Bryan's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q (Lufkin, TX)

From time to time, my job takes me to random places throughout Texas. Once again it was necessary for me to make the long, tedious drive to Lufkin, nestled deep within East Texas. I decided to do some pre-trip research and find a good barbecue joint to try out along the way. Some brief googling led me to Bryan's Smokehouse, which had been recently renovated by critically-acclaimed chef Robert Irvine and his Restaurant: Impossible crew. I couldn't resist!

Apparently the local newspaper did a write-up about Chef Robert's March 2013 visit to Bryan's. You would think that the Bryan's management would want to play this up a little and use it to their advantage, but instead they only saw fit to laminate the article and stick it on the wall with Scotch tape. They didn't seem to be all that appreciative of the time, energy, and money that Chef Robert put into their restaurant.

Sadly, I found myself a little unimpressed with the renovation, although I don't know what it looked like before, so maybe it is an improvement. The walls were fairly bare, but I did enjoy the wagon wheel chandeliers and rustic metal wall art. The framed tools were a nice touch too. I liked the decor in general, but it just didn't seem to fit; it was a little uppity for barbecue. This isn't to say that upscale barbecue joints don't exist and even thrive under the right conditions, but I doubt Lufkin, Texas fits the bill for this. My initial research told me that Bryan's wasn't allowing cameras inside until after their episode of Restaurant: Impossible officially airs on Food Network sometime in May. Luckily, I've never been one for following the rules:

Given the upgrade and local publicity that Bryan's recently received, I was expecting a decent lunch crowd. There was only one occupied table when I arrived, and in the 30 minutes I spent there, only two other customers came in for lunch. This brought the grand total to six. Wasn't the whole point of the renovation to help revitalize this restaurant?

Having watched as many episodes of Restaurant: Impossible as I have, I'm assuming that Chef Robert's intention was for their chalkboard menu to change daily (or at least weekly) and feature specials. I doubt the menu changes at all. Actually, it was a little hard to decipher. I really wanted to sample several of their different smoked offerings, but I didn't see any combos listed on the menu. When I asked the girl behind the counter about the possibility of getting a combo, she quickly said that they had two-meat combos and looked at me like I was stupid for asking.

I ended up ordering a Two Meat Combo of sausage and sliced brisket, with potato salad and baked beans on the side. After ordering, I sat down to wait for them to bring out my lunch. Despite the lack of customers, it took over 10 minutes to get my food. All they had to do was slice the meat and stick it on a plate. I was a little irritated by the wait, but it did give me enough time to see the Orkin man coming in to inspect their pest control problems. They probably should have had him come after business hours.

When my order finally came, I found myself a little disappointed with the plating. Everything was just slung onto a plastic Dixie plate. I've happily eaten delicious barbecue off of butcher paper plenty of times before, but I was certainly expecting something a little fancier given the decor and attempted upscale atmosphere.

Just before I dug in, I was held hostage for 15 minutes by the owner's father (I know because he told me). He was in the process of wandering around and filling up the salt shakers, which should have been done before they even opened their doors today. I got to hear all about the 32 years that he worked at the nearby paper mill. While I don't generally begrudge the stories and sage advice of my elders, I would have preferred eating my meal in peace. I guess he was bored.

Finally, on to the food. The potato salad looked like nothing more than mashed potatoes sitting on the plate, with no visible spices of any kind. I found absolutely no crunch from vegetables, and I'm not even sure there were any. Basically, it tasted like cold mashed potatoes with a little mustard mixed in. According to what I overheard from the owner, Chef Robert left their potato salad unchanged. That was probably a mistake on his part. The beans were chunky, mushy, and tasted no different than a can of Bush's baked beans. There was no pepper or spiciness at all. I don't know if Chef Robert modified their bean recipe, but I suspect not.

