SHERBURNE – A new restaurant recently opened and is receiving a steady stream of business, and the trend is likely to continue. Lost Bikers BBQ opened in Sherburne this April after owner Stephen Carpenter decided to start a restaurant where he could offer his popular, smokey barbecue and fresh sides.
“It's the little things,” he said when describing how much attention goes into the quality and freshness of the food he prepares. “They've got to be the best. We want people to remember every piece of it.”
Quality, freshness and affordability are Carpenter's main focus. He explained that all the meats and sides are prepared fresh daily. The freezer is rarely used, because fresh meat and ingredients come in regularly. Carpenter also sources from as many local vendors and farmers as possible.
“We keep it fresh, so there is less overhead,” he said. “Anybody in this town should be able to walk in and get something to eat.”
He has kept to this statement as most items on the menu are around $5 or $6.
Carpenter applies a dry rub to all of his meats and lets them rest for 24 hours before cooking. Pork butts are smoked for 16 hours and steak for four hours before it is finished in the oven. For the smoker he uses wood chips made from old Jack Daniels' whiskey barrels. The chips smell of Jack and, when used in the smoker, add a rich flavor to the meat.
Lost Bikers BBQ offers three different barbecue sauces to cater to the varying taste of customers. All are homemade and range from Tennessee inspired barbecue sauce, Western Carolina and a barbecue sauce made with New York State maple syrup (sourced from Jewett's Cheese House in Earlville).
Offerings include appetizers like crab cakes, onion rings and rib dippers. Sandwiches range from pulled pork, steak and burgers to slow smoked ribs and chicken spiedies. There also sides like roasted corn with garlic herb butter; seafood pasta salad; baked beans with bacon; and cole slaw.
An order of a barbecue pulled pork sandwich resulted in sweet, smokey pork on a toasted roll and a side of coleslaw – everything was freshly prepared.
“We get nothing but good compliments with the food,” he said. “We pride ourselves in using as much local as we can.”
The honesty and freshness of his food even translated into his kitchen design.
