Pleasant’s BBQ, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

I need to get back down to Mississippi more often. Back in my working days, I probably drove on every paved road in the Delta and half of the rest of the state. Recently I’ve lived vicariously through our Senior Mississippi and Idaho Correspondent, Doug Herbert, a son of Mendenhall, Mississippi, home of the legendary Revolving Tables Restaurant.

You’ll recall Doug from his report on Grandpa’s Southern Bar-B-Q in Idaho Falls. He now offers a report from the Ocean Springs, where he and Toni Gelston visited lots of family and watched Mississippi State play baseball at the home of the Biloxi Shuckers. (A good name, but not as good a name as the Rocket City Trash Pandas, but much better than Commanders).

As always when we travel we are on the alert for good barbecue places. We had been in Ocean Springs once before back in 2010 (for my late mother’s 80th birthday) and had eaten at the famous barbecue place, The Shed, which is on a lot of food critics’ national “best of” lists. The Shed was good, but I don’t think it’s the best barbecue in Ocean Springs.

Yesterday, we ate at Pleasant’s BBQ on Government Street, the main drag in Ocean Springs. Pleasant’s has been in business at this location since 1984, according to the current owner, Michael Pleasant.

(The internet says it was founded in 1982 by John Pleasant, who I assume was Michael’s father or relative; the sign out front says it was founded in 1964).

Michael, a very (very) friendly man, said that the smoker is handmade and that they cook exclusively with pecan wood (and lamented the difficulties that Covid has caused for hiring reliable help).

I got the two-meat plate and asked Michael to recommend his two best meats. He recommended the ribs andthe chicken (and also the brisket), but I’m biased against chicken in barbecue places, so I got the ribs and the chopped pork.

[Ed.: Note that butter is melting on the toast, a good sign that it was made to order and arrived hot. Too often, bread is toasted in advance and arrives cold.]

They also have daily specials (non-barbecue). Toni got the smothered pork chop special, over white rice and gravy, which she really enjoyed.

The ribs at Pleasant’s are first rate, redolent with pecan smoke and lightly sauced. They are truly delicious. The collards are also perfect, just slightly crunchy — a welcome change from so many hipster barbecue places that haven’t really figured out collards, but serve them anyway because they’re “authentic.”

The chopped pork was a worthy example of traditional Mississippi barbecue, very heavily sauced. However, it’s not my favorite type of barbecue, because the heavy sauce makes it hard to assess the quality of the underlying meat. But I can’t be too critical of a whole style of barbecue, and this was a good example of the style.

I’m really surprised that a locally owned, long time (35-plus years) barbecue place, with excellent food, hasn’t attracted more critics’ attention.

An added bonus is that if your tires are getting a little tread-worn, Pleasant’s Used Tire Service is right next door.

I’d like to give Pleasant’s a try. I share Doug’s antipathy toward over-sauced barbecue, but the ribs look awful good and I am way, way overdue for a smothered pork chop. I also would like to fill in a gap in Doug’s report: the pies. I see from their menu that Pleasant’s offers three pies– sweet potato, pecan, or coconut — for a mere $2.00 each, and $6.00 for dessert is a bargain.

Give Pleasant’s a try, and let me know what you think. Especially about the pies.

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