My sausage had big visible bits of cracked pepper, which was a good sign. As you can see in the picture, the meats came pre-covered in sauce. Had I known in advance I would have ordered it on the side, but I wasn't given that option. I liked the flavor of the vinegar-based sauce; it was just applied a little too heavily. The sausage was very finely ground, although I won't criticize them just because I happen to prefer a more coarse grind. All of the black pepper gave the sausage a nice kick, and the rest of the seasonings were pretty tasty too.

The brisket came with a beautiful black crust and a pronounced red (not pink) smoke ring. That being said, it was a big let down. I couldn't get a good grasp of the smoke level because the brisket was drowning in their potent, acidic sauce. It was also a little difficult to cut with the accompanying butter knife. Some pieces were ok, but most of the brisket was dry and tough. Even the fatty bites weren't very tender and juicy. The fat wasn't very well rendered either; the fatty slices had a half-inch thick strip of rubbery fat along the edge. Maybe they need a new meat supplier.

Sorry Chef Robert, but this place still needs a lot of improvement. It will be interesting to watch their episode of Restaurant: Impossible to see how my experience measures up to the before-and-after. My guess is that they've backtracked quite a bit since his renovation. Although, the best decor in the world can't make up for bad food and bad service. I hope I never have to go back to Lufkin for work (no offense), but if I do, I definitely won't be returning to Bryan's Smokehouse.

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UPDATE (April 29, 2013): This morning I awoke to find a rather combative comment posted on my review of Bryan's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q. According to the name listed on the comment, it came courtesy of a "Lynn Marie Bryan." It only took about 30 seconds of Googling to uncover that Lynn Marie Bryan is the owner of Bryan's Smokehouse. In order to prevent her comments from being prematurely deleted, I have chosen to re-post them here. These comments are unabridged and unaltered:

"You are sad person and taking those pics was a Big Big Mistake you will no what I mean soon enough lol hope your evil ways pay off for you lol Bryan's smokehouse is a great great place Christian ran ,locally owned, they feed the hungry and help family's who are in need , donate to everyone who's in need , put kids thru church Camps and help the kid that are sick so you being ugly will only hurt you in the end you sad person !!!' Learn to only speak good things for a change be happy not a sad mad jerk"

1. The comments themselves seem to suggest that they are being posted by an uninterested third party, but they were most assuredly posted by the owner herself. Perhaps Ms. Bryan should have chosen a course of action other than posting such things from her own personal account.

2. When I mentioned the "no photos allowed" rule discussed above, this was something that I read in an online news article. There was no mention of such a rule posted on the websites for Bryan's Smokehouse, Food Network, or Restaurant: Impossible. There were no signs indicating such a rule inside or outside the restaurant itself. While taking pictures with my phone, I wasn't exactly sneaking around CIA style or trying to be clandestine in any way. In fact, I made no effort to hide what I was doing. Not once did anyone approach me and ask me to stop.

3. My review was based on my experience at Bryan's Smokehouse and my personal opinion of the food, service, etc. I don't make up lies just for the sake of having negative criticisms to post. To the contrary, I believe in being fair and giving credit where credit is due. In my review above, I mentioned several positive things about Bryan's. For example, aside from my personal preferences regarding barbecue sauce and coarse vs. fine ground meat, I stated, "All of the black pepper gave the sausage a nice kick, and the rest of the seasonings were pretty tasty too." If Ms. Bryan had bothered to read any of my other reviews, she would see several barbecue joints for which I didn't have one negative thing to say. Why? Because their food, service, and my overall experience there was spectacular and beyond reproach. If there had been more positive things about my trip to Bryan's, I certainly would have mentioned them.

4. I find it interesting that in her entire comment, not once did Ms. Bryan even attempt to defend any of the things that I actually critiqued, such as their food. While I certainly applaud the charity and generosity of any person or business, these things have nothing to do with their ability to prepare good, flavorful food or to serve it in a prompt and polite manner.

