Cheap Eats: BBQ Brothers Cafe

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. (KMTV) — They both served our country: Duane Foster in the United States Army and Alonzo Lamb III in the U.S. Air Force.

The duo met at the V.A. creating meals for veterans.

Now, they’re whipping up creative concoctions for us civilians.

3 News Now Anchor Serese Cole takes us to their delicious barbecue business in Cheap Eats.

Their kitchen is about one thing — good barbecue.

“We serve a good ole southern-style dry rub,” Foster smiled.

Foster and Lamb are both known for their barbecue.

“This is your pride and joy?” asked Serese.

“This is my pride and joy,” said Foster.

Foster’s brisket is a 16-hour process.

Fusion is more Lamb’s lane.

“I like to take barbecue and mix it with Asian-style flavors, Indian-style, Moroccan,” Lamb said.

He also makes award-winning ribs. This summer, his ribs took first place in the Aksarben Rib Stock competition.

“And you don’t need sauce, is that what you’re saying?” asked Serese.

“No sauce needed whatsoever!”

The duo met making meals for other veterans.

“They just loved it, you know. They got tired of that regular hospital food,” Lamb shared.

They instantly made a great team, except for one little thing.

“I used to always bring food up to the V.A. and let people sample ribs, pulled pork and brisket, and he would never eat it,” Foster explained.

“You wouldn’t eat his food?” asked Serese.

“Not one bite,” Lamb said.

Lamb finally caved and got a taste of Foster’s pulled pork.

“And it was the best damn pulled pork I ever had,” he laughed. “I looked back at him and I said, ‘my bad, man.'”

Soon after, these two veteran brothers became BBQ Brothers.

Their barbecue business specializes in foods you already enjoy with their own unique twist, like Foster’s Cajun Cole Slaw, and Lamb’s Smoked, Fried Wings.

“I took this technique from being over in Okinawa. Some veterans taste it and are like ‘hey, this reminds me of such and such,'” he shared.

Foster says the number one seller is their Loaded Mac & Cheese Bowl.

The cheese sauce is his secret sauce.

“There are about three or four seasoning blends that I mix together, ” Foster explained.

He adds his homemade barbecue sauce and pulled pork (or brisket) on top of the mac along with that Cajun Cole Slaw, their house-fried onions and then more sauce.

The barbecue brisket and pulled pork sandwiches are also a hit with customers.

To these veterans — we say thank you.

First for their service.

“We talk about the military a lot — things that we have seen that nobody else has probably ever seen or experienced,” the two recalled.

And another thank you for their phenomenal food.

“What makes your food so good?” asked Serese.

“The love we put in it,” they replied.

BBQ Brothers caters, they have a food truck, and they do several pop-up events around town.

Starting next month, you can order lunch or dinner for delivery or pick up at their home base — the Hoff Center in Council Bluffs — at 1001 South 6th street.

BBQ Brothers is open Thursday – Saturday. For more information, visit their website.

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