In case you haven’t heard, Mission Bar-B-Que is open for business at Portland Rescue Mission, and we can promise you, it’s really, really good. This, of course, may lead you to ask something else: How can we promise that, really? Well, we’re glad you asked. Now let us explain.
On June 25th, we had our very first Mission-Bar-B-Que tasting at The Harbor. And for all the people that attended, it was an absolute hit – particularly, with Linda and Russ Watters. Hailing from the southeastern part of the United States, Linda and Russ were ecstatic that after 21 years, they finally found a real, authentically “good southern-type of bar-b-que.” They couldn’t contain themselves from sharing their excitement with us at the tasting.
“I grew up in the south. I know real good southern bar-b-que,” Linda said. “We’ve lived in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama, and after we came out here, we had several people tell us about places that had good, southern food – especially bar-b-que. But we’ve never felt like we found anything truly southern … until this. This is fantastic!”
Her husband Russ was just as complementary, “The quality of the food can’t be beat. It’s the best bar-b-que that I’ve tasted here in the northwest. And we’ve been looking for a place with this level of quality for 21 years!”
Linda explained that in the south, bar-b-que is “serious business.” It’s second only to football. “It’s pretty funny, people would start Bible studies talking about one of two things: football and bar-b-que.”
Like others that came to Mission Bar-B-Que’s first tasting Thursday, Linda and Russ are longtime donors to Portland Rescue Mission. Surrounded by fellow supporters along with those in the business world, they were able to spend lunch hearing from staff about Portland Rescue Mission’s newest venture. From the origins of the business idea, to the extensive training it takes to prepare the food to perfection in the the 19-step process, those in attendance were treated to Mission Bar-B-Que’s story in its entirety, and they were thrilled with the results.
“Mission-Bar-B-Que has great potential for people who want to use it for company parties or other events,” said Tim Lang, owner of Team Lang Promotions. “You’re going to bring food anyways, and now you have a story attached with it.
“You’re helping the community, you’re helping the Mission and, above all, you’re helping improve people’s lives.”
So, if you are planning a lunch or dinner event with your church, business, or even just a big family reunion this summer, consider letting Mission Bar-B-Que cater the food for your event.
Orders need to be at least 72 hours in advance, and the party should be a minimum of 25 people. All the proceeds from Mission Bar-B-Que go directly to helping fund our Hope Ministries, Pathway Ministries and New Life Ministries. Call 855-MSSN-BBQ (855-677-6227) or check out www.pdxmissionbbq.com to find our more about it.
And if you want to try our the award-winning flavor for yourself, the next tasting will be on Thursday, July 23, at The Harbor. However, MAKE SURE TO RSVP as our capacity is very limited.