Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 14:49 Written by Christina Hoo Fung Monday, 30 January 2012 12:22

Though it's a cool afternoon in Katy, the 'heat is on' at Midway Bar-B-Que. Smoke rises from the rear of the restaurant and the aroma of pecan wood greets you as you make your way towards the entrance of the Highway Boulevard eatery. The lunch rush has just about made its exit, however there's no slowing down for the kitchen since in a couple of hours (by about 5pm) it will be time to take on the afternoon diners making their way for supper after a long day's work.

For sixteen years this family-owned barbecue hotspot has been the 'talk of the town', having formerly been stationed at the Midway Food Market. But for two years now at their new, larger home a mere block away, they plan to make their presence even bigger, with the hope of adding a 3800 square foot banquet hall to their already impressive layout.

Taxidermed "game" courtesy of local taxidermist Michael Baird decorate the walls, along with artwork by Chris Rickert, photos of old military airplanes and  black and white images of Old Katy. This adds to the charm of the restaurant where here, everybody is family. And this is the way owner Herman Meyer likes it. An avid hunter it's no surprise that his customers and friends send him photos from their excursions at home and across the globe, displaying their catch; a collection which includes fish, elk, deer and even leopards. Country music superstar George Strait and former Astros' player Craig Biggio make an appearance on the wall too, and stop by the restaurant every once in awhile to eat as well.

As the name says, they are known for their savoury barbecue, or as manager Jeffrey Nicholson puts it, "the best in the West". But barbecued meats is not the only thing that's on the menu. There's a loaded baked potato piled high with succulent bits of chopped barbecued meat, accompanied by dollops of sour cream and warm, melted cheddar cheese, that's sure to put a smile on your face. They serve beef, sausage, chicken, turkey and pork sandwiches too, along with catfish, chicken fried chicken breast and rib eye chicken fried steak for diners who want to try something different. Our personal recommendation is the sliced brisket - one delicious pound of smoky flavour and meat that seems to melt in your mouth awaits you. The spot also boasts homemade pork and beef sausages, and flavour-filled turkey, venison and beef jerky, some of which are infused with jalapenos.

For those with a sweet tooth, there are desserts too, of which a specialty is the homemade cobbler.

"People from all over the world have come to Midway to eat our Bar-B-Que. We've had people from Alaska, Germany and Ireland who came here just to eat."

When asked, "So, what's the house favourite? What's the best thing on the menu?" Nicholson gives a playful chuckle and says "everything".

We tend to agree.