18th and Vine

The city of Dallas and the greater DFW area has really been upping it's game in the barbecue department lately and new barbecue restaurants are opening in an attempt to compete with the heavyweights like Pecan Lodge, Lockhart Smokehouse, and Hutchins.  One of the newcomers, 18th and Vine, had several critics, like Daniel Vaughn, raving about the place. The Dallas Morning News even awarded it as one of the Best New Restaurants 2015.  What separates this place from the others is the fact that pit boss Matt Dallman has opened a Kansas City style barbecue joint with influences he brought from his hometown.

On a recent Saturday, I was with a party of four and we were able to sample several of the menu items. Below is my opinion of what we tried:

Burnt Ends - We ordered these as an appetizer and they were incredible.  These delicacies are a favorite of mine and I order them whenever I see them on a menu.  The burnt ends were amongst the best I have had in DFW and were the best smoked meat we had on this night.

Fried Okra - This was also ordered as an appetizer and we loved this dish as well.  The batter was fantastic and the okra was perfectly seasoned.  The dipping sauce served with the okra was a prefect compliment.  

Brisket - Although we loved the burnt ends, the brisket left a lot to be desired.  The brisket had a smoky flavor, but it was tough, the fat was not well rendered, and the slices were much thinner than I prefer.
Pulled Pork -  This item was fairly pedestrian and I didn't get much bark, which is my favorite part of pulled pork.

Pork Ribs-  The ribs had a nice smoke ring and a tasty glaze, but, like the brisket, they too were a little tough.  
Jalapeño Cheese Sausage -  The house-made sausage had a good flavor, a lot of cheese, and the jalapeños gave it a nice kick.

Smoked Chicken - This meat was only surpassed by the burnt ends.  The chicken had a great smoky flavor and the skin was well seasoned.
Seasoned Fries -  The seasoning was good, but the fries were barely warm and tasted like they had been sitting out a while.  

Jalapeño Cheese Grits -  Grits are one of my favorite sides and these were really spicy and had a lot of cheese.  That gets a big thumbs up from me.  

Pit Roasted Mushrooms -  This was the first time I remember seeing mushrooms on a barbecue restaurant menu, but they were better than I expected.
Assorted Cookies -  Four types of house-made cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and sugar) were served and none were overly impressive.  

Fried Apple Pies -  This dessert was much better than the cookies.  The miniature pies had a great flavor, a nice dusting of sugar, and were served piping hot.

18th and Vine has a really cool atmosphere and the service is great. The meal started off with a bang with the appetizers of burnt ends and fried okra, but almost everything else was very underwhelming.  While a few of the other items were also good,  the rest was far from great.  This place is certainly a little more upscale than most barbecue joints, but I am sure that this place will do well amongst the other high end casual restaurants in Oak Lawn.

18th and Vine
http://www.18thandvinebbq.com
Livin the Good Life Rating = 3

Terry Black's Barbecue

Quality barbecue is getting much easier to find in Austin, TX.  The barbecue revolution there is really amazing when you think back to a decade ago and there not being any truly great barbecue joints in the city limits.  On my most recent visit to Austin, I visited Terry Black's Barbecue.  Terry is a relative of the family that operates the famous Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, TX.

I ate there on a recent Saturday and sampled several items while eating with my wife and some friends from Houston.  Below is my thoughts on what I tried:

Brisket- This brisket was very tender, moist, had well rendered fat, and was perfectly smoked.  It was heavy on the pepper and the bark tasted very similar to what you would find at Louie Mueller's Barbecue in Taylor, TX.  

Brisket, pork ribs, cream corn, and mac n' cheese

Pork Ribs- These were tender, had a nice glaze, and easily pulled off the bone.  They had a slight peppery taste, but not near as much as the brisket bark.

Turkey- I had this in a sandwich, but ate several slices on their own.  Great smokey flavor, moist, and lightly peppered to perfection.  

Turkey Sandwich

Beef Rib- This was one of the top 3 beef ribs I have ever had.  It had a similar flavor to the brisket, but was extremely tender.  A lot of beef ribs are chewy, but this one was not like that at all.  It was so tender that you could literally pull it off the bone with a fork.  This meat was the highlight of my visit to this barbecue joint.

