Central TX BBQ report: Llano and Lockhart - Pictures

Pigmon and I had a blast on our BBQ trip to Central Texas. Here is part one of our report:

Llano

Cooper's
604 W. Young (Hwy 71 West)
915-247-5257


What we ate: Brisket
Beef Rib
Pork Rib
Sausage
Jalapeno Sausage

Potato Salad
Peach Cobbler

What came with it: Bread
Pickled Jalapeno
Beans
Sauce

It seemed we arrived a little late for lunch, as it was kind of a haul from Austin. We sat down to eat at about 1:30 on Thursday. The meats, at that point were a little on the well done side, and so the sirloin was out of the question. Also, they were out of prime rib. In any case, the overwhelming characteristic that (literally) ran through all of the meats was the mild mesquite smoke. Now, we typically like to eat BBQ made with a sweeter wood like Hickory, but we figured this is Mesquite country, and when in Rome...

The brisket, although shrouded in a layer of fat, had almost no smoke ring and was rather dry. The beef rib was better. Moist, with a salty, crusty bark, the rib meat went particularly well with the liquid-meaty-vinegar sauce. The pork spare ribs were not even worth talking about because they had been sitting on the heat too long, rendering them into jerky. (Note: when we ordered, then gentleman tried to steer us a way from the pork ribs, but we foolishly insisted.) Naked beans, bread and pickled jalapenos come with every meal. Excellent German-style potato salad and other sides are extra. I also opted for the peach cobbler which despite the canned peaches, was made tasty by the crisp homemade crust.

The standouts for us that day were the sausages, especially the Jalapeno sausage. The character of the meat was similar to kielbasa (smooth forcemeat) with a crisp casing. We would come to learn over the next week that there are generally two styles of sausage in these parts, the kielbasa type, and the ground meat type. Overall we were underwhelmed, and our spirits were slightly dampened by our first meal. We did however, love the atmosphere and service at Cooper's, and would go back again in heartbeat next time getting there in time for the good stuff.

We had heard a lot of mixed reviews which ranged from the best to the worst about Cooper's. When in town we did hear that Cooper's might be sliding downhill. A little birdie told us that while they used to get up and start their fires around 4:30 in the morning. Now folks who are out having their morning breakfast will be driving past Cooper's as late as 7:30am and report seeing not single wisp of smoke yet. Also, claims have been made that they are using lighter fluid to start their fires too, but again, this is (informed?) hearsay, and should be taken with a hunk of charcoal.

Laird's
1600 Ford St
(325) 247-5234


What we ate: Brisket Plate

On the recommendation of Scott from DFW, we decided to head over to Laird's. Walking into Laird's was like going to your grandmother's house for Sunday afternoon dinner. A big covered porch with picnic tables welcomes you into to what looks like Laird's living room. The only one there was Laird himself, who cut his BBQ chops at Cooper's. He promptly served us up a brisket plate. We ordered a rib plate too, but he was out.

Everything here seemed to be a little more antiseptic, but as we soon found out, Mr. Laird takes great care with his meat. The brisket in form reminded me of Kansas City style brisket: thinly sliced, smoke-ringed, trimmed of most of the fat, fork-tender, juicy. Flavor-wise it had the characteristic mesquite smoke flavor.
There were only three things on the menu that day (Ribs, brisket and chicken) and I think that the overall key to Laird's success was quality over quantity, which incidentally, was our opposite impression of Cooper's.



Marble Falls
Pete Mesquite
2407 Hwy 281 N
(830) 693-6531

What we ate: Pork Spare Ribs

What came with it: Sauce

On the way home from Llano, we were stuffed, but thought as long as we were out this way we had to either stop in Marble Falls or Spicewood. We ended up going to Pete Mesquite for pork spare ribs to go. It was already around 3pm at this point, so we didn't think it would matter if we ate them there, or took them back to our hotel for late night snacks. When we got around to eating the ribs later that night, we were struck at how good they looked. Pink with smoke, a nice crusty exterior, firm looking meat, visually stunning. They tasted almost as good as they looked. I don't like my ribs falling off the bone tender, and these had the perfect combination of tenderness and firmness. You could almost see your teeth marks in the meat after you took a bite. A high quality rib.