5. I can certainly understand the frustration that any restaurant owner must feel upon reading negative criticism of his or her establishment. However, if this is the way that Ms. Bryan chooses to address customer complaints (particularly in a public forum), it's not surprising that their business is dwindling.

UPDATE (July 2, 2013): I found more maniacal comments posted by Lynn Marie Bryan on another website, and I thought I should share. As always, these comments are unabridged and unaltered, despite the horrendous grammar and spelling.

"Seem to be some X employees posting some bad reviews which is funny ,X staff means they was fired for a reason mostly theifs , trash , drug users , or just dont have a pot to pee in So consider the sorce."

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Bryan's Smokehouse Bar-B-Q
609 S. Timberland Drive
Lufkin, TX 75901
(936) 632-2255

Ozona Grill & Bar (Dallas, TX)

Ozona is right down the street from my apartment, which makes it perfect for an easy low-key dinner. I've been there many times during law school, but this was my wife's first time.

The interior dining area is about average, but one of the best things about Ozona is their massive outdoor patio. There are multiple sections and big picnic tables that are great for large groups. As you can imagine, Ozona is very popular with the nearby SMU crowd, particularly on weekend nights.

Ozona isn't really a barbecue restaurant, but they do have baby back ribs on the menu, so I thought it was worth a review. I got a full rack (you don't have the option for a half) of baby back ribs. The menu offers the ribs with either a bourbon barbecue sauce or a Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce. I find that the soda-based sauces rarely taste like their namesakes, so I opted for the bourbon sauce. I picked their homemade fries as my side dish. For some reason, my ribs also came with a side salad, but I passed it off to my wife.

The fries definitely tasted homemade, but they were extremely flaccid and limp. There was a good seasoning though, and I appreciated the natural flavors too. If they used a deep fryer rather than an oven, they'd be spectacular.

When my order came out, I was a little confused by the sliced onions and jalapenos scattered on top of the ribs. It just didn't make sense, so I scraped them all off. I did notice a nice lingering spiciness from the jalapenos, but the onions were just useless and odd. There was no discernible bourbon flavor on my ribs. It made me wonder if they had used the wrong sauce, although it didn't taste like Dr. Pepper either, so who knows. The flavor was ok, I'm just not sure what it was supposed to be.

There was no noticeable smoke to these ribs, which means they were probably baked in the oven and finished on the grill. I used my knife on the first rib or two until I realized that my fork was enough. Actually, a dull spoon would have been enough to cut apart the completely overcooked rib meat. The interior meat was decently tender, but the crust (if you can call it that) was pretty dried out. They weren't the worst ribs I've ever had, although I certainly wouldn't call them good either.

My wife said her chicken quesadillas were really good. I'll probably go back to try some quesadillas or maybe a burger, but I won't be ordering their ribs again.

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Ozona Grill & Bar
4615 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 265-9105
http://www.ozonagrill.com/

Sammy's Bar-B-Q (Dallas, TX)

This was one of the first Saturdays I haven't had to work in a while, so I decided to make the most of it. I randomly found Sammy's Bar-B-Q in passing earlier this week, but didn't have time to stop by until now.

Their smokers are enclosed with big black tarps, giving it a feel much akin to a makeshift haunted house. Here you'll find a big outdoor patio in the back, and a small outdoor courtyard in front. The interior has a nice welcoming feel to it despite the humble decor. It seems to be a Hispanic-run establishment (not that it matters), judging by the import beers and Jarritos soda available for purchase.

I wanted to get a good feel for their abilities, so I ordered a 3 Meat Combo Plate: smoked sausage, ribs, and sliced brisket with potato salad and bbq beans on the side.

Although you can hardly judge a barbecue joint by the sides, these were fairly disappointing. Their potato salad is mayo-based, rather than mustard. I found lots of crunch from the veggies, but almost no flavor at all. The bbq beans tasted more like pinto beans and had a distinct "from the can" taste that tends to stem from preservatives. There wasn't really much seasoning and spice either. I don't know how their other sides measure up, but these weren't worthy of more than a one-bite sampling.