Beef Rib

Sides-I tried the cream corn, mac n' cheese, cole slaw, and potato salad.  The cream corn was my favorite item, but the mac n' cheese was good as well.

Banana Pudding

Desserts- I tried the banana pudding and the peach cobbler.  The pudding was rather bland, but the cobbler was really good.  I would definitely order the cobbler again!

Peach Cobbler

The meats were great and the sides were decent enough as well.  While there may be a few people in line, the line moves really fast because Terry Black's has multiple cutting blocks and registers to get your food, rather than everyone waiting on one cutting block and register.  The ten minute wait for quality barbecue is an excellent alternative to waiting hours at some other joints in town.  Terry Black's will now be on my rotation of restaurants to visit when I am in Austin!

Terry Black's Barbecue
http://terryblacksbbq.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue

Rumors have been going around that there is now some high quality barbecue to be found in Lubbock, Texas at a place called Evie Mae's, which is technically located in Wolfforth.  Having grown up on the South Plains and frequently visiting family in the area as an adult, I have sampled my fair share of barbecue in the Lubbock area.  My experience has been that there are some good barbecue joints in the area, but not a truly great barbecue place.  Having read good things about Evie Mae's, I decided to try it during a recent trip to visit family in Lubbock.

L-R=Pulled Pork, Brisket, and Sausage

I ordered the three meat plate with sliced brisket, sausage, pulled pork, and green chile cheese grits.  Below is my opinion of each item:
Brisket-The thick cut slices were a real treat.  They had a great smoke ring, a smoky flavor that wasn't overly smoky, terrific bark, and well rendered fat.  By far, this was the best brisket I have ever had in this part of Texas and it literally melted in you mouth.
Sausage-Nice flavor with a good snap to the casing.  It had a little spice to it, but nothing overpowering.  The portion size was good too, as they gave you 1.5 links with the three meat plate.
Pulled Pork-Tender and moist with a good flavor.  I have preferred a little more bark and more of the smokiness I tasted in the brisket, but it was still well above average for the area.
Green Chile Cheese Grits-Absolutely fantastic.  This side had just the right amount of both cheese and green chiles.  I could eat this every day for the rest of my life!

Green Chile Cheese Grits

The only thing I regret is that I didn't try the ribs.  Several people around me had them and they looked absolutely mouth-watering good.  It seems the rumors are true and Evie Mae's does serve up some top notch barbecue.  Although Evie Mae's is technically a barbecue trailer, they do have indoor seating available in a building that is behind the trailer.  I travel to the Lubbock area fairly frequently, so I am very glad to know that I have a fantastic barbecue option to choose from when the family is trying to decide where to eat.

Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue
http://www.eviemaesbbq.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

Soulman's Bar-B-Que

Watching football games is one of the few things I enjoy as much as eating barbecue.  Rarely do I get to enjoy both in the same evening, but I was able to do so on a night when I went to a high school football game in Allen, Texas.  I knew that a location of Soulman's Bar-B-Que was close to the stadium, so I popped in there prior to the game.

I wanted to try several meat options, so I ordered the three meat plate with turkey, pulled pork, and hot links.  If you read my blog, then you know that I rarely go to a barbecue joint in Texas without ordering brisket, but I decided to pass on brisket this night because the brisket on the block was lean and had all of the fat and most of the bark cut away.  The turkey was not good at all and had the texture and flavor of sandwich meat.  The hot links were fairly ordinary, but did have a little spice to them.  The pulled pork was the best of the three, but was far from great.

3 Meat Plate-Pulled Pork, Turkey, and Hot Link

The sides were a mixed bag for me.  The beans were bland and required the addition of salt and pepper.  I also had the cream corn, which was actually quite good and was the best item I tried on this evening.  It had  great flavor and had just enough peppers in it to give it a Texas kick.  The Texas toast was cold, stale, and needed more butter.

Banana Pudding

Soulman's has three different desserts available: Pecan Pie, Buttermilk Pie, and Banana Pudding.  I tried the Banana Pudding and felt it was lacking much of a banana flavor and had more whipped cream than pudding.  This place was not very busy on the night I visited, but it still took me over seven minutes to get through the line, despite the fact there were only two other people in front of me.  This place was a huge disappointment and will not get a return visit from me.

Soulman's Bar-B-Que

http://www.soulmans.com/

Livin the Good Life Rating=1

 

Prairie House Restaurant

Driving home from a quick trip to West Texas, my wife and I decided to grab a bite to eat at Prairie House Restaurant in Cross Roads, Texas.  This restaurant, which is located on 380 between Denton and Little Elm, is always busy whenever we pass by.  Since the parking lot is always packed, we decided to stop on this trip and try the cuisine.

Dining area and bar

I was pleased to see that they had Burnt Ends as an appetizer.  Burnt Ends are a barbecue item that I cannot turn down and are absolutely amazing when done correctly.  Unfortunately, the burnt ends at this restaurant were a disappointment.  The burnt ends were from the point end of the brisket and had a decent smoke ring, but they were extremely chewy and were seriously lacking in the bark department.  

Burnt Ends

For my main meal, I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak with fries and onion rings.  The onion rings themselves were great, but the chicken fried steak was not tender and the batter was not cooked evenly.  The steak cut fries were horrible in flavor and tasted like they had been sitting under a heating lamp for a considerable amount of time.  My wife ordered the catfish basket and neither of us were impressed with the catfish, which was really bland.

Chicken Fried Steak 

Catfish

The food at the Prairie House Restaurant was extremely disappointing, but the service was worse.  Our server rarely checked on us and left me without refills on drinks for the duration of my meal.  Instead of checking on customers, the wait staff preferred to gather in groups and talk amongst themselves for most of the time we were there.  There will not be a return visit for me and I cannot recommend this place.

Prairie House Restaurant
http://www.phtexas.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=1

Big Daddy's Ribs and BBQ

Big Daddy's Ribs and BBQ is a relatively new barbecue joint that has opened in Little Elm.  Having read a couple of reviews on the place, I felt it might be worthy of a visit.  The ribs came highly recommended, so I was anxious to try them.

I ordered the three meat combo with brisket, pulled pork, and the baby back ribs.  Be warned that there is a $4 up-charge when you order ribs with the combo.  The brisket was a huge disappointment due to the fact it was tough, too lean, and was lacking in the smoke department.  The pulled pork was much better than the brisket.  It was very moist with a nice smoky flavor and had a nice bark on several of the pieces.   Since ribs cost extra, I anticipated getting  more than two baby back ribs.  While they were very tender and had a nice rub on them, I didn't think they were special or worthy of the extra $4.

Three Meat Combo-Brisket, Pulled Pork, and Baby Back Ribs

Fries and corn casserole were ordered as my sides and both were excellent.  The fries were some of the best I have had in recent months and were fresh cut and just out of the fryer.  The corn casserole was very flavorful, moist, and top notch in my book.  Combos are also served with Texas toast and I thought it was very good as well.

Fries-These were terrific

The sides here were impressive, but even they couldn't save this mediocre barbecue.  Other people I know really like this place, but I just was not impressed.  I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again.

Big Daddy's Ribs and BBQ
https://www.facebook.com/bigdaddysle
Livin the Good Life Rating=2

Hickory

Kent Rathbun is one of the most highly acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs in DFW.  Both Jasper's and Abacus have been highly acclaimed by critics and diners alike.  He recently opened up Hickory, which is a causal restaurant that he describes as a "modern Texas roadhouse."  The menu is intriguing and serves up several Texas favorites, including barbecue, burgers, chili, and tacos.  Since it opened in June, I have dined there a couple of times and had the opportunity to sample several of the items.

