find you own.  I had a miserable meal at top-rated Central BBQ, and then a great sandwich at a place you’ve never heard of.  And now another excellent sandwich.  Let’s retrace out steps.

I really enjoyed my visits with my Blytheville cousins, and I especially liked the pork sandwich at the Dixie Pig in Blytheville.  Everyone — Ann and Wally, Susie and John — told me that, since I have a barbecue blog, I also should try the pork sandwich at the Kream Kastle.  It was the least I could do for family.  I’d had a pretty light lunch in anticipation — any barbecue lunch with no hushpuppies or corn sticks is a light lunch in my book — and I was ready to give the Kream Kastle a try.  That meant an extension of the Great Memphis Region Barbecue Sandwich Tour,  but I’m not one to keep the noiseless tenor of my way when it comes to barbecue.

The Kream Kastle wasn’t hard to find.  It was right across the street from the Katfish Kastle which, you will not be surprised to learn, is owned by the same folks.  The Kream Kastle is a drive-in.  You pull up and review the menu, which is remarkably extensive considering the size of the building, and, I guess, speak into the menu.

Or like me — I never really believe that you can’t go and eat inside a drive-in — you barge into an absurdly crowded kitchen to place your order.  Either way,  they bring the food to your car.  If you order more than a single sandwich — a drink, some fries — they may set up a tray on your window.  My order was a regular pig sandwich.  It came sans tray and, I ate in my car.  Take a look.

The sandwich was very good, very flavorful, and very similar to the Dixie Pig sandwich: pork, raw cabbage, vinegar pepper sauce.  The Kream Kastle sandwich had, I think, a bit more meat, while the Dixie Pig sandwich had a smokier flavor.   The Kream Kastle has less raw cabbage and it was chopped more finely, so the texture contrast was much less pronounced.   The Kream Kastle sauce was more peppery than that at the Dixie Pig.

Which is better?  Who cares.  Both are very good and, as I proved, you can eat one of each.  And that’s not a bad idea.  They are both outstanding barbecue sandwiches, among the best.

If you ever get to Blytheville, take the Blytheville Barbecue Taste Test.  Get one of each, and let me know which you prefer.   You’ll find that it was worth the detour.

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