Driftwood
Salt Lick
18300 FM 1826
512-894-3117


CLOSED on Friday? We were surprised that the Salt Lick was closed on Friday for lunch, but the drive was the perfect length for Pigmon to have a cigar. Plus, the grounds are gorgeous with a nice waterfall. It was worth the trip just to see it. The picture is a view from the "dining room." Next time.

Austin
Artz Rib House
2330 S Lamar Blvd
(512) 442-8283

What we ate: Pork spare rib plate
Brisket Sandwich

What came with: Potato Salad
Pickles
Onions
Sauce

The sign outside read, "Best ribs in town." In the mood for BBQ, but not ready to take on a whole ordeal, we decided to try out a joint in Austin proper. When we walked through the door, we immediately noticed a distinctly different smoke aroma. After eating nothing but Mesquite BBQ thus far, the sweeter wood smell was a welcome change of pace. Artz is a roadhouse like restaurant with red checkered tablecloths. The dining room was empty at 3pm, which is never an encouraging sign. We ordered the pork spare rib special (6 ribs with sides for $7), and a brisket sandwich for good measure.

As soon as we bit into the ribs, we were very happy. A crusty, slightly sweet bark with a medium-strength but pervasive smokiness. The waitress wasn't sure what kind of wood they used but it was tasted like an oak and hickory combo platter. I liked this rib slightly better than Pete Mesquite, but that may be an unfair comparison because Pete's ribs were eaten probably 12 hours after they were taken off the smoker.

The brisket itself was sliced thin with little moisture left. It was still tasty though, and made a decent sandwich. Their sauce was an almost exact replica of Mike Mills (of Apple City BBQ fame)BBQ sauce, that is to say, sauce that makes sure all BBQ regions make a guest appearance. It's a thin sauce made of mustard, tomato, vinegar, and molasses. Drizzled over the brisket and topped with some coleslaw, this was a fun brisket sandwich. The Texas toast style bun also enhanced the experience.

Due to the hickory smoke, the sweet sauce, and the concentration on pork ribs, we asked our waitress if the pitmaster/owner was from up north. We were thinking Kansas City. Not only was he not from the South, but he was from Vermont of all places!


Lockhart
Kreuz's Market
619 N. Colorado
(512) 398-2361

What we ate: Prime Rib
Brisket
Sausage

What came with: Crackers or Bread, we chose crackers

This place, this glorified BBQ barn of sorts, was instantly exciting. It had an air of German tidiness and craftsmanship that made Pigmon and I both smile (nothing says tidiness better than wash basins in the dining room!) The big piles of indirect smoke were billowing into the smokers, and provided a sense of homey warmth on such a chilly day. We grabbed our order and sat down at the picnic benches to dine. The brisket, sliced thick, although a bit dry, had an intensely beefy-smoked flavor. Soul food. We were disappointed with the prime rib, as it was well done. Thinking that we might have just gotten an end piece, Pigmon went back up to the counter to investigate. The center slice was just as gray as the piece we were given. The sausage made up for the prime rib's faults. We were crazy about them. As I had mentioned, the sausages we had eaten at Cooper's (Llano) reminded us of a kielbasa, and these were the very essence of beef. The texture was coarse, and they used a very simple black pepper seasoning that let the true flavors come through. And to ice the cake, the casing had a beautiful pop. We ended up eating better sausage on this trip, but these were close to tops. Charging extra for a baggie of pickle chips seems a little extreme.




Smitty's Market
208 S. Commerce
(512) 398-9344

What we ate: Pork Spare Ribs
Brisket
Beef Sausage

What came with: Crackers or bread, again we had crackers

Let me get straight to the point: pork spare ribs. They only serve them on the weekends, and we were feeling very lucky because we didn't realize this, and there we were on a Saturday. They looked amazing, and tasted even better. The meat itself was deeply smoky, with a bark that wasn't too salty, but rather just right with the smallest hint of sweetness. They were smaller than what we had eaten thus far, but I'm not sure if that even mattered. There was much more fat running through Smitty's brisket. The bark, we thought, was much too salty, but the internal meat was more enjoyable to eat than the brisket we had at Kreuz's. The least delicious thing we ate at Smitty's was the hot sausage. It seemed they had rendered too much fat from the ground meat filling, leaving it slightly shriveled in appearance. Still, we loved Smitty's as a whole package. There seemed to be a lot of excitement in the air. Folks were hugging and high-fiving in the parking lot. Pigmon had high expectations for Smitty' because they are nominally the new kids on the block, and therefore he thought, had something to prove. I think there was definitely some validity to his logic.