Hickory Waffle Fries

For appetizers, the restaurant has several options with a twist on the traditional, including chili, fried green tomatoes, charred corn bread, Hickory waffle fries, and smoked sausage fondue.  I have sampled the Hickory waffle fries and the charred corn bread.  The corn bread is delicious and served with honey butter.  The Hickory Waffle Fries are topped with Maytag blue cheese, bacon, and scallions.  If you have ever had Rathbun's Maytag blue cheese potato chips at Jasper's, then you will notice that the Hickory waffle fries are basically the fry version of this dish.  The waffle fries themselves are excellent and have a very strong blue cheese taste.  I personally liked this twist on the traditional cheese fries, but would have preferred to have a little more bacon and scallions on my order.

I was also able to sample some of his smoked meat.  On my first visit, I ordered the Meat Lovers Combo with Wagyu Brisket, Smoked Turkey, and their sausage of the day, which was Chorizo.  The brisket was smoked well, had well rendered fat, and was better than I had anticipated.  Unfortunately, a quality bark was lacking on the serving I received.  The turkey had a nice smokey flavor, but was a little too chewy for my taste.  Perhaps my favorite of the three, the sausage had a nice little kick to it and I liked the texture of the course ground sausage.

Meat Lovers Combo

As much as I liked the barbecue, I was also impressed with the 44 Farms Burger.  This burger was served with a pepper crusted bacon, scallion hollandaise sauce, and an egg which I had cooked over medium.  The overall flavor of the burger was great, the bacon was top notch, and I liked the egg cooked over medium because it wasn't quite as runny as some other burgers I have had with eggs.

44 Farms Burger

Sides are impressive here as well.  Although I have only tried the Texas Cheddar Mac & Cheese and the Backstrap Molasses Baked Beans, both were terrific.  The mac & cheese was topped with Parmesan cornbread crumbles and somewhat spicy, but not so much that it overwhelmed the cheddar taste.  The beans were my favorite of the two dishes.  They had a very sweet taste and were topped with two slices of thick cut peppered bacon.

Texas Cheddar Mac & Cheese and Backstrap Molasses Bake Beans

The Texas Sized Chocolate Cupcake is the only dessert I have tried so far, but it had an excellent chocolate flavor, was very moist, and was served with a warm chocolate topping.   The restaurant has a warm and cozy feel to it and the servers work hard to please.  I had a few questions that they couldn't answer regarding menu items, but that is expected with a new restaurant and a staff that is still learning the ropes as well.  I think Rathbun has another winner with Hickory.   I wouldn't hesitate to go back here again and I know that I will have to go back very soon because I still haven't tried the burnt end chili or ribs yet!

Texas Sized Chocolate Cupcake

Hickory
http://www.hickoryplano.com
Livin the Good Life Rating=3

Micklethwait Craft Meats

In my opinion, Austin is now the barbecue capital of Texas.  With all due respect to the triumvirate in Lockhart, the city of Austin now has your beat.  One of the places that I have been wanting to try the last couple of years is Micklethwait Craft Meats.  For various reasons, my schedule has not allowed it.  Luckily, this was the year that I got to try the barbecue trailer that both the Austin Chronicle and the Austin American-Statesman ranked in their top five barbecue joints in Austin.  I actually dined here twice on this trip because they had several menu items that my stomach could not make room for on my first visit. 

Andouille Sausage, Pork Spare Ribs, Lemon Poppy Cole Slaw, and Jalapeno Cheese Grits

Brisket

On my first visit, I ordered the three meat plate with brisket, ribs, and their sausage of the day, which was Andouille.  The brisket (both the lean and the fatty) was very good, with a nice hint of smoke, well rendered fat, and a very nice bark.  Cut appropriately thick, the brisket melted in your mouth.  The ribs were very tender, easily pulled of the bone, and had a dry rub that was peppery with a hint of sweetness.  As for the sausage, I can't remember ever having better Andouille anywhere.  The plate came with two sides and I ordered the jalapeno cheese grits and the lemon poppy cole slaw.  Sides usually take a back burner at barbecue joints, but the grits were some of the best I have ever had and the cole slaw was unique and refreshing.

Barbacoa

On my second visit, I ordered the three meat plate again.  This time I ordered the barbacoa in lieu of the rib and the sausage of the day was red curry sausage.  The brisket was once again very good, but I actually preferred the very tender and expertly seasoned barbacoa.  The red curry sausage was just okay, especially in comparison to the excellent Andouille I had on the previous visit.  For my sides, I once again ordered the jalapeno cheese grits, but also got the beans.  The beans were commendable too, but I actually preferred the cole slaw to the beans.

