The building that I was in has an Otto BBQ in it. The smell fills the lower levels. I asked the client if it was any good. He beat around the bush a bit and said it was good, just not his kind of BBQ. I probed him to as what this meant, and he said that when he wants BBQ he wants a big plate of meat but they give like 3 slices of brisket and charge $8. Okay, yuppie BBQ. Next. So I asked him where to go. He struggled. Says there are a lot of places that people like, but he cooks his own on his big brick pit. Okay, invite me over! No dice. :-D
I drove around for about an hour last night looking for Q.
I drove down to Thema's. But at 7:30 pm it was looking pretty deserted and is in a rough neighborhood, so I kept on driving. (Today I was told that it is a lunch place and when she runs out, she closes.) Disappointed.
I had a recommendation for Pierson & Co on TC Jester. Same story. I drove past and it looked closed. :x
I also got a recommendation to try Hickory Hollows, supposedly one of the 10 best. It was open, so passed the first test. It looked like a small local place and not a tourist trap, passed 2nd test. Smelled like burning wood, passed test #3, let's go in! I went for the 3 meat combo: Brisket, Ribs, and Sausage with sauce on the side. The brisket was pretty dry and not a lot of beef flavor. Sausage was a polish sausage. It had some smoke flavor, but not very unique. The ribs were big and meaty, but just weren't doing much for me. I didn't much care for the sauce straight up. But on the ribs it was better. Today, the client just said, yeah I don't like that place much either... But still, no recommendation was flowing.
Tonight, I decided to try Goode Company BBQ. Supposedly a Houston best. Pulling up, I was surprised how small it was. I had to share a table. It was a good local joint - Check. Again, I went for the 3 meat combo, but this time brisket, sausage, and chicken (they just ran out of ribs). I don't know. Maybe I don't like brisket??? :shock: The flat was moist enough, but strong wood flavor and but missing that good beef flavor. The point slices tasted like I was eating all fat. ewe... Sausage was better. I liked it, but it wasn't like amazing, knock my socks off. The chicken was... well chicken. Strong wood flavor but not much else. There was a rub on the skin that I discarded. And again, I didn't like the sauce. It tasted like someone mixed BBQ sauce with Pasta sauce. I'm sure some people like it, just not me. (But I do really like Stumps out of the jar from the supermarket, so it's not like I don't like Texas bbq sauce).
Yeah. Really disappointing. I guess it is true, no good BBQ in Houston because those who like BBQ make their own.
ray:
