TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Feb 8, 2012 15:15:16 GMT -5
THAT IS NOT TRUE. Its the only thing I will defend in Syracuse. Dino BBQ in NYC is not up to par (haven't been to any of the other ones, so I can't speak for those). You have to go to THE Dino in Syracuse. In fact, last time I had take out Hill Country (Sunday) I used Dino BBQ sauce because its just that much better. Putting aside the location issue, I think I'm going to defer to the poster from Austin, Texas rather than the poster from upstate New York on this issue. I say that having spent time in Texas this year--good BBQ in the North doesn't compare, and that includes Chicago BBQ |
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Feb 8, 2012 15:59:58 GMT -5
Until you have Dino BBQ in Syracuse, you can't talk. People have come from Texas and have said it is some of the best BBQ they've ever had.
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Post by HometownHoya on Feb 8, 2012 16:46:05 GMT -5
Anyone have some good suggestions for Denver? Just moved out here in the summer and am still looking around for good BBQ places. Thx
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fsohoya
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Post by fsohoya on Feb 8, 2012 22:13:20 GMT -5
Gotta say, the best brisket sandwich I've ever had was from the Salt Lick in the Austin airport. I've also had beef ribs at Hill Country in DC that were pretty good, but that's all I've had from there to date.
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Feb 8, 2012 22:17:58 GMT -5
THAT IS NOT TRUE. Its the only thing I will defend in Syracuse. Dino BBQ in NYC is not up to par (haven't been to any of the other ones, so I can't speak for those). You have to go to THE Dino in Syracuse. In fact, last time I had take out Hill Country (Sunday) I used Dino BBQ sauce because its just that much better. The fact that you feel the need to use BBQ sauce is telling. |
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Feb 8, 2012 23:37:33 GMT -5
Until you have Dino BBQ in Syracuse, you can't talk. People have come from Texas and have said it is some of the best BBQ they've ever had. You know what? It might be comparable to Texas BBQ, but it's not going to be better than the best Texas BBQ. It's just not. And even if it was, the fact that you have to e in Syracuse to eat it means that it will never be as good as Texas (or Kansas City or North Carolina or Chicago or DC or Memphis) BBQ. It's tainted. (also I agree with KC about the need for BBQ sauce saying a lot) |
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Feb 8, 2012 23:41:42 GMT -5
Putting sauce on good brisket is like pouring A1 on a good steak. Sure you could, but really, why?
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Feb 9, 2012 0:09:04 GMT -5
Well it was Hill Country DC, a day old, and needed some zest. It was a rib, not brisket.
But it ended up tasting better than anything I've had at Hill Country. And I love Hill Country (the NYC version).
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fsohoya
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Post by fsohoya on Feb 9, 2012 8:05:01 GMT -5
I've had a lot of KC BBQ, and have to say it hasn't been great (especially well-known places like Jack Stack). Then again, some of the Q I've gotten in NC hasn't lived up to the hype, either, including the constantly-on-TV BBQ at The Pit. Finally, I had some Q at Alexandria's Pork Barrel -- did not live up to the hype. Best I've had might be at the Austin airport...or from my backyard!
Oh, and I'm sure Dino BBQ reeks of rancid, rotting citrus like everything in Syracuse.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Feb 14, 2012 13:46:13 GMT -5
Ate at Hill Country on Sunday prior to the St. John's game, and it was the best barbecue I have ever eaten in DC. We tried the brisket, sausage, pork ribs, and beef ribs. Hill Country uses an Ole Hickory smoking oven, which typically gives brisket an oven-baked/roast beef-like taste. That does happen at HC, but the oven flavor is countered by a generously-applied rub that is pretty good. Far from the best I've had, but I would still consider it above-average brisket. It's hard to get sausage wrong when you start with a great product, and the Kreuz market sausage Hill Country uses is the same great stuff they serve in Lockhart, Texas. No complaints there. Pork spare ribs were cooked the way I like them: tender but not completely falling off the bone. Nice rub on the ribs, too. The beef ribs surprised me. This is what a beef rib looks like in Texas: 1.bp.blogspot.com/_4alUWHfd6oM/TT-t0r4B7LI/AAAAAAAAIR0/54w193v7WOg/s1600/Louie%2BMueller%2B4-4-09%2B%252820%2529.JPGThe beef ribs at Hill Country look like red-meat versions of pork spare ribs. nyjournal.squarespace.com/storage/hill_country_food.jpgVery tasty, but not quite the texture/taste that I'm used to. If you go to Hill Country, the only thing I would recommend skipping is the sauce. It's horrible. Fortunately, my meat was great without it. If Hill Country opened a joint in Texas using the same cooking methods, I'm not sure it would survive, but I would definitely eat there on a regular basis if I moved to DC. |
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Jul 10, 2012 9:24:47 GMT -5
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Jul 10, 2012 10:24:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the link.
One thing not mentioned in the article is the third biggest threat to restaurants (behind a bad location and bad food): too much overhead. Places are hiring too much staff to run a restaurant that could get by with far less. You don't need that many people for barbecue--Hill Country must have a staff of 30 or more across its shifts.