Kreuz 's' Part II

What we ate: Pork Spare Ribs

High on the oak smoke, and thoroughly impressed with the ribs we had just devoured, there was no other choice than to return to Kreuz's to pick up some of their pork ribs which we had passed on during our first round. We procured about 6 ribs to go, to be eaten later. They looked very different from Smitty's, and ended up tasting like porky pastrami. Not that there's anything wrong with that in and of itself, but I'm not sure how I like it in a rib. The rub was a coarse black pepper, and the meat although smoky enough tasted cured. If it had been taken off the bone, sliced thin, and piled high on some good rye bread it could've been a great sandwich. Very surprising, but this would not be our last visit to Kreuz's on this trip.



Black's
215 N. Main
(512) 398-2712

What we ate: Brisket
Pork Spare Ribs

What came with: Pickles

I have to admit I was running out of steam at this point, and from some recent reports, I didn't think that I would be the worst thing we missed Black's. We sat out in the car contemplating whether we should just get some to go or if we should just take our bloated bellies back to Austin and call it a (very successful) day.

Of course you know we went. A narrow hallway led you in to the chow line which started with a salad bar loaded with rather unappealing mayo concoctions. (I did pick up a mini-scoop of potato salad for research purposes only.) Next up, pickles and onions, and finally, the BBQ, oh the BBQ. We ordered a three slices of brisket, one lean and two fatty as well as a rib for good measure. I modestly took a bite of the lean brisket first, and thought eh, fine, but nothing special. On the opposite end of the spectrum were the fatty slices. It was not only the best brisket we had tasted in Lockhart, but one of the best briskets we had tasted, perhaps anywhere.

How would I describe the brisket? Fork tender, unctuous, extra thick pink smoke ring, perfectly seasoned crusty, burnished bark, truly the real article. My only criticism would be the fact that they sliced the meat with, instead of against the grain. Normally that would be a huge problem, but it really didn't seem to matter. Oh, and the rib was good too, but we can't be objective about it because we were so full, and Smitty's had already set the pork rib bar so ridiculously high.

As a side note, Smitty's also offered an unremarkable and uncharacteristic sweet tomato BBQ sauce.

Upon leaving Lockhart, Pigmon said that if he were to do Lockhart over again tomorrow, he'd get some sausage from Kreuz's, some pork ribs from Smitty's, and a pile of fatty brisket from Black's go find a park, or a tree, sit outside and dine like a king.


(Part II - Taylor, Elgin, Luling, Lockhart 1.3 coming soon)

trixie-pea wrote:Llano

Cooper's
In any case, the overwhelming characteristic that (literally) ran through all of the meats was the mild mesquite smoke. Now, we typically like to eat BBQ made with a sweeter wood like Hickory, but we figured this is Mesquite country, and when in Rome...
<snip>
had almost no smoke ring and was rather dry.
<snip>
Also, claims have been made that they are using lighter fluid to start their fires too, but again, this is (informed?) hearsay, and should be taken with a hunk of charcoal.

Trixie-Pea,

Wow, looks like you and I like different things, to me Cooper's is the best, the very best, brisket in the known universe.

Part of what you don't like about Cooper's is exactly what I like, slightly fattier meats, I prefer point to flat, and mild mesquite smoke which allows the flavor of the meat to shine though. Nuance/accent as opposed to overwhelming smoke flavor. I am not an eat BBQ on Sunday and burp smoke ring on Friday kind of guy.

The milder smoke flavor, and lack, or little, smoke ring are both due to the fact Cooper's burns mesquite wood to coal before putting in the cooker. Cooper's cooks their meat direct over coals, as opposed to off-set style, which is different flavor wise than off-set style.

As far as Cooper's using lighter fluid. Most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Here is a picture I took a few months ago at Cooper's in Llano, where god goes when she is in the mood for brisket.

Cooper's in Llano burn down pit.


Thanks for the interesting report, very enjoyable reading.

Enjoy,
Gary

Great report. Looking forward to part II.

I don't know what lighter fluid would technically matter anyway. It would certainly burn off by the time the coals were ready.