I got a fairly decent helping of smoked sausage, but it looked store-bought. It was fairly monochrome and had no visible black pepper or other spices. There wasn't much snap to the casings, and definitely no smoke. In fact, the best way to describe it is to say that it tasted like a hotdog, so I guess I have Oscar Mayer to blame for this one. The barbecue sauce certainly helped, but only as much as it helps to add ketchup to a frozen hamburger patty.

The brisket looked pretty gray and lifeless on the plate, and it tasted about the same. I noticed a slight red smoky hue on the edges, but I couldn't find the smoky flavor anywhere. The fat was present, although not well-rendered by any means. The only thing that kept it from being completely dried out was the razor-thin slicing. All in all, the brisket was extremely bland. I left more than half of it on the plate.

I saved my ribs for last, and they were just as disappointing as the first two meats: bland and almost devoid of flavor. There was certainly no smoke here. The meat fell apart as soon as I picked up my first rib, suggesting that they were completely overcooked. The ribs themselves were small, sad, and pitiful. Of the three ribs that came with my combo, I didn't have a rib bone longer than an inch and a half, so the remaining inch or so of rib meat was held together with cartilage and bone fragments. This was a very cheap cut of meat.

For the life of me, I can't understand why Sammy's has so many stellar reviews, although many of them seem to focus on the sides rather than the meat. I struggled to find one positive thing to say about this place, but honestly the only thing I enjoyed about the meal was my glass of lemonade. I've had barbecue from several places that I would describe as mediocre, but Sammy's was just plain awful. This kind of bland, tasteless "barbecue" is only fit for a nursing home, and even then it might constitute elder abuse. Don't bother with Sammy's.

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Sammy's Bar-B-Q
2126 Leonard St.
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 880-9064
http://www.sammystexasbbq.com/

Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q (Denton, TX)

Today I was in Denton for work, so I decided to make the most of things and sample some great local 'que. I was only a few miles from Rudy's, which has an excellent reputation for serving up delicious smoked meat.

You won't find any frills at Rudy's. There are only long communal folding tables and uncomfortable metal folding chairs, so sit down and make some new friends. On the side of the main dining room, there is a deep handwashing sink (well, really a trough), which I'm guessing is meant for the rib eaters. If you're looking for uppity things like plates, Rudy's isn't for you. Luckily, they do have forks and napkins, so you can maintain some sense of civilization.

The menu is a little confusing at first. Basically your only option is to order meats a la carte by the pound (or fraction thereof). There are sandwiches available, but no combos. I ordered 1/2 lb. of moist, fatty brisket and a half link of regular sausage. The cold sides are pre-packaged in the fridge, so just pick up whatever you want while you make your way through the line. I snagged a small container of potato salad to round out my meal. When I looked at the incredible duo of meats on my tray, I immediately knew that no barbecue sauce (or "sause" as Rudy's calls it) would be needed here.

As much as I wanted to dive into the brisket, I started with potato salad. There were big chunks of large-dice potatoes, but surprisingly not much crunch. Basically just potatoes, though I did find a good mix of mayo and mustard. The main downside was that, having come straight from the fridge, my potato salad was ice cold. I would have preferred it served a little less chilled.

Now, on to the meat. The brisket looked fantastic sitting before me, plate or no plate. There was a hefty black crust and a big red smoke ring. I could also see it glistening with juicy goodness. Initially, I feared that 1/2 lb. would be too much for a lunch portion, but once I started, I quickly and easily devoured it all. The brisket was amazingly tender and crumbled apart in my mouth. It had a nice smoky flavor, coupled with a very tasty blend of spices and seasonings. The beautifully rendered fat only added to the smokiness. I also got some delicious pieces of bark, and even a few burnt ends. Score!