My current #1 on the barbecue list, Austin's Franklin BBQ, runs with a staff of two--the pitmaster cooks and cuts the meat, and there is someone at the register. That's it. Across town at John Mueller's, it's practically a one man show. What you lack with a "wait staff", you gain in first-hand service--if you ask for a leaner cut of meat, it's not a wait staffer adding it to the order, it's John himself cutting it and asking if that's OK.
Granted, these are bare bones operations (Mueller's pit is parked alongside picnic tables on a vacant lot on South 1st St.), but overhead is the difference between success and failure for many smaller organizations. A place like Luke's Lobster on 6th and E has seating for maybe 8-10 in a small footprint--yes, it could have more, but you're paying for that many times over in the lean times.
Penn Quarter is moving more Verizon Center traffic south of the arena rather than west, which has also led to the end of many of the Chinatown restaurants as well. When Capital Q opened (8th and H), there wasn't the restaurant row along 7th St. and more people were willing to walk a block or two north. Not so much anymore.
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fsohoya
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Post by fsohoya on Jul 10, 2012 13:19:36 GMT -5
Dang! I like Hill Country better, but Capital Q is (was) in more reasonable walking distance from my office and the waits aren't (weren't) as long.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Jul 12, 2012 10:00:23 GMT -5
My current #1 on the barbecue list, Austin's Franklin BBQ, runs with a staff of two--the pitmaster cooks and cuts the meat, and there is someone at the register. That's it. Across town at John Mueller's, it's practically a one man show. What you lack with a "wait staff", you gain in first-hand service--if you ask for a leaner cut of meat, it's not a wait staffer adding it to the order, it's John himself cutting it and asking if that's OK. In the past, the "someone" working the register at Franklin Barbecue was often co-owner Stacy Franklin, though it's been an employee the last couple times I've been. Overhead is a particular problem for barbecue joints, because meat (particularly quality meat) has become more expensive, but barbecue is expected to be cheap. Even if Franklin Barbecue sells out every day, there is not a gigantic profit margin in brisket and ribs. To really make money in the barbecue business, you have to have the ability to smoke a lot of meat, which typically means using commercial smoker ovens. Aaron Franklin tried to increase capacity at his restaurant by building a gigantic traditional smoker. The plan was to smoke enough barbecue to stay open into the late evening, thereby thinning out the line. It didn't work out. Aaron couldn't produce brisket that met his standards on it. A few weeks ago, Aaron sold a "huge smoker" to a dude in NYC running something called Brisketlab. www.animalnewyork.com/2012/founder-of-smoked-meat-guild-talks-brisket/gizmodo.com/5922612/gizmodo-and-brisketlab-a-scorching-summer-night-of-meat-music-and-beerAnd so, the line endures at Franklin Barbecue, and NYC goes gaga over what I'm pretty sure is Franklin Barbecue's reject smoker. |
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Jul 12, 2012 10:11:59 GMT -5
Your thoughts on Franklin and JMueller? Having two quality stops in Austin has cut down on the need to drive another half hour to Lockhart on my quarterly barbecue runs.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Jul 12, 2012 11:48:29 GMT -5
Your thoughts on Franklin and JMueller? Having two quality stops in Austin has cut down on the need to drive another half hour to Lockhart on my quarterly barbecue runs. Both are in my top five, and I've been to 37 of these places. There's been some argument recently over which one is better; I prefer to appreciate the fact that two world-class joints exist in the city where I live. The brisket is phenomenal at both. Which is best on a particular day depends on the weather, the meat, and countless other variables. FYI there is a consistent line at JMueller these days; you'll wait 20-40 minutes for your lunch depending on the day and the weather. If you're going there on a Saturday you will need to get there when they open or you'll wait at least 45 minutes. If you'll be waiting in line at Franklin Barbecue, I think showing up around 10:20 is the best way to ensure a "minimal" wait time, but you'll still be in line for at least an hour. PM me if you'd like to know how to avoid the line. If you ask me, the best five barbecue joints in Texas right now, in no particular order, are: Franklin Barbecue (Austin) JMueller Barbecue (Austin) Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor) Pecan Lodge (Dallas) Smitty's Market (Lockhart) The next five would be: Kreuz Market (Lockhart) Stanley's Famous (Tyler) City Meat Market (Giddings) Snow's Barbecue (Lexington) City Market (Luling) |
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Post by HometownHoya on Jul 12, 2012 13:04:06 GMT -5
Ugh, this thread always makes my mouth water. Any of you Texas residents know of good BBQ in your neighbor to the north? (Colorado) I've been forced to eat Moe's BBQ when the fancy becomes unbearable but I'd love to find more places.
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hoyainspirit
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Post by hoyainspirit on Jul 12, 2012 15:59:17 GMT -5
As wonderful as the food is in New Orleans, the BBQ sucks. Went to a BBQ joint connected to a church (Mt. Zion?) in Huntsville, TX. Thought it was good, but not great, but I'm no BBQ expert.
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fsohoya
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Post by fsohoya on Jul 13, 2012 11:12:47 GMT -5
Just went to Capital Q for a final lunch. Sadly, it tastes like they've already sold off all of their brisket rub.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Aug 1, 2012 13:50:33 GMT -5
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