Catering

It's not too soon to start planning those graduation parties! May will be here before you know it.

Check out the following catering options:

Harkert's BBQ - 402-554-0102. Ribs (half-slabs and full slabs), chicken, brisket, feather bones, sliced pork, smoked turkey. Sides: baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad, corn-on-the-cob, French Fries, spicy Q's, salad. Desserts too. Open seven days a week. Mastercard and Visa accepted. 4865 Center Street, www.harkerts.com.

Famous Dave's - Choose Famous Dave's for your next event! Offering appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, sides, desserts, and beverages. We are your last-minute catering specialists! Go to www.cateromaha.com or call 558-3333 for a customized quote.

Uncle Earnie's Beer, Bait & BBQ - Let Nebraska's State BBQ Champions cater your next party or event! Starting at $8.50 per person for 1 meat, 2 sides, and bread. Hog roasts available. Visit www.uncleearnies.com or call 402-234-2311.

Doc and Eddie's BBQ Will Cater April Meeting

The April GOBS meeting will be held at Digz and will be catered by Doc & Eddie's BBQ.

The meeting is Tuesday, April 9. The meal will be $15 per person and will include smoked sausage appetizers followed by St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork, and smoked turkey. Sides include BBQ beans and potato salad.

Come socialize at 6 p.m.

Dinner will follow after a short 7 p.m. meeting.

This will be the first dinner meeting we've had catered by Doc & Eddies.

For reservations, call 333-GOBS. The meeting is open to members and non-members.

"Best of Omaha" Barbeque

Omaha Magazine (in conjunction with Action 3 News and the City Weekly), has named its "Best of Omaha" for 2008.

Tops in the "Bar-B-Que" category are:

Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que
McKenna's Blues, Booze & BBQ
and Smoke Pit BBQ & Lounge

World-Herald Reviews Hartland BBQ

Omaha World-Herald reviewer Nichole Aksamit has made up a new sound to describe her love of Hartland BBQ: "Ghrrmmmm."

Her review of the restaurant appeared in the Friday, Feb. 29 Living section. She favors the hickory-smoked pork and the brisket.

Hartland Barbeque is located at 5402 Northwest Radial Highway. It is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Phone 397-5765.

Extreme BBQ'n Bull 2008

The inaugural Extreme BBQ'n Bull 2008 contest is June 19-21, 2008 at the Lancaster Event Center (4100 N. 84th Street) in Lincoln. The event offers more than $15,000 in prize money (sponsors include Fort Western and Anderson Ford) and this is a KCBS-sponsored event.

According to event spokesman Rick Hinman, contestants are already lining up to compete. Categories include Beef Brisket, Pork Ribs, Chicken, and Pork Shoulder/Boston Butt. A maximum of 40 teams will be accepted.

The public will be invited to sample BBQ using special coupons which will be sold for $1.00 each. Sample sizes are determined by the team. The event sponsors encourage participation as a way for teams to earn back their entry fees. (Teams will be paid 80 cents per coupon turned in by 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 21.) Coupons must be used for all sampling -- teams found in violation of this policy will be disqualified.

The People's Choice category will be awarded based on samples sold (using a coupon count). The cook-off will be judged by KCBS officials on Saturday, June 21 at Noon.

The Extreme Bullriding Tour will also be a part of this event.

Entry fees begin at $150 per team. For an entry form, or more information, call Rick Hinman at (402) 441-6545 or e-mail rhinman@lancastereventcenter.com.

Editor's Note: The facility's website does not yet have information about the contest up -- I will link to the form when it is available.