I've been reading misc reports on Cooper's for almost a year now and they've been all over the place. It may just be that the place itself is inconsistent, as most BBQ places are, and is either feast or famine.

I've seen the same thing with Black's over the last few months.

Looks like Shutterfly isn't letting you leech the photos. If you need a place to put them, I'm sure Scott or I can help.

Also, I'll expect a compare/contrast at the end of the reports on Best BBQ City/Region/Etc in the country.

G Wiv wrote:Wow, looks like you and I like different things, to me Cooper's is the best, the very best, brisket in the known universe.

Part of what you don't like about Cooper's is exactly what I like, slightly fattier meats, I prefer point to flat, and mild mesquite smoke which allows the flavor of the meat to shine though. Nuance/accent as opposed to overwhelming smoke flavor. I am not an eat BBQ on Sunday and burp smoke ring on Friday kind of guy.

Gary,

I do believe that Cooper's is a BBQ institution--I could see it in almost everything that I witnessed. I've seen people's pictures of the gorgeous BBQ coming out of their pits, and I guarantee you that my lunch did not look anything like those pictures. As I reported, we did not get there until 1:30 which is I believe is too late for lunch. The knife man slicing our BBQ literally said that there wasn't much left that was in prime condition, and that next time we should definitely get there sooner. (which we will be sure to do) Although it's true that I prefer meats that are smoked with a sweeter wood, Cooper's meat was just plain overcooked, and that doesn't taste good no matter what kind of wood was used. And I also prefer

I think that the oak used at other places we tried on our trip was able to give the perfect degree of smokiness (for me) without overpowering the meats like hickory can sometimes do. Mesquite may not be my favorite, but I certainly wouldn't kick it out of bed by any means.

As far as the fattiness of the meats--I also prefer a slightly fattier brisket. And that's why I brought up the fat factor in my report on Cooper's. They did leave the fat along the outside of the brisket, but I also like it when you get that fat running through the whole brisket.

It also needs to be said, that this was my first time in Texas, and I hate to pass any sort of judgement on any of the places I tried. One visit, or even three visits as was the case with Kreuz Market, is not enough information to go on, especially with BBQ. These are initial impressions only. I knew that I would catch some flack for my Cooper's report, but I was trying to be as objective as I could, which is also why I am now feeling a bit of remorse about the lighter fluid hearsay-- I only put it in there to illustrate the apparent murmurings of the locals who may or may not have a sour grapes complex.

Anyway, I am looking forward to continuing the BBQ conversations/debates as I post the rest of my report.

P.S. This is my first time trying to post my own pictures, so any advice would be helpful.

Trixie, did you get a chance to try Austin's "soul-bbq" i.e., Sam's or Ben's? I'd be interested to how they compare to Central TX Q.

Also, any breakfast tacos?

Rob

Vital Information wrote:Trixie, did you get a chance to try Austin's "soul-bbq" i.e., Sam's or Ben's? I'd be interested to how they compare to Central TX Q.

Also, any breakfast tacos?

Rob,

The only BBQ place that we went to in Austin proper was Artz Rib House. We were pretty much filled to the gills by the time we made it back to our hotel, and even then, we usually had goodies that we had brought back.

We did go to Curra's for breakfast and it was fantastic. Curra's is considered an interior Mexican restaurant serving more authentic regional Mexican food. I will post pictures of our meal. I had a pork pibil that was cooked in a banana leaf and served with homemade tortillas and grilled bananas. Pigmon had a couple eggs on top of a beef guisado and frijoles borracha style (cooked with bacon and chorizo). We also tried their tamales, and surprisingly their veggie tamale was our favorite (filled with mushrooms and poblano peppers). Our waiter (Chuy), also made up a plate of about 20 different kinds of moles and salsas--one was better than the next. A couple of the sauces were made with milk, which I thought was rather interesting. For dessert, I had a traditional Mexican hot chocolate that was quite good.



On the recommendation of Chuy, we also tried el Sol y la Luna (more tex-mex than interior, but not solely). I had the migas breakfast tacos there, and thought almost nothing of their version. Bland, uninspiring. But, unfortunately we were not impressed with anything there except the warm, quirky environment and friendly service. It should be noted though, that this place continues to get rave reviews from the local Austin press.

