https://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/smoked-out-truth-bbq-11270883 I tried out the corn pudding at Truth BBQ, it was awesome 'A standout is the corn pudding, an often forgotten southern classic that falls somewhere between corn bread and creamed corn.'
Great call, that's one of my go-to's, you can make it spicy with peppers and stuff or make it bland for the whitehairs, no problem. Knowing your audience is the tough part, not so much in Austin where it's mostly young people. Beans, of course. How spicy do you make them? Make 2 pots? Do people really love mac & cheese with their bbq? That's never, ever been a thing anywhere I was growing up. East Texas/Austin thing? Marinated Cucumber/Tomato/Onion/Vinegar&Oil Salad, easy and globally enjoyed People looooove potato salad, but another lot of people love German potato salad. ... Like I said, it's boggling to me that nobody has started and kept a proper bbq joint around these lakes.
Fajitas were made famous by Ninfa's. Pulled Pork is Memphis. Kolaches are more often Klobasneks in Texas. I know what I'm talking about and you've always known it.
BBQ chicken is awesome!.......the second it comes off the grill. Ten minutes later, it’s quality is halved. 30 minutes later, it’s marginal at best. It’s shelf life is so short, it really has no place in a restaurant. It belongs at home.....preferably eaten by people standing around the smoker/grill right as it comes off.
beercan or butterfly (spatchcock)...either eat it right there like you said, or you better put some extra sop on it and cover it so it doesn't dry out. Turkey breasts are fun, much more forgiving than the chicken...need to engineer a pig that is all ribs and a chicken with no white meat. The "eat them off the pit" deal is usually where all my ribs go, as an appetizer.
@Buck Turgidson when I was working in New Mexican earlier this year I tried a pineapple coleslaw that was fantastic. Restaurant was Sparkys in Hatch.
When I went there, they let us check out the pits while they were wrapping some brisket (the Tomball location, not a the BBQ fest). Seemed like good people.
I think brisket flavor is old school, but the sides have been gone more modern. Especially if you go to more hipster places. I think mac and cheese is a bit heavy to be paired with brisket and sausage, i normally take coleslaw or something lighter with it
To digress...this cajun seafood place we go to near our house has crawfish cornbread. That stuff is good.
The best pulled pork and pork ribs are at pit masters BBQ in Spring. Better than I have ever had at porkys or rendezvous in Memphis. Same dry rubbed style.
The ribs I had at Rendezvous were blah. Overcooked and overrated the only time I tried them. By "porkys", did you mean "Corky's"? If so, the ribs there were pretty good.
I wish you still did your fast food reviews. I sure would’ve loved reading reviews for Angry whopper and spicy nuggets.
Every time I come to the Hangout and see this thread at the top it’s a reminder that I really gotta visit Texas for a Rockets game and some real BBQ. I’ve never had burnt ends in my life and from the way it looks and sounds I think it could be one of my favorite foods I’ve never tried. Also, I’m not a big fan of fusion but BBQ/Asian flavors mixed seems like a natural match.... for my palate.
I mentioned I’ve never been to Texas and your first recommendation is a traditional Korean dish from a Japanese bbq restaurant? A chain Japanese bbq restaurant at that? I’m sure it’s fine but as a Korean that’s had a bowl or two of Bibimbap that doesn’t exactly make me go “Omg I need that in and around my mouth right now!” Appreciate the effort... What else ya got? No chains please except Waterburger and or other Texas staples... That Blood bro’s place... now that sounds unique and enticing.
I've had Bibimbap at other places, kid. And it's "Whataburger." Again, haven't done Blood Brothers yet, but I'll get to it. Gyu Kaku was the closest thing off the top of my head that you were asking about regarding fusion. I don't vouch for anything I haven't tried.
This post gave me a flashback to the best grilled chicken I ever had. It was off to the side of a remote road in Kauai called Huli Huli Chicken. Crazy wife in the tent taking orders and husband manning the giant, juicy, whole chickens which were on a rotisserie over a wood fire. I used to think chicken is chicken and his cooking method isn’t some innovative concept that’s never been done before but damn.... I still dream of the meal. Chicken has never been the same since I had had that. I get mad every time I go to Costco and see those sorry ass chickens on the rotisserie.