Sam's BBQ: Austin, Texas

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: need to get some more lamb ribs

Sam’s Barbecue is located in East Austin and may not show up on a lot of people’s radar but that is their mistake. The place is run down, it is old, there are faded photographs on the wall and there is no air running through that place. The tables are clean, but have that layer or that sticky coating. You sit on the vinyl booths and you question if you are able to get yourself up because the heat of the place and you sweating, you just maybe stuck to the chair. Weirdly enough, the only “modern” thing was the television in the middle of the dining area, blaring some old Western. Walking in there is the notable slogan of Sam’s Barbecue, “you don’t need no teeth, to eat our beef”. 

I was already bursting at the seams with meat, eating and despite my usual meaty trifecta, I was straight going to die (I had Black’s and Salt Lick earlier that day). I went with the two plate combo of brisket and mutton, came with a side of beans and potato salad and came to the grand total of 10.95. The cheapest barbecue I had yet. The mutton was the special here and the thing to get. The mutton is from the breast/ribs and fatty. 

“Do you like the fat” He asked. I acknowledge that I did and that fat is where the flavor is at and that gave him a chuckle. I kept thinking back to the tagged mantra “no teeth to eat our beef” as he carved the mutton, its meat sagging over the ribs and the brisket, that required both hands to scoop up into the tray. He ladled on a sauce without a choice, but did give me the choice of either white or wheat bread, surprising that I actually had options and being a first. 

I decided to take my chances outside in the hot Texas sun and besides, barbecue taste better outside…especially when it is like 101 degrees. The mutton was great; it had a great gamey flavor to it and hint of smoke. He was not kidding about it being fatty, I am pretty sure that the meat basically confited. The brisket was again, moist and almost like pot roast however, I think the overall fattiness of the beef, did not allow smoke penetration to the meat. The sauce was plain, straight tomato based sauce but overall neutral. It lacked any acidity or sweetness, and just tasted like tomatoes. I guess it served as a lubricant rather than a flavor enhancer but like all the barbecue I have had in Austin, it did not need sauce. 

As I was sitting there baking in the sun, I cannot help and think of the history behind this place. Admittedly, this place is not located in the best part of East Austin. I mean you would feel nervous coming here late at night. But this you cannot help and admire at all the pictures on the wall, unintentionally chronicling the history of this place and Austin. Upon further research, Sam’s is one of the oldest African American owned barbecue joints in Austin. Though there has been some negative press about the place recently, it is still a place that barbecue eaters should continue to go and it is true, you don’t need any teeth to eat their beef.

Sam’s BBQ

2000 East 12th Street

 Austin, TX

Red Hook Vendors

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Meals taste better off of crappy paper plates

Unless you live in Carroll Gardens/Red Hook, getting to the Red Hook Vendors is a bit of a hike. The closest stop is the Carroll Street stop on the F and G line and even then, it is a good 20 minute walk (I think for normal people that do not walk stupid fast like me). That is a lot of travelling for food. But it is worth it to eat some good food and support a local community. I first saw the vendors on television a while back, I think it was on either Bourdain’s show or Zimmerman’s, either way, outdoor street vendors making non-Gringo’d food? I am so there. 

Huraches

Unfortunately throughout the years, the numbers of vendors have dwindled but this should not deter you because you are going to eat well either way. They line the soccer fields and one of the most popular trucks is the Country Boys truck that you can try at Smorgasburg too, but the lines here are hipster free! They are doing Mexican food though they have tacos, do not miss out on their huraches or their sopes. A Hurache is a gut bomb; think of it as one huge taco that gets topped with refried beans, vegetables and a choice of meat. It comes on two plates and requires you to use both your hands. Sopes are deceptively heavy, masa cakes that are filled with refried beans and then topped with meat and vegetables. I love the chicharrons they are doing here, in this case meaning fried pork skin, little bits of fried crunchy goodness.

Sopes

The Cesina (salted beef) is something that I also like and got on one of the Sopes, only thing is I kind of wish they chopped it up for easier consumption. Another cart was frying up empanadas which I suggest getting the chicken and cheese empanada rather than the straight cheese which can get thick and gummy as it cools down. Crispy shell that shatters with each bite with a savory running filling makes this an idea snack…or light meal. 