I opted for regular sausage over the jalapeno variety, mostly so I could get a good feel for the flavor. My big half-link was split down the middle, which gave me a great view of the cracked pepper and assorted spices within. The casings had a very nice snap. I didn't find quite as much smoke as I would have liked, but it was certainly noticeable. The sausage was tasty, though it paled in comparison to the brisket.

Most of the employees were wearing t-shirts which read: "I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain...to eat vegetables!" I couldn't agree more. If you are fortunate enough to try Rudy's barbecue, skip the veggies and load up on their delicious meats.

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Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q
520 S. Interstate 35E
Denton, TX 76205
(940) 484-7839
http://www.rudysbbq.com/

Mike Anderson's BBQ (Dallas, TX)

It was a cold and rainy day here in Texas, so naturally I was looking for something hot and tasty to warm me up. Mike Anderson's closes at 2:30, and I made it just in the nick of time with only seven minutes to spare.

This place has a very rustic feel to it that screams old west Texas: hides and horns mounted all over the walls, and cowhide (well, plastic cowhide print) tablecloths. Western motif aside, you'll also find some pretty groovy blues pumping through the speakers inside and out.

All of their BBQ Dinner Plates come with up to three meats and two sides. For my first two, I picked brisket and pork ribs. I also wanted to sample their beer bratwurst, which they had unfortunately run out of by this point. The helpful server behind the counter recommended their jalapeno cheddar sausage instead. This offering wasn't on the menu, but I was more than happy to give it a try. For side #1, I decided on jalapeno pinto beans with rice and brisket. You can also get dessert as one of your sides, so I eagerly asked for Granny's peach cobbler. They were out of cobbler too (both peach and cherry/pineapple), but I was ok with substituting Dee's banana pudding.

The beans were excellent. They had a ton of flavor and plenty of heat to boot, courtesy of the big slices of pickled jalapeno. I found a decent amount of Cajun seasonings, which added to the heat level. The rice didn't add much in terms of taste, but did add a nice texture balance. I didn't notice too much brisket, although I'm sure it was in there somewhere.

Mike Anderson's makes their sausage in house with about a 60/40 moo-to-oink ratio. My sausage was very cheesy, but only moderately spicy. Despite all the cheese and heat, I could still taste a good degree of smoke. There was also a nice snap to the casings, which is always appreciated. The jalapeno cheddar sausage was an excellent second choice.

My brisket was very tender and juicy; I only found one bite out of all my slices that was a tad dry. The brisket had a slight smoke ring, which I expected to be much larger given the abundance of smoky flavor throughout. The crust was well seasoned, as was the rest of the cut. I ended up with a good mix of fatty and lean, although I wish they had given me more bark.

Of the three meats, the ribs had the most smoke. There was a thick red hue on the edges which validated my taste buds. Smokiness aside, the ribs were a little on the dry side. Not so much overcooked, just dry. The crust had a nice sweetness to it, but could benefit from more seasoning. Other reviews I've seen mentioned a fantastic rib rub, which mine seemed to be missing.

I finished off my meal with Dee's banana pudding, and it was a perfect palate cleanser. There was a hint of either cinnamon or nutmeg, although I couldn't pinpoint it exactly. The pudding was a little runny, but not enough to ruin things. My 'nilla wafers, which easily could have been very soggy, still had some crunch left to them too. Good work, Dee.

I'll definitely be going back to Mike Anderson's, and hopefully they'll have some beer bratwurst available the next time around.

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Mike Anderson's BBQ
5410 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 630-0735
http://www.mikeandersonsbbq.com/

Tejano BBQ & More (Dallas, TX)

After attending a painfully long and tedious deposition, I was in serious need of a late lunch, or at least an afternoon snack. I had recently discovered an obscure place called Tejano BBQ & More, which happened to be nearby. Hunger was taking over, so I decided to give it a try.