Curra's
614 E Oltorf St, Austin, 78704
(512) 444-0012

El Sol y La Luna
1224 S Congress Ave, Austin, 78704
(512) 444-7770

extramsg wrote:I've seen the same thing with Black's over the last few months.

Looks like Shutterfly isn't letting you leech the photos. If you need a place to put them, I'm sure Scott or I can help.

Also, I'll expect a compare/contrast at the end of the reports on Best BBQ City/Region/Etc in the country.

extramsg,

I had been reading the mixed reviews about Black's too--but the day we went it was great. In fact, Pigmon is mail ordering some brisket today from Black's to give to the guys at work.

And I promise to write a little about my BBQ influences in order to give my report some context-- (where i've been, what regions I prefer, what meats I am endeared to, etc.).

And a question about Shutterfly--I am totally new to the world of digital cameras/photos. I actually just purchased my first digital camera for this trip so I am ignorant. In theory, should Shutterfly let me "leech the photos?" Or maybe I am just doing something wrong.

Thanks for your help,

Kristina

On the pics: go into the pictures, right click on a picture and put properties. If it gives you something ending in ".jpg" for the address/url, then put that in between the IMG tags instead. If that doesn't work, then they've got leeching protection, which wouldn't surprise me. When I try to go to one of the URLs you have listed, it asks me to sign in.

When are we going to get an update on this?

There seem to be two LTH reports on Hill Country Q - this thread and Mike G's (including more, other nearby places. So before I post my report, I will start by linking them.

To come is my report on a day in Lockhart, and a weekend in Austin. In reading these other posts, I am as struck by how our impressions differ, as how they parallel.

For example, Mike says the cobbler at Black's in Lockhart was good; I found it awful. If Sysco took the worse cobbler recipe they could find and then reproduced it with the cheapest ingredients possible, that is what I found. Cheap cherry preserves, floating in a pool of greasy crust. Worse yet was the banana pudding - if you started with Jello banana(-flavored) pudding and added a few slices of real banana, you would have a much better pudding.

Did Black's change the source of their desserts, were the ones I had older and sadder than Mike's or do we have drastically different views of a good cobbler? Can't say, but there it is.

BBQ is a more variable product to start than cobbler (should be), so there are some wide differences of opinion and impressions, but at least I can make sense of that since the end product will always vary a bit.

Anyway, just gathering the photos together and will post in the next few days on my weekend in Lockhart and Austin.

I looked forward for a long time to my trip to Lockhart - you might even say I was atwitter with anticipation. A nice March weekend in Austin would be a delightful respite from the bitter and chilly dregs of a Chicago winter, and since I love the tender smoky goodness of fine barbecue, I very much viewed this as a pilgrimage to the home of the finest of the craft.

Why is it that some great expectations must always be disappointed? Or to put it differently, that the unexpected delight is always the wonderful thing, not the long-anticipated treat?

But let me start at the beginning.

We arrived at Lockhart on a sunny Saturday in March, having enjoyed the charms of Austin and South by Southwest the previous night and the sights lifted up my spirits. This was clearly a place focused on serious Q and in serious volume.



It smelled right, too, and I approached the first temple with a combination of respectful solemnity and giddy anticipation.



And it was made clear that their standards were the highest, and we were expected to meet those same standards.



Having been prepared, we were ushered by the priests into the inner sanctum, and I must say that the idea of going into the middle of the smoking pits to order the meat, well that was just wonderful.



And I wish it had just continued from there, but that moment of expectation and excitement was it. Not that our pile of meat from Kreuz's to start was not without its charm.



First, selling the meat unadorned, by the pound, in butcher's paper is a good style for me. The excess of it all was also good. But the meat was very hit and miss. Smoked pork roast and brisket were fairly dry - the pork was not terribly flavorful, though the brisket was better. I found the jalapeno cheddar sausage almost completely insipid - too finely ground, no kick, little smoke (but I admit to not being a great fan of Texas barbecue sausage). The ribs had a little more flavor but were bordering on meat jello, mushy texture. The one clear winner here was the smoked prime rib, nicely pink, tender and smoky, even if the rub had a touch too much salt for my taste. Still, it was the best at Kreuz's, by far.