Guatemala and Central American vendors are here too making great ceviches. I got the shrimp ceviche topped with a nasal clearing hot sauce and cancha, the mutant gigantic roasted corn kernels that are found in Peru and other places. The ceviche is another meal in a bowl, though some would question buying ceviche from the back of a truck, it is perfectly fine. Filled with shrimp and onions, the ceviche broth is refreshing to drink down on a hot day.

Pupusa

 The pupusas from the El Salvadorian truck is a winner too. I got a pupusa platter one with chorizo and cheese and the other with loroco and cheese. Loroco is a flower/plant found in Central America. Heard about it, never had it, got it out of curiosity and it taste like a vegetable. Good but it did not have a distinct taste, but then again, shoved in a corn cake and cheese, nothing is really distinct. The pupusas are topped with an addicting pickled cabbage that I could really just eat all on its own. Get the cashew juice here, it is sweet and refreshing and despite what you may think, not nutty in anyway. 

Empaadas

The Red Hook Vendors are great to visit and you can eat well without spending a whole lot. Everyone here is friendly, the food is good and if you really want, you can watch the kids play soccer (in a non-Megan’s law creepy way of course). This is another thing where showing up with a group is a good thing so you can try many things from different carts. I hope the Red Hook Vendors continue to do business and are around next summer, it is a must do for everyone. 

The NoMad: Brunch

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: rooms like the parlour, atrium, library? Are you sure the NoMad isn’t a live action version of clue? If a Colonel shows up with a pipe, I am out of there.

The NoMad just got their first Michelin star before I went to brunch with the family here. Though it is in a desolate area, I mean come on, it is just really hotels around here and hell, the NoMad is in a hotel, and it is worth coming here. Ran by Daniel Humm and will Gidara of Eleven Madison and Park, NoMad is by no means their bastard child, this place once you experience the service and food is at the level that you would find at Eleven Madison and Park. To start off, we have the house made pastries. It was pricey and 18 bucks but you did get a lot of bread, 3 croissants, and blueberry crumb cake, slices of warm bread, 2 preserves and butter. That is a hell of a pastry basket. Only criticism I had was that the croissants, an almond, chocolate and regular could have been significantly improved and most likely been destroyed immediately if they came out at least slightly warmed. The bread slices, speckled with raisins and walnuts did come out warm and was destroyed immediately. 

The menu can be split into two categories from you breakfast fare to regular lunch. Though you would think getting a dish of egg Benedict would be a waste, you would be wrong. Their eggs Benedict with crab, tarragon is probably one of the best eggs Benedicts I have had. Okay, I do not eat eggs Benedicts a lot but this can be summed up with one word: rich. The hollandaise just fantastic and fat kid in me wanted to just lick the plate clean. Civilized fat kid in me used excess bread to wipe the plate clean. Food After the Jump!

In and Out

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: What else can I get animal style?

Though most food nerds turn their nose at any fast food, even the most cynical pretentious foodie will be intrigued by an In and Out Burger. The closest one to Austin, Texas was in Lancaster, Texas just outside of Dallas. Thankfully I was traveling with a friend that has a lead foot and one of the best radar detectors that money can buy. The menu is simple enough but the allure of In and Out for those of us that do not have it as a dining option; it is the allure of that secret menu. Not to go into specifics, there are certain add ons and additional preparations that you can get for your meal. Also In and Out was one of the first places that toted fresh food and cooked to order burgers. I went with a 2x2 animal style (a double cheese burger with 2 slices of cheese), well done fries (as it sounds extra crispy fries), animal style and a Neapolitan shake. Animal style, which sounds straight gangster, is when the burger is topped with grilled onions and a special sauce, similar to the Big Mac sauce. Animal style friends are cheese fries topped with said combination/sauce.

Of course the comparison to Shake Shack is inevitable.

 The verdict is, that burger for burger, I will take the Shake Shack burger over an In and Out burger. It is a good fast food burger, one of the best, but Shake Shack is better. The patties were smaller and did not feel that substantial in my hands. Fries however, goes to In and Out, especially with the option of getting them well done but even the regular fries which I sampled on a friend’s tray were nice and crisp. Overall, it was worth checking out In and Out, the service was some of the best I had at a fast food place. The ultimate deadly combination would be to get a Shake Shack burger animal style but that is wishful dangerous thinking. 

