OT: Visiting Austin

[cshel]

Hey Everyone,

My buddy and I will be traveling to Austin for the first time to do a mini BBQ tour and enjoy some golfing.

Just wanted to pop in and get your thoughts on which places to go to(was thinking Franklins, Blacks, and maybe somewhere else, though with what I'm anticipating as a long wait, might only be able to go to two), and any golf course recommendations?

When it comes to the golf course, we're not looking for anything amazing, but just a course in decent shape.

TIA

 

[Scholz]

Lots of good BBQ in town. Best brisket is from a food trailer on E. 1st called La Barbecue. You're welcome. I'll let others comment on golf but Lions Muni on Lake Austin Blvd is great if you want an old school Austin experience.

 

[LongfellowDrew]

Franklins is good but you'll need to wait in line to get any. I don't golf just drink so.

 

[Metcalf #2]

Best outdoor setting, and pretty damn good BBQ, is County Line on Lake. Don't know when you're coming, but Friday or Saturday afternoon would be the only times this week the temperature will be good for sitting out on the deck. Sunday right back to cold again. Anyway the outdoor deck sits next to beautiful Bull Creek, which feeds into the lake.


Very popular for tourists, but get mixed reviews around the local finicky BBQ connoisseurs, is the Salt Lick out in Driftwood. Literally out in the middle of nowhere, but only about 30 minutes from downtown Austin. It's been on food network and travel channel a lot. Lots of stars like David Letterman have been there. I think it's pretty good.


Although Franklin's is great, you probably won't want to deal with the long wait. Place is too popular.


I'd rather watch a rock grow than play golf, so I'll leave that up to somebody else. Lol

 

[RoboCocks21]

I love both Franklins and salt lick. Salt lick is my favorite though because of the all you can eat. And I like bringing out my own alcohol and enjoying the scenery out there. There winery isn't bad either.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[LonghornSoldier]

Originally posted by cshel:
Hey Everyone,

My buddy and I will be traveling to Austin for the first time to do a mini BBQ tour and enjoy some golfing.

Just wanted to pop in and get your thoughts on which places to go to(was thinking Franklins, Blacks, and maybe somewhere else, though with what I'm anticipating as a long wait, might only be able to go to two), and any golf course recommendations?

When it comes to the golf course, we're not looking for anything amazing, but just a course in decent shape.

TIA

If you are coming to town you HAVE to eat at one of the good Tex-Mex places.. Maudies, Guerro's, etc The BBQ is a great idea, but to leave without the Tex Mex meal would be a horrid idea

 

[CoachEmUp64]

Franklins is always good, salt lick is definitely worth the drive. If your up for driving you must try Coopers out in Llano, beautiful drive as well.

 

[Falko]

Franklins is well worth it! Can't get any better brisket than that.

Golf, Star Ranch is a hell of a course under $100. Well taken care of.



This post was edited on 2/18 2:02 PM by Falko

 

[clob94]

Salt lick is a tourist trap and WAY over rated. The sauce is SWEET and because we are fat pigs in America we like sweet stuff. Plus, central TX bbq is smokey and a little spicey and when something is different (sweet) people like the change up. Same thing can be said in Memphis and the Carolinas--- they LOVE the mesquite places that are popping up in those areas because it's "different" than what they are used to.

Look---- go to Cooper's in Llano--- its got the best "over all" everything. Not the best ribs but a close second. Not the best brisket, but a close second. FOR SURE the best pork chop you'll ever eat-- and medium/fine ground sausage. Plus the drive is GORGEOUS... and we all agree on that.

Franklins-- it's the "trendy" place and Austin loves it's trends. Brisket is awesome-- but ribs and sausage aren't anywhere near the brisket quality.

City Market in Luling--- pork ribs--- eat your fill. You'll be hard pressed to find better ribs anywhere in the country. The germantown commissary in Memphis has the best baby backs on the planet-- Luling has the best full rack-- Cooper's is right there in the debate.

Black's and Kreuz in Lockhart are virtual toss ups in my mind. There are days when the pit is too warm at both places and the meat isn't perfect-- or it's really cold outside and the pit can't stay at temp-- but I love both of them equally. Solid BBQ all the way around.

Fitties in Bastrop is another solid joint.

Here's what I have started doing at all the BBQ places I've been to because BBQ is one of my hobbies and I have literally eaten it all.......



It's called an East Texas Po-boy.

Get you a toasted hoagie or hamburger bun----

Put some chop beef down on the bottom part of the bun-- spread evenly.
Then lay down some sliced brisket on top of that to cover ths chopped beef-- maybe a little sauce if you desire.
Next, have them strip slice or coin slice your sausage in pieces and put those on top of the brisket.

On the top bun I like adding some dill pickle slices and maybe just a little chopped onion but it's your call.

A touch more of sauce on the bun to make it extra sloppy and then CRUSH that bad boy.

Trust me when I tell you, if you've got a place that has bad ass BBQ---- you're mouth will be going crazy with all the awesome flavors simultaneously.

 

[Falko]

Not sure if Jon Mueller is still on South 1st and Annie but his brisket and sides are damn good, that spice slaw is deadly.

I like the spots outside of Austin but it takes away from eating good BBQ in the city. There are plenty of places dtown and around the 512 to eat and enjoy a good plate. I think some people look too much into it, there is bad BBQ but the there is not a huge difference in the majority of the places to go in and around Austin. Its all good eats.