Next we moved on to Smitty's. While Smitty's apparently has the reputation of being the pretender that moved in when Kreuz's moved on and up, that was not our experience at all. First off, while waiting to order one has an even more intimate experience with the fire and smokers. You could easily touch them, though I would not recommend that, both because of the open fire and heat involved, as well as all the guys wielding cleavers, knives and long, sharp forks.



Top to bottom I found the Q pretty good. Brisket was still a bit dry, but not as dry and more flavorful than others. I liked the sausage and the ribs pretty well. More flavor, smoke and a much better texture to them. Only the prime rib was a disappointment when compared to Kreuz's.



The revelation of the day was the method employed by a Texas companion that day - he ate his Q by making little saltine sandwiches with chunks of cheddar, slices of avocado and raw onion. I did try one late in the day and found the avocado to be a nice addition. I suppose the onion could be pleasant too, but it mostly obscured the flavor of the smoke and meat for me. I did not really get the saltine and chunk of cheese at all, but I suppose I could learn.

Then we moved on to Black's. As noted above, we did sample their desserts and found them awful. Black's has a very different feel from the other places. The entrance is more Texas-kitsch cafeteria (and those desserts were definitely in keeping with that feel) and the smoker is hidden from the clients, though they still haul the meat out and chop it up in front of you.



The brisket was the worst of the bunch, sad to say. The pepper-encrusted smoked turkey was not bad in a sort of a barbecue meets turkey way. The ribs had a distinctly German preparation - vinegar and pepper in the rub/sauce, nice crust to them and enjoyable enough.

From there we waddled out into the Texas sun and spent a little while enjoying the scenic charm of Lockhart's town square before loading back into the car to return home and fall into the unconscious reverie of our digestion until more dining beckoned.

There were a couple of places we visited in Austin that bear mentioning.

We lunched at a little French Bistro called Chez Nous (address below) in downtown Austin - a respectable place with a reasonable wine list. I would not go out of my way to go there, but if you are downtown and looking for a lunch or dinner with Bistro on the mind, well it served that purpose fine. More interesting was a place called Wink Restaurant (forgive the twee name). We snacked our way through the appetizer menu during happy hour when all the appetizers are half price and they waive corkage on your wine and ate a massive amount of fascinating stuff for pennies. At some point in the evening the chef did come over and regaled us about his current experiments with sous vide cooking, and it was quite entertaining, but I also had been eating and drinking for hours by then so it is possible I hallucinated much of it, and likely I misunderstood at least some of it. I believe that if you actually choose to eat in the dining room, it is not at all cheap, but the happy hour deal is great

And the best meal of the weekend was in a little Cajun joint called Sambet's where I enjoyed a dark, rich, and totally serious gumbo in properly dilapidated surroundings. Of all the places we went, Sambet's is the one I will make every effort to return to - it was one of the best cups of Gumbo I have ever had, and my fried oyster Po' Boy had it going on, too. Okay, I would go back to Smitty's, too.

It was a good weekend, even if what delighted, and what disappointed, were not at all what I expected.

Brief recap:

Highs: Gumbo at Sambet's, and I suspect just about everything there
Sausage and ribs at Smitty's
Prime Rib at Kreuz's
Ribs at Black's

Lows: this was not the mecca for brisket I had hoped. I know it is unrealistic to expect the brisket at any restaurant to be better than, or even as good as, the brisket fresh off my smoker at home, but I did. Poop.

Chez Nous
510 Neches St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 473-2413

Mr. Dickson,

I had been patiently waiting (and waiting ) for your report since that previous message, so thanks for sharing.

Before I moved to Austin, Kreuz was King in my book. Once Mecca was within easy driving distance, I was able to make pilgrimages much more often, and invariably I'd have variable opinions on the matter. The consistency caveat of barbecue, and all that. I still think it can be anybody's trophy on any given day, but after much trial (and actually not much error, really), my trips to Mecca go like this: Kreuz for prime rib and/or shoulder clod, Black's for brisket & spare-ribs, a nibble of everything at Smitty's just to see if they're on their game that day for anything, and maybe squeeze in City Market if I have still have stomach capacity. I like the links at Kreuz probably the best of these bunch, but am also more a fan of the spicier, coarser-ground Chicago-style hot links.