Salt Lick Barbecue

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Salt Lick was the first time I got actual utensils let alone metal ones…it left me confused

One of the final places I visited in my mini-barbecue quest was the Salt Lick. I guess wanting to go to the Salt Lick is like when people not from New York rave about Grimaldi’s. This was my introduction to Texas barbecue when I first sampled them at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. The first time I thought their brisket was fine and the sausage was out of this world. I however, we ate this at the end of the trip, after eating at a lot of other barbecue places. In short, it is okay.  

The Sauces

Sausage and Turkey

It is a tourist trap no doubt. There are just droves of people there and tour buses parked on the side. It is literally in the middle of nowhere, I was surprised Garmin was able to find it. It is a ranch basically and the inside is a cavernous dining hall. We were hitting our proverbial wall and instead of going by the poundage, we went with 2 combination platters and an extra half order of sausage. The combination allowed us to sample the pork ribs, brisket, turkey and surprise, more sausage. This is too easy to make an immature sausage joke. 

Ribs and brisket

The pit at the Salt Lick is impressive; you cannot be impressed by this. It is an open round pit with a grill and just mountains of meat and sausage just hanging from up above. We just ate barbecue about forty minutes before hand and this sight made me hungry. The Salt Lick differs in which they do not do the low and slow method; they are going for high heat, well high heat for Texas. There is no 200-275; it is more like 300-375. They are using oak like others but in addition they use soaked pecan shells to add flavor and as a makeshift temperature controller. 

sausage

One gripe, they did not have sweet tea or Big Red. How can you claim to be Texas barbecue if you do not have these iconic Texas, specifically barbecue beverages? I mean this is what I have come to know and love, Big Red? I just taste like Red. They did have Dr. Pepper though so I guess you get a pass. The brisket though tender had no flavor. It did not pick up any of the smoke from the wood. It was edible but did not wow me at all. The pork ribs were very good and if I was to eat at the Salt Lick again, this is what I would go for, the pork was able to get a bit more of the smoke and the meat was just right. The turkey was great and question why anyone would not smoke their turkeys for Thanksgiving (I know I do). Maybe it was the combination of beef palate fatigue but we wanted more, regardless the breast meat was supple and juicy. The sausage was good here though very different from the sausage that we had at other places. It was a finer grind, heavier on the salt but good amount of spice. It was similar to a kielbasa in texture, which lead it to have the best snap. The sauce however, is great and I can understand the cult-like following for this sauce. I personally brought back two bottles, and rationing it sparingly. It is a perfect mix of sweet, tangy and salt and just something that makes everything taste better. I guess I will soon be joining the legions trying to crack this recipe. 

Cobbler

I had to do dessert, I mean if the option is out there and it is descent, no matter if I am burping up enough meat to re-taste my meal I will always take a gander at it. I went with the blackberry cobbler with a scoop of ice cream on top. I am glad I did not skip it, this was one of the best desserts I had all trip, the cobbler was full of fruit, flaky crust and ice cold ice cream just melting all over it. Even my friends that were at their limit could not resist a taste of it. Besides, you need a bit of sugar to cut all the salt and fat.

Now that I have eaten a lot of Texas Barbecue, the Salt Lick is more about the atmosphere. It relishes in that Hill Country romantic nostalgia of cooking on an open pit and relaxing with others while eating copious amounts of meat. They do what works for them, using high heat cooking which you lose the smoke essence in the barbecue. However, their methods are warranted given the high volume of business they are doing. I am conflicted, the barbecue let’s face it, is just average compared to what else you got. But at the same time, it is sure a hell of a lot better than the majority of the places here in the Northeast. Though I would eagerly wait in line during the Big Apple BBQ block party, I do not see myself coming back here the next time I come through Texas. Though I will be picking up a couple of bottles of the sauce the next time I pass through the airport. Here is a tip, unless you are desperate for ‘cue do not do the airport Salt Lick, it is all hot/steam bagged, you might as well go to a Famous Dave’s. 