 

[Metcalf #2]

Oh can it clob. Lol. I love Salt Lick sauce, even buy it at HEB to use on my own BBQ. And no I don't consider it "sweet", sweet baby rays is sweet, like all the other crap sold in stores. Even it it was, people like it because the chit is good!

 

[oldhorn2]

Now us old guys know a little history of these joints. I first ate at Salt Lick soon after it opened in 1968. It was just a small several table place with everything around its big open pit.....Now old man Cooper in Llano...he used to say ( back before he got crushed against his ranch gate with his p/u when he forgot to put it in park)...he used to say ...'it aint what you put on the meat that makes it good. It's what you leave off!"...I havent been back since he died, so I dont know if they still do it the right way or not

 

[clob94]

Well, I will tell you this about Cooper's...... there's one in New Braunfels that was opened about 6 years ago--- they are opening one on Congress and 3rd April 1--- but the one in Llano was awarded last year by USA Today as the 2nd best ribs in the country behind Arthur Bryants in Kansas City. Now Arthur Bryant's is good--- but they just drown thos suckers in sauce--- and Arthur Bryant's has a secret-- they start by boiling their ribs and then finish them on the pit. That's cheating IMHO. Cooper's doesn't smoke there BBQ, they cook it directly over the fire which is more difficult tomake the meat tender but to me---- thats BBQ... MEAT over FIRE.

Smoking, which is what a lot of places do, is considered BBQ by most but I see it as--- SMOKING MEAT.

Metcalf---- I'm not saying Salt lick is bad-- hell, it's good BBQ-- and compared to most sauces from central and south texas-- it is a little sweeter. But to me, it's not the sauce that makes the Q--- it's the meat.

Brisket with that PERFECT char crust on the outside-- pork ribs that when you hild it by one end and pull the bone with your other--- the bone just slides out and the meat isn't just tender---- but oozing with juicy pig fat.

And what you guys have to realize is that even the worst central TX BBQ is WAY better than anything you're going to find in Florida-- cali-- NY-- seattle--- Utah-- we are SPOILED when it comes to the Q.

But for my money-- I'll take the following----

Ribs from Luling City market
Brisket from Franklins
Sausage from Cooper's
Chicken from Black's (their chicken is bad ass)
Pork Chop Cooper's HANDS down
Beef Ribs from Kreuz--
Chop beef from Cooper's
Smoked Turkey Blacks
Chop beef-- take your pick--- they're all good
This post was edited on 2/18 8:18 PM by clob94

 

[CAHorn47]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Snow's in Lexington. The best place to be on a Saturday morning.

 

[cshel]

Awesome stuff guys, thanks a lot.

 

[oldhorn2]

Well hell, since you mentioned sausage.....the best of the best EVER was made at the old Bon Ton grocery in Kyle. I was told that it burned down and they now have moved to Uhland. If that is true and they still make link sausage, it is worth the drive to buy all they have. You will be in my debt forever!
I used to have folks from all over come to our place to hunt and part of the deal was a trip to the Bon Ton for links....The guy told me he had started sending mail orders to the Valley.

 

[soonerdave]

Originally posted by Scholz:
Lots of good BBQ in town. Best brisket is from a food trailer on E. 1st called La Barbecue. You're welcome. I'll let others comment on golf but Lions Muni on Lake Austin Blvd is great if you want an old school Austin experience.

And yes, thank you for that recommendation you provided me last year, among others.

 

[FlourBluffHorn]

It's called an East Texas Po-boy.

Get you a toasted hoagie or hamburger bun----

Put some chop beef down on the bottom part of the bun-- spread evenly.
Then lay down some sliced brisket on top of that to cover ths chopped beef-- maybe a little sauce if you desire.
Next, have them strip slice or coin slice your sausage in pieces and put those on top of the brisket.

On the top bun I like adding some dill pickle slices and maybe just a little chopped onion but it's your call.

A touch more of sauce on the bun to make it extra sloppy and then CRUSH that bad boy.

Trust
me when I tell you, if you've got a place that has bad ass BBQ----
you're mouth will be going crazy with all the awesome flavors
simultaneously.



That's a Calallen Farmhouse BBQ Po'Boy sandwich clob!




Hook'em

 

[Scholz]

Originally posted by soonerdave:

Originally posted by Scholz:
Lots of good BBQ in town. Best brisket is from a food trailer on E. 1st called La Barbecue. You're welcome. I'll let others comment on golf but Lions Muni on Lake Austin Blvd is great if you want an old school Austin experience.

And yes, thank you for that recommendation you provided me last year, among others.

No sweat, Dave. BBQ and Tex Mex in Austin make it worth living here. That alone. Near and dear to me.

 

[soonerdave]

Originally posted by Scholz:

Originally posted by soonerdave:

Originally posted by Scholz:
Lots of good BBQ in town. Best brisket is from a food trailer on E. 1st called La Barbecue. You're welcome. I'll let others comment on golf but Lions Muni on Lake Austin Blvd is great if you want an old school Austin experience.




And yes, thank you for that recommendation you provided me last year, among others.


No sweat, Dave. BBQ and Tex Mex in Austin make it worth living here. That alone. Near and dear to me.

Pretty much pigged out while we were there. La BBQ, Franklin, Hut's, Hula Hut, and some place that seemed WAYYY off the beaten path on our way to Brenham. Can't recall the name, but we had to cut off to the north/northwest. Darn tasty.

 

[Scholz]

Originally posted by soonerdave:

La BBQ, Franklin, Hut's, Hula Hut

Nice sampling of Austin right there