Tejano BBQ is a complete hole in the wall, and I never would have known this place even existed had it not been for Yelp. It's hidden in a random shopping center, tucked away next to a nail salon and a tattoo parlor. The interior was just as plain as the storefront: bare walls (except for a few pairs of mounted steer horns) and exposed wires. I was their only customer at 2:30, but that's not all that unusual. 1 of the only 2 employees I saw was mopping next to me the whole time I was there. The staff was extremely friendly though, mopping aside.

I didn't want to spoil my dinner, but I also wanted to get a good feel for their barbecue capabilities. I settled on a Two Meat Combo: ribs and barbacoa, with potato salad and bbq beans on the side. Their combos also come with a fountain drink, corn tortillas, and your choice of salsa (I opted for salsa verde).

The potato salad was about average. It had a decent crunch, but the texture could have been better. The only noticeable flavor was mustard, made all the more evident by its extreme yellow color. The beans had a nice flavor, but tasted like they came from a can, at least as a base. There was a nice amount of seasoning and just a little sweetness. I found a moderate amount of spiciness, although less than I was expecting from a place called "Tejano."

As for the meats, I started with the barbacoa. It didn't have much visual appeal on the plate, but I got over the lack of aesthetics once I took my first bite. Once I started eating, it was hard to stop. The texture was akin to a stringy pot roast, which is what you should expect from barbacoa. There wasn't any heat to it, but the salsa verde quickly solved that problem. My only regret was that I didn't inquire as to the animal and/or body part(s) from which my barbacoa was derived. Regardless, it was very tasty.

I moved on to the ribs, and found them to be completely overcooked. The meat pulled right off the bone in one bite, and it was dry and chewy. I couldn't find any smoke flavor or visible smoke ring, so I'm assuming they came out of an oven. I couldn't taste much seasoning or salt either, even in the flimsy crust. The overly-thick barbecue sauce helped a little, but definitely not enough to fix the numerous problems with their ribs. This was a big let down after the delicious barbacoa.

Their business cards add the word "taqueria" to the restaurant name, which is probably more apt than describing it as a barbecue joint. I'd come back to Tejano BBQ for barbacoa, or maybe some breakfast tacos, but that's about it.

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Tejano BBQ & More
17509 Coit Rd.
Suite #2
Dallas, TX 75252
(972) 867-7547
(214) 674-1237 (espanol)

Babb Bros. BBQ & Blues (Dallas, TX)

Over the past few months, I've read lots of mixed reviews about Babb Bros, but public opinion aside, I wanted to try this place for myself. I had a long lunch break today and was already nearby, so I thought I'd give Babb Bros a shot.

When I pulled up, the first thing I noticed was the large gravel parking lot out front, which you don't see too often in the heart of the Dallas metroplex. There was so much smoke pumping out of this place that I could smell it from inside my truck. I eagerly walked inside and found a cafeteria-style counter and a large wall-mounted menu that took a few minutes to peruse.

I wanted to sample as many different meats as possible, so I ordered their Three Meat Combo Plate: meatloaf, jalapeno cheese sausage, and brisket. On the side, I opted for Daisy's cheesy potatoes and the Tobacco onion straws. You also get your choice of cornbread or white bread to go with any order, so naturally I picked the cornbread.

I had to wait for them to fry up my onion straws, so I took a moment to survey the dining room. Although Babb Bros is fairly new, it's not fancy by any means - humble folding tables topped with plastic picnic tablecloths, uncomfortable red folding chairs, and fountain drinks in plastic Solo cups. Outside, I could see a decent size seating area with several picnic tables. There was also a large margarita and beer station on the side of the main indoor dining room, but unfortunately I wasn't done working for the day.

As for decor, there is little more than the typical neon beer signs and a dozen or so wall-mounted guitars to round out their blues motif. But while the atmosphere in Babb Bros is certainly worth mentioning, I came here for the food, not the furnishings.