Pit Porn

Salt Lick

18300 FM 1826
Driftwood, TX 78619

www.saltlickbbq.com/

Donut Quest: Gourdough's and Mrs. Johnson's

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Austin- Only place I have ever used a fork and knife to eat a donut

In Austin, there is this magical trailer called Gourdoughs. Besides having a great name, they are making some of the best donuts I have ever had. This is nothing like what exists in New York. This is just a whole other genre of donuts; this is the definition of excess. I mean, you need to use a fork and knife for this donut because there is no possible way that you can eat one of these without it looking like you got in an all out brawl with Duncan Hines and Tim Hortons. The doughnuts here are what I call dessert donuts, in which they are bluntly covered and showered with sugary goodness. They picked up on the bacon trend with their Flying Pig, covered with in a maple syrup glaze and bacon. Do I need to really explain this? You can beat the trend to death but it works, salty sweet. 

Flying Pig

The Porky

They also are overachievers and push the donut making arts with the Porky, a donut covered in cream cheese, jalapeno jelly and Canadian bacon. The Porky sounds like an odd combination but it works, the salty Canadian bacon, gooey cream cheese and the sour sweet Jalapeno jelly just plain works. The Donuts themselves are fried to order and yeasted. Even without the outrageous toppings it was a good donut that was light and airy. That did not stop me from trying the pudding, cream cheese icing, and bananas and crushed vanilla wafers filled with cream. There was also the Mama’s cake filled with yellow cake batter and covered with chocolate icing. These were just coma inducing and hit you like a pastry cream filled bunker buster. I think the idea of yellow cake batter as a filling is genius and will most likely steal this idea for a future dessert. Sure it seems like that anyone can just put a mountain of toppings on a donut, but there is some finesse to the making of their creations and the donut itself is good enough to eat on its own, though with the addition of cream cheese, chocolate and meat does not hurt at all. 

Pudding- bananas, creamed filled, vanilla wafers, cream cheese

Mama's Cake

I am a romantic sucker, so places like Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery is right up my alley. I went there when it just about opened, about 8pm (hours are 7pm to 1pm the next day) and Airport Blvd. road was empty and dark with the sign from Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery they only sign of urban development. 

Their sign glowed like a firefly’s light in the darkness. It was slightly comforting to me given I was basically in the middle of nowhere looking for donuts. Their doughnut machine is impressive and the conveyor belt donut maker and glazer are impressive to watch. But much better is to eat them. I was rewarded for my 5 minute wait and patience with a free donut to eat on the go on top of my order. Love the places in New York but sitting in that dark parking lot, eating that fluffy sweet donut there was nothing better than that donut I was eating.

Gourdough’s

1503 S 1st St
Austin, TX 78704

Mrs. Johnson’s Bakery

4909 Airport Boulevard

Austin, TX

J. Mueller BBQ

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: I don’t drink that much anymore, but I don’t turn down free beer

“This is it? It’s a trailer dude.”

That was my friend’s first introduction to Texas Barbecue. Maybe we should have gone to the more impressive Lockhart or something else but no, I chose to go to J. Mueller’s. I mean, within the Austin City limits, the automatic answer for going to barbecue was not in Austin, was to go to Taylor, Luling or Lockhart. But now, the two most recommended places and need to go are Franklin’s and J. Mueller’s. Nerds might recognize the last name, same family running the famous Louie Mueller in Taylor, he branched out and went to Austin and from the lines, people here are thankful for it. 

J. Mueller is composed of a lot, one that smokes the meat and the other for carving and paying for the meat. Though the man was busy, he had time to mess around with me, answer some questions and pass out some cans of Lone Star on that hot Texas day.

We went with what I dubbed the trinity of Texas barbecue, brisket, beef ribs and sausage. Thankfully, my friends let me order which may or may not have been a bad thing because I always go for moist and ask for maybe a slice or 2 of lean, to see how it is. They were unfamiliar with the ordering system but it is basically like ordering from a deli. Prices are listed out by poundage and you tell them how much you want. They carve it, pile it on butcher paper, throw in white bread, (or crackers, but I really never seen anyone get crackers) and help yourself to the condiments of raw onions or pickles. Since I wanted to pretend to be healthy, I got an order of the chipotle coleslaw. On to the meat porn!