Homemade Moon Pie

After reading various articles and blog posts about Micklethwait's Homemade Moon Pies, I knew I had to try on of those as well and was amazed at how good it really was compared to the store-bought versions.  This dessert was the cherry on top of a terrific meal and was about double the size of the mass-produced ones you find in your local grocery store.  The line at Micklethwait Craft Meats is considerably shorter than some of the other barbecue locations in town.  Despite the shorter line, the quality of smoked meats is top notch and comparable to other Austin barbecue joints that I have ranked highly.  Due yourself a favor and try this quaint little trailer out, because you will not be disappointed.

Micklethwait Craft Meats
http://craftmeats.com/
Livin the Good Life Rating=4

VooDoo BBQ & Grill

VooDoo BBQ & Grill recently opened it's first Texas location in Frisco.  This popular chain originated in New Orleans and claims to combine barbecue with Cajun, Creole, and Caribbean-style dishes.  Being a fan of both barbecue and Cajun food, I was eagerly anticipating this opening.

I have dined at VooDoo BBQ & Grill twice since this restaurant opened in early May and I have sampled a variety of items.  One of the first items I tried was a bowl of Red Beans and Rice.  The bowl was quite large and the dish was topped with sliced spicy Cajun sausage.  I liked the taste and the fact that it had plenty of sausage, but it tasted even better when I added a little dash of hot sauce.  The portion was actually large enough for a meal, but I had it for appetizer.  

Red Beans and Rice

They have several different barbecue platters with meats that you could find at any barbecue joint, but the restaurant also serves Jerk chicken, Cajun slow cooked chicken, and The Carnival, which includes brisket, chicken, pulled pork, and sausage that is chopped and mixed with sauce.  I had the two meat platter, aka The Graveyard Platter, with brisket and pulled pork.  This item comes with two sides and I ended up adding a third.  

Clockwise From Top Left-Cornbread Pudding, Jambalaya, Brisket, Pulled Pork, Cornbread, and Cajun Fries.

The brisket I had was absolutely abysmal, even by chain standards.  The lean slices I received lacked a smoky flavor, were cut too thin, and were extremely tough.  As bad as the brisket was, I absolutely loved the pulled pork.  It had an excellent bark and had the smoky taste that was lacking in the brisket.  The restaurant offers three types of barbecue sauce that included Mojo sauce (traditional sauce), Cane Vinegar sauce, and spicy sauce made with Crystal hot sauce.  Of the three, I preferred the Mojo sauce.  For sides, I had the fries, jambalaya, and cornbread pudding.  The cornbread pudding was out-of-this-world delicious and the the jambalaya was top notch as well.  The fries were sprinkled with Cajun spices, but were note even close to being as good as the other two sides.

Three Types of Sauce

On my next visit, I decided to try the Jerk Chicken Po' Boy with a side of Gumbo.  The Jerk Chicken itself was a thick sliced chicken breast and it had great flavor that one expects from Jerk spice.  The portion was quite large and filled up the entire six inches of the French bread.  The gumbo I received didn't have much chicken in it and was lacking in flavor until I added a little of the Crystal hot sauce to it.

Jerk Chicken Po'Boy and Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

I was also able to sample the Beignets.  Ir took about ten minutes for them to cook, but the arrived piping hot with plenty of powdered sugar.  The beignets were some of the best I have had in recent memory and I quickly inhaled all three of them in the order.

Beignets

VooDoo BBQ & Grill had some very good items and some I will take a pass on when I visit in the future.  The brisket, gumbo, and fries will not make my list of favorites, but I really liked the pulled pork, the cornbread pudding, the jambalaya, and the beignets.  There are better barbecue choices in Collin County, but I really thought this place was better than average and found the Cajun twist a pleasant experience.

VooDoo BBQ & Grill
http://www.voodoobbqandgrill.com/home
Livin the Good Life Rating=3