When I have friends in town, I usually take them on that aforementioned tour, and it usually works. But not always, which is unfortunate for them, since they won't be back anytime soon. Given the nature of barbecue though, I find that ordering strategy a fairly reliable way to get the goods. Of course, if you've got enough stomachs with you, it's easy to just order everything at everyplace and order more of the good stuff and less of not-so-good (not something I can do often since I do go solo mostly).

dicksond wrote:We lunched at a little French Bistro called Chez Nous (address below) in downtown Austin - a respectable place with a reasonable wine list. I would not go out of my way to go there, but if you are downtown and looking for a lunch or dinner with Bistro on the mind, well it served that purpose fine.

Unfortunately, Chez Nous is as good as it gets for French Bistro grub around here -- which isn't to say it's bad, because it's actually pretty good, but that's also really all we gots.

dicksond wrote:More interesting was a place called Wink Restaurant (forgive the twee name). We snacked our way through the appetizer menu during happy hour when all the appetizers are half price and they waive corkage on your wine and ate a massive amount of fascinating stuff for pennies. At some point in the evening the chef did come over and regaled us about his current experiments with sous vide cooking, and it was quite entertaining, but I also had been eating and drinking for hours by then so it is possible I hallucinated much of it, and likely I misunderstood at least some of it. I believe that if you actually choose to eat in the dining room, it is not at all cheap, but the happy hour deal is great.

One of the most popular spots in town, but I think you nailed the strategy down, which is to sit in the adjacent wine bar and enjoy small bites. The inside kitchen is indeed much pricier, and also far more inconsistent in my experience.

dicksond wrote:And the best meal of the weekend was in a little Cajun joint called Sambet's where I enjoyed a dark, rich, and totally serious gumbo in properly dilapidated surroundings. Of all the places we went, Sambet's is the one I will make every effort to return to - it was one of the best cups of Gumbo I have ever had, and my fried oyster Po' Boy had it going on, too.

Wow, looks like I got myself a good tip from an outsider ! Don't think I've heard of this place, but will definitely check it out. Thanks.

Sorry the 'cue didn't wow you, but that's the gamble of 'cue, right ? I mean, it can even happen at Honey One, no ?

-Nab

I was in Lockhart in March, and only went to Black's. The brisket there knocked my socks off (tender, powerful smoke flavor, good crust and overal well flavored), but I found the sausage kind of mealy. Sorry that your experience didn't match up with mine.

Conversely, the brisket at The Salt Lick outside Austin was unipressive (not as tender, not as smoky, not as flavorful), and the sausage rocked.

tatterdemalion wrote:
Wow, looks like I got myself a good tip from an outsider ! Don't think I've heard of this place, but will definitely check it out. Thanks.

Sorry the 'cue didn't wow you, but that's the gamble of 'cue, right ? I mean, it can even happen at Honey One, no ?

-Nab

I hope that Sambet's holds up for you - after all I only went once. But my local guide did recommend it highly as well.

As for the cue, you are right - you pays your money and takes your chance. Next visit could be great. And anyone reading this thread should understand that for me it is not so much that the food was bad, because it was actually good other than those desserts at Black's and maybe the mushy ribs at Kreuz's. It was just that I expected a lot more.

dicksond wrote:As for the cue, you are right - you pays your money and takes your chance. Next visit could be great. And anyone reading this thread should understand that for me it is not so much that the food was bad, because it was actually good other than those desserts at Black's and maybe the mushy ribs at Kreuz's. It was just that I expected a lot more.

Isn't that the case with most BBQ joints? Get there at the right time and the food is outstanding. Hit the place at the wrong time and the food is really miserable.

I went to Coopers in Llanos in 2006 late on a Sunday afternoon and I thought a lot of the meat was cooked beyond recognition. The goat meat that I purchased was inedible and the brisket overdone. It was the worst meal i had in Texas in a long time. What made it more irritating was that the dinner was pretty expensive.

(And I have had a similar experiences at Arthur Bryants in KCMO.)

jlawrence01 wrote:

dicksond wrote:As for the cue, you are right - you pays your money and takes your chance. Next visit could be great.

Isn't that the case with most BBQ joints? Get there at the right time and the food is outstanding. Hit the place at the wrong time and the food is really miserable.

I went to Coopers in Llanos in 2006 late on a Sunday afternoon and I thought a lot of the meat was cooked beyond recognition. The goat meat that I purchased was inedible and the brisket overdone. It was the worst meal i had in Texas in a long time. What made it more irritating was that the dinner was pretty expensive.