Take me Back to Black's: Black's Barbecue

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: If the butcher paper ain’t transparent by the end of the meal, your ‘cue probably didn’t taste that good

My original plan was to go to Lockhart, Texas and eat at Smitty’s, Kruez and Blacks. However when we got there on Monday, they Smitty’s and Kruez were both closed. Their coals maybe continuously burning, but they were not serving barbecue that day. I was a bit disheartened (actually probably for the best, because I would have ended up leaving Lockhart with gout) but thankfully, the one place that I really wanted to visit, Black’s was open as it should, claiming to be open 8 days a week. The town of Lockhart is fun for a person that grew up in suburban New Jersey. Cliché as it sounds, it looks like a place stuck in time, like when you see old Cold War reels of Reds invading American town, Lockhart is the town they are talking about. Black’s Barbecue has been in operation since 1932 and boasts are being one of one of the oldest, same family ran operation. Kent Black, the current Black runs it and was kind enough to indulge my inner nerd and gave me a tour of their pits and gave me a whole run down of the operation. Oak, aged for a year, pits run about 225 and they do not do no Texas Crutching here. Which, I would expect from a place in business since 1932. 

Rat Cheese-love it

This is the type of atmosphere and aurora that I was chasing for during my trip. You grab a plate and indulge on the cafeteria style spread of sides and desserts and then you order your meat. I loved the fact that they had the little packets of rat cheese and how nice the whole staff was and patient with those that could not decide on what they wanted. Here we got the standard fare, brisket, beef rib and sausage, got the jalapeno cheese and their original. First the sausage, I am a fan of the medium grid sausages, I like the texture. The original sausage unfortunately was that great, neutral tasting and did not pop with any flavor. Thankfully, their sauce is quite good, peppery and acid, it solved the monotonous sausage. The Jalapeno and cheese fared better, slightly spicy and chunks of cheese present it was good. Meat after the jump!

Franklin Barbecue

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: If bacon is a gateway meat, then this brisket is like…an 8 ball I guess?

It is 9:05am in the morning in Austin Texas. It is about 80 degrees and climbing and a slight humidity. I wanted to pretend to be cool and not show up at 9am, wanted to be too cool to show up at 9am on the dot and looking like a crazy person. That changed when I got there and the line was already 20 people deep. Right after I showed up, 10 other people showed up and by 10:30, the line was out to the parking lot as far as I could see. Okay, I did not have my glasses, but the line was very long. This is the typical scene at the line at Franklin’s Barbecue. This may have actually been a toned down line because the UT game was the previous night and otherwise hardcore ‘cue fans were nursing and tired out from an easy UT victory. 

10:30am. They open at 11.

Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue does not have a barbecue generational pedigree story, though his parents owned a barbecue place for a few years. At most, he has a trailer to brick and mortar story, of succeeding. His brisket has been voted, tested as one of the best in the nation. And since no one does barbecue like we do, I will affirmatively say, in the world as well. I was a doubter and thought it was a whole lot of hype but I quickly changed that when I ate there. 

I was going to go light because other barbecue was on the itinerary, I was going to go with a half a pound of brisket, but after a quick taste I had to add a couple more slices. A sausage link, and ribs are part of my standard fare. I got a takeout order for my friends that were not as crazy about barbecue as me and lucky for them, I am only an asshole sometimes. MEAT

Can't get enough Shopsins

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: pumpkin batter fried chicken is the next big thing

Moe #2

Shopsins requires a bit of planning. If you do not want to sit around and wait, show up early, have more than 5 people, find somewhere else to eat and if you are aiming to be productive afterwards, you can just forget about that. The expectations of you being productive are slim. You will most likely want to nurse your newly acquired “itis” and take a nap or re-watch the first season Game of Thrones. I mean obviously you can just order something light at Shopsins, like toast, oatmeal or just plain old pancakes, but seriously? You are at Shopsins; you do not just order oatmeal here.