I started my lunchtime feast with Daisy's cheesy potatoes, which were definitely a bit different from the usual barbecue side dishes. They tasted like an interesting combination of cheesy mashed potatoes and hashbrowns. There was decent seasoning and a visible amount of cracked black pepper. As for the onion straws, they were basically your average shoestring fried onions. I'm not sure where the "tobacco" part comes in. There was a slight spiciness to the onions, but certainly not enough to linger. At least they tasted fresh rather than frozen. My cornbread was a little dense, although it wasn't horribly dry either. It had a decent sweetness to it, but the overall flavor could have been better.

The brisket looked like a big gray mess of chopped meat sitting on the tray. I had asked for moist over lean brisket, which I assumed meat that I was getting fatty brisket from the point. It was decently moist and tender, but that's really the only compliment I can give it. There was a slight red smoke ring on a few of my pieces, which made it all the more disappointing when I my taste buds couldn't locate the smokiness. In fact, I couldn't find much in terms of flavor aside from the meat itself, and even it was fairly bland. I only got a few pieces with bark, so I missed out on any additional seasonings there too.

My sausage had big visible chunks of cheddar and jalapeno laced throughout, and both were very prevalent on my tongue once I bit in. The sausage was definitely spicy, but not overpowering, at least not by my standards. I don't know if there was any smoke here or not, because it was completely masked by the jalapenos. Although I enjoyed the heat, I wish that I had opted for the regular sausage, purely from a food review perspective. The casings also lacked any real snap, which made the sausage seem kind of limp. All in all, it was a mediocre offering.

I've never eaten smoked meatloaf before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. It certainly didn't look all that appetizing sitting before me. When I ordered, I was told that the meatloaf is made with blue cheese crumbles, and you could definitely taste them. In fact, there was so much blue cheese that it's really all I could taste. Certainly no noticeable smoke. The meatloaf was moist to the point that it was falling apart, so perhaps they should swap out some of the cheese crumbles in favor of more egg and/or breadcrumbs for binding.

Of the three meats on my Babb Bros combo, the sausage came in the highest quantity. I'm guessing it was the cheapest to produce, which is funny because it's the only meat I ended up finishing. This was the second time I've ventured across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in search of tasty barbecue, and it was the second time I've been disappointed. Bridge, you're 0-2.

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Babb Bros. BBQ & Blues
330 Bedford Ave.
Dallas, TX 75212
(214) 745-2224
http://www.babbbrothers.com/

Pappas Bar-B-Q (Dallas, TX)

Brothers Pete and Jim Pappas started serving up a variety of delicious food options back in 1967. Jim's sons Harris, Chris, and Greg later joined the family venture, and since then the Pappas brand has been offering everything from steak and seafood to Mexican and Greek. Each branch of the Pappas restaurant empire has its own appeal, but what I love most is their barbecue. I have been to Pappas Bar-B-Q many times before, but this will be my first blog review.

At Pappas, you can dine in, grab your 'que to go, or make a quick pass through the drive-thru. Today I decided to eat there and enjoy the atmosphere. I caught the scent of magnificent pit smoke as soon as I stepped out of my truck. Mmmm.....

Pappas offers great barbecue, and it's a great place to bring out-of-town guests experiencing Texas for the first time. On a prior visit to Pappas, we brought a friend of ours from Ohio to devour their monstrous spare ribs. Modest wooden planks line the walls, which are filled with neon beer signs, old western decor, and even a stuffed jackalope or two. For those of you unfamiliar with the infamous jackalope, click here.

There were a lot of excellent options to choose from, but I settled on their Two Sliced Meat Combo: Czech sausage (heck yeah!) and brisket, with potato salad and macaroni and cheese on the side. I had originally considered getting the yams as one of my side dishes, but the big gooey shells and cheese looked too good to resist.

I ended up with a huge helping of mustard potato salad. It had a fantastic amount of crunch to it from all the veggies. There was also a surprisingly high degree of flavor, with just a slight hint of heat on the back end. Just as I suspected, the mac and cheese was awesome. The jumbo-size shells were perfect for cradling cheesy goodness inside. I'm glad I opted for the mac at the last minute.

