Chow Town Live: How Joe’s Kansas City makes its famous Z-Man sandwich and fries

For the second installment of Chow Town Live, our new Facebook Live food show, we went to Joe’s Kansas City’s original location in Kansas City, Kan., to sample the barbecue joint’s world-famous Z-Man sandwich and fries.

Joe’s Kansas City faces BRGR Kitchen + Bar in the final round of our March Madness-style french fry tournament. Which is your favorite? Click here to cast your vote by 9 a.m. Monday, March 27. We’ll announce the ultimate winner on Wednesday, March 29.

On Wednesday, Joe’s longtime general manager, Jerry Taylor, showed us how he makes a Z-Man sandwich by layering smoked brisket with melty provolone cheese, crispy onion rings and barbecue sauce on a toasted kaiser roll. Taylor also divulged secrets about Joe’s addictive fry seasoning and showed off the barbecue joint’s Friday Lent special, a soft-shell crab po’ boy complete with claws. He also gave us a taste of Joe’s first dessert, apple crisp, which recently made its menu debut.

Taylor also shared some of his favorite celebrity sightings. Did you know Al Roker, Jeff Gordon and Laurence Fishburne have all dined at Joe’s?

Tune in to The Star’s Facebook page at 3 p.m. Wednesday, when we’ll be live at another local restaurant. We haven’t nailed down the location just yet, but there’s a good chance we’ll be in the mood for more barbecue.