The couple of times I've been to Cooper's in Llano its been transcendent, where god goes when she's in the mood for brisket.

Though, as has been pointed out, with BBQ joints where you hit on the cooking cycle is very important.

Dickson, terrific post, love the picture of you in front of Kreuz! In two visits I've quite liked Black's, in particular spare ribs and sausage.

Black's, Lockhart Tx


Enjoy,
Gary

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary -- those look like very different sausages from what I had at Blacks: they were darker, more shrively. Sounds like I got some that had been smoking too long. Like you said, the cooking cycle is key. I hit the jackpot on the brisket, though..

i was in san antoino for RCA ,with seasoning co. had time to go to lockhart,tx.

hit the big 3 smittys,blacks,kreuz best in that order for me but blacks and smitty was very close.
had brisket & sausage at all 3 places. all great stops

also tried rudys near san antoino. good but worth a stop just dont fill up.
great things to do at alamo.

I made it home to Texas over the long weekend, and I took a couple of drives out into the Hill Country for some very fine BBQ.

On Friday we made the beautiful drive from San Antonio to Llano to hit up Cooper's. We arrived at noon exactly, so everything was in excellent condition. I ordered my usual combo of brisket, sausage and beef ribs, with a few slices of prime rib thrown in for good measure. Cooper's is not my favorite spot in the Hill Country, but they always serve up some mighty fine Q, and this was no exception. I especially recommend the prime rib - it was very rare, very smokey, and unbelievable delicious.

The pit at Cooper's:



Our feast, still wrapped in butcher paper:



And before being devoured by some very hungry people:



I highly recommend a trip to Cooper's for anyone in the area. My wife, who is not from Texas, decided it perfectly matched her mental image of the typical Texas restaurant, and I agree. Especially during the week, the clients are mostly local, the food is usually outstanding, and the idyllic Hill Country back drop never disappoints.

My current favorite for BBQ in Texas (and therefore, the world) is Snow's, in Lexington. Snow's is something of a newcomer on the scene. No one had heard of them until 2008, when Texas Monthly named it the best BBQ joint in Texas. I'm inclined to agree, based on the brisket alone (although everything there is nearly perfect).

There is one quirk to Snow's that makes it tough to visit. They are only open on Saturdays, from 6:00 AM until they run out of meat. This basically means you'll be eating BBQ for breakfast. When we arrived at 9:00 AM, everything was still in stock. By the time we left, at 10:30, everything was sold out but the sausage, and I imagine that didn't last much longer. This might also be the secret to their success. As has been mentioned over and over on these boards, BBQ is a variable product. But by limiting their hours, Snow's is able to come as close as possible to BBQ consistency without using any sort of commercial smokers.

You choose from a fairly narrow selection (brisket, sausage, pork ribs, pork steak and chicken). The only side are beans, which are free and you serve yourself. As I mentioned above, everything is outstanding, but the brisket is the must-try:



I generally order a whole brisket. I get half of it sliced, then take the rest home with me for lunch:



I also love their sausage. This is a somewhat courser grind than what they use at Cooper's, reflecting Lexington's proximity to Elgin:



As at most Texas bbq joints, the meat come unsauced. Snow's keeps their sauce in used water bottles on the table. It's good, but I prefer to let the meat speak for itself:



They have limited inside seating, but I prefer to eat outdoors at the picnic tables. Even in January, the weather is usually fine, and you can watch the pit masters at work:







I realize that Snow's is going to be tough to get to for most people, but if you have a chance, you should take it. For me, it's as close as you can come to the Platonic form of BBQ.

Snow's BBQ
516 Main St
Lexington, TX 78947
(979) 773-4640
http://www.snowsbbq.com

What does Snow's do the rest of the week? It seems to me that no matter how good they are, it's hard to run a business on one day of sales a week.

(edit - removed snarkiness about sideways photos)

I'm not sure what Snow's does the rest of the week. My understanding is that the owner opened the place just to give his daughters the opportunity to learn how to run a business. It was never intended as a money maker.

Pictures have been fixed. Apologies for any confusion.

Great report, and a dream trip for me...Just need to get to the Hill Country for sure!

Danny