As a student at Centenary College of Louisiana, I had my first taste of what I still believe to be some of the best barbecue sauce on Earth: the thin, peppery, not-too-sweet sauce from Leon’s.
Leon’s smoked turkey sandwiches, which hold a fond place in the heart of many, are a thing of the past. But Leon’s sauce is still available – on the Friday-only lunch menu at 2Johns Steak and Seafood (2151 Airline Drive, Bossier City). A cup of this unforgettable sauce is served alongside the pulled pork barbecue sandwich ($10, pictured above), which comes dressed with a balsamic vinegar slaw and served on a jalapeno cheddar bun. The sandwich itself is one of the best I’ve had in Shreveport-Bossier – that chunky, red cabbage slaw brings to mind the Noble Savage Tavern slaw, and works really, really well atop a pile of pulled pork.
Other appealing lunch options at 2Johns include a prime rib French Dip ($13) and a shrimp po-boy ($12), but I was there for a walk down memory lane courtesy of Leon’s barbecue sauce. It was very much a trip worth taking.
In the spirit of Summer, and inspired by the return of the fantastic Barbecue Bus Blog, I’ll be writing about barbecue in Shreveport-Bossier each Tuesday through the end of July. I’ve got my sites set on places like Country Tavern, Taylor’s on North Market (who barbecue on Fridays) and a few mysterious places that I’ve heard tell of in rural Caddo and Bossier Parishes. Please leave a comment and let me know your favorite local place for barbecue.