Awesome donuts

They were getting slammed when we went so when I asked for an order of donut, I was shutdown to a half order, being told that a full order would be too much. It’s a good thing I relented because a full order would have me sprinkling like Lipitor on it. These donuts reminded me of funnel cake or picarones, they were light and airy and had a sweet maple glaze though in the future, I will go with cinnamon sugar to lighten it up a bit. Choosing what to get here is always a challenge and I ended up getting the Moe #2 which like anything here a good choice. Of the group I was with, it was the first to come out and it came with a sparkly tassel forked in it. I do not know if this in the norm for this dish, but I like it. The Moe #2 consisted of a pumpkin batter fried chicken that is sandwiched in between pancakes and served with 2 sunny side eggs. I will give you a second to re-read that and let it soak in. the fried chicken was just great; the batter had a slight sweetness that just worked wonders with the juicy chicken. Pancakes and eggs I hit all the food groups. More Food!

Brunch at The Breslin

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: The Breslin needs more mounted animals on their walls

The Breslin is slowly becoming one of my favorite places to eat in New York and especially in Nomad. I am being awesome and calling this area Nomad because it sounds cool and feel trendy. The brunch menu here is something that should not be overlooked and is offered bright and early on the weekends so if you need a bit of protein after your workout, I think the lamb burger will suffice. The pastries here are good like the gooseberries coffee cake. I have really have no idea what the heck a gooseberry is and frankly, sounds dirty but I know that it works in this coffee cake. 

The gooseberries are really tart and great contrast with the sweetness of the coffee cake and sandy crumbs. One of the specials was the pork sausage roll, all made in house from the sausage up. The pastry was flaky and buttery and oozed of butter that blanketed a dense flavorful sausage. You could taste each Weight Watchers point and with a side of mustard and fried sage leaves, I could have stopped here. But I would have missed my main of the baked eggs with chorizo. The eggs were in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with slices of chorizo this was like an eggy dip. The toast crisps were really the only utensils needed to eat this dish. Only one personal complaint was I wish the eggs were a bit runnier, of the three eggs, there was only one runny egg. Brunch at the Breslin is good, though next time; I need to man up and fatty up and have at that fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

The Breslin
16 West 29th Street 

 New York, NY 10001

thebreslin.com/ 

Dominique Ansel Bakery

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: figure out how the hell he gets his madeleines so light

In Soho I usually try to walk as fast as I can to avoid the random tourist that just kind of stand there or sometimes in the middle of the street to take a picture and I hope that a cab hits them. What? I just said hit, not kill them, there is a difference. However I find myself slowly down to stop at Dominique Ansel Bakery. Dominique Ansel is not a cutiesy cupcake baker, rather one of those, trained in France and worked in Boulud kind of bakers. He ventured out on his own and started up this bakery, sometime last year. At Dominique Ansel bakery, they are making delicious sweets and pastries that would make a Frenchman think twice that there are no good croissants or pastries in America (though they would never tell you that). Like more bakeries that have croissants, I always go for one step further and get a chocolate croissant.

 Any reason to get more chocolate in my diet in the morning is always a good thing. The chocolate croissants are rich and airy and have a shattering flakiness. Of the flaky awesome butter pasties is the kouign amann or DKA for short or to skip butchering the name of this pastry. This is a pastry from Brittany that uses salted butter and has sugar laminated in resulting in a caramelized pastry.

The caneles here are some of the best I have had. There are few places in New York that have caneles, which is odd because when I visit Taiwan, almost all the bakeries there have them. However, the caneles here are the best I have had so far. The outside is rigid, but break through the caramelized exterior; you get a custard-like center. These are so good it makes me finding reasons to justify the purchase of canele molds. Canele molds, the no-shit ones, are made of copper and average about 20 a piece. So, who wants to be my Sugar Mama?

Madeleines are one of my favorite cookies and whenever a place has them, I always need to try them even if I know they are going to bad (like the ones in a Dakar gas station). Tangent, I do not know why they are considered to be cookies by the French, they are just mini cakes. Anyways, the madeleines here are baked to order so you need some patience on your part but you are rewarded with light little cake bites that are fresh from the oven.

The staff at Dominque Ansel is friend and you can see him there all the time either baking to running the register. He is committed to his place and the food and pastries here are the result of his hard work. I find myself now trying to be in area so I have an excuse to come by. 

Dominique\Ansel Bakery
189 Spring St
New York, NY 10012
http://dominiqueansel.com/