Daddy D's Barbecue Opens Second Location and Announces Third

One of the Portland area's best barbecue spots, Daddy D's is on fire: It built its reputation while serving barbecue out of — of all places — a Shell gas station in Vancouver, Washington, and in fall 2017, it opened three locations inside the Moda Center. Now owner Donnie Vercher and his son Isaiah are up and running at 11817 NE 117th Ave., in — you guessed it — another Shell gas station. Isaiah's sister Karolyn Vercher manages the spot, so it's a true family-run business.

The new Daddy D's serves the exact menu as at the original location — only Isaiah rules the smoker. He says his dad taught him everything he knows, right down to peeling the potatoes, and serving a consistent product is what it's all about.

"My dad trained me, and he wouldn't even let me touch the pit for the first three years," Isaiah tells Ravenous Traveler. "I never saw myself doing this growing up. I thought I'd go to the NFL. But I fell in love with it. I view it like football: It's not just what you do, it's how you do it."

Isaiah says Daddy D's make its own "family style" of barbecue, with influence from his father's home state of Louisiana. On the menu are chopped beef brisket, chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork, cole slaw, potato salad, and more.

Isaiah and Karolyn Vercher [Photo: Daddy D's Southern-Style Barbecue]

The new Daddy D's opened at 11817 NE 117th Ave. in the last week of January. Like the original, it smokes its meats in a smoker beside the Shell station. Currently, there's some outdoor seating beneath the Shell station roof, and coming soon are picnic tables and a large tent for additional seats. It's open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., or until the meat sells out (if it's later in the day, you can check availability by calling 360 356 8357).

And Isaiah had some other big news to share: The first full-fledged brick-and-mortar location of Daddy D's is slated to open behind the Oak Tree Casino in Woodland, Washington, right off I-5. Isaiah says his father will finally have the restaurant he's always wanted, and the menu will definitely expand. Daddy D's first brick and mortar aims to open late spring 2018, at 1243 N Goerig St. (formerly Premium Smoked Meats).

Here are some more things to think about:

"I love the physical form of making barbecue," says Isaiah. "It's a craft, and I love the everyday learning. I don't think anyone could ever say, 'I mastered barbecue.' And barbecue also brings people together. I've met some of the coolest people in the world over barbecue, and while I know a lot of good things attract a lot of good people, I gotta say barbecue really brings great people together."

Some things to think about [Photo: Daddy D's Southern-Style Barbecue]




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