Both meat offerings looked amazing, but I decided to start with the sausage. It came in huge slices which still required a fork and knife. The menu touted this as Czech sausage, and it definitely had the cracked black pepper and coarse grind that is reminiscent of Central Texas. This is the kind of sausage I grew up inhaling on a regular basis. No sauce was needed here, and I didn't even try adding it for fear of ruining perfection.

While I watched my combo plate being prepared, I noticed them slicing the brisket from the point, which usually means it will be nice and fatty. My brisket had a nice amount of bark to it, and was tender and juicy throughout. It had excellent flavor inside and out which went far beyond the typical salt and pepper. There was a very pronounced red smoke ring penetrating deep below the crust. I found a nice amount of smoke in each bite, made all the more prevalent by the well-rendered fat content.

Most barbecue joints tend to have their best stuff available for lunch around 11:00 or 12:00. I was initially worried that coming to Pappas during the dinner hour would affect the quality of the 'que. Not at all. Pappas Bar-B-Q proved that they can deliver incredible smoked meats any time day or night. Next time I'm there, I'll be trying their Sweet Caroline pulled pork sandwich.

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Pappas Bar-B-Q
2231 W. Northwest Hwy.
Dallas, TX 75220
(214) 956-9038
http://pappasbbq.com/home/

Recipe: Ribs with Cleveland BBQ Sauce

**Cleveland BBQ Sauce**

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 (3-ounce) can chipotles in adobo sauce
1 cup stadium-style mustard

Directions

1. In a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan set over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil, onion, garlic, and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the coriander and cumin and cook for 1 minute.

2. Add the brown sugar and cook for about 2 minutes, until it melts. Add the vinegars, increase the heat to medium-high, and boil for about 10 minutes, until reduced by one-quarter. Remove from the heat.

3. Puree the chipotle and adobo sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir the chipotle puree and mustard into the barbecue sauce. Let cool. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

**Ribs**

Ingredients

4 slabs St. Louis-style ribs
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 cup Cleveland BBQ Sauce (or your favorite barbecue sauce), plus more if needed

Directions

1. Brush both sides of the ribs with the vinegar. Thoroughly combine the salt, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, and chipotle powder and liberally rub the mixture onto all sides of the ribs. Cover the ribs and put in the fridge overnight to marinate.

2. Prepare and set a smoker to 225F, using apple-wood chips.

3. Put the ribs in the smoker and cook for about 4 hours, or until tender.

4. Baste the ribs with the barbecue sauce and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the ribs get good and glazed.

5. To serve, cut the slabs into double or triple ribs.

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Courtesy Michael Symon
"Michael Symon's Carnivore" by Michael Symon with Douglas Trattner
Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York
Copyright 2012 by Michael Symon

Article: Busting Barbecue Myths with Daniel Vaughan

CNN 5@5 - Busting Barbecue Myths
Eatocracy
April 1, 2013
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2013/04/01/55-busting-barbecue-myths/?on.cnn=1

This is a great article about Dallas local Daniel Vaughan (aka BBQ Snob) of Full Custom Gospel BBQ fame. In the article, Mr. Vaughan debunks 5 myths about barbecue with an adept knowledge of smoked meat:

1. Barbecue sauce is mandatory
2. Grilling = BBQ
3. Fat is evil
4. Texans only know beef
5. "Falling off the bone" is a positive achievement

Check out the link above for the full article. Like Mr. Vaughan, I believe that sauce can be a pleasant addition to already tasty meat, but that properly cooked barbecue truly needs no sauce to be flavorful and delicious. I also couldn't agree more about meat that is proclaimed to be "fall-off-the-bone tender" being nothing more than overcooked mush.

On another note, I want to offer my most sincere congratulations to Mr. Vaughan on being named Texas Monthly's new barbecue editor. He is living the dream, and I am extremely jealous.

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Full Custom Gospel BBQ
http://www.fullcustomgospelbbq.com/