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The owners of Smokin’ Barrel Barbeque restaurant, which opened four years ago in the bingo hall of the East Indianapolis Sertoma Club, plan to expand operations to Hancock County this fall.
Cassandra “C.J.” McFarland said the second Smokin’ Barrel is expected to open before December on the first floor of the New Palestine Masonic Lodge No. 404, 28 E. Main St.
McFarland, who founded the restaurant with her husband, Mike McFarland, said she’s eager for customers to experience a full visual presentation of Smokin’ Barrel beef and pork items at the new location. Thanks to counter service at the 49-capacity restaurant, McFarland said, customers will place orders at the “chop block.”
“We slice our brisket, but nobody gets to see it because our [Sertoma] kitchen isn’t set up for that access,” McFarland said.
Smokin’ Barrel presently offers lunch and dinner Thursdays through Saturdays at the Sertoma site. In New Palestine, the restaurant will operate Mondays through Saturdays and also be open for breakfast.
McFarland said customers should check the menu for Brisket and Gravy, which is traditional sausage gravy on biscuits—topped by brisket.
About 5 miles on State Road 52 separate Smokin’ Barrel’s Sertoma location and the new restaurant. The space in the Masonic Lodge has been home to tattoo and pizza parlors in recent years.
McFarland, who showed pigs as an adolescent 4-H member in Hendricks County, is the granddaughter of a Hereford hog farmer. Her email signature includes the motto, “Making farmers proud.”
“When we trim our brisket, we think, ‘Where did this come from?’ and ‘Who had their hand in this?’ I feel a lot of people forget that,” she said.
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Cool! Congrats to CJ and Mike! And, Good Luck! Hope you find time to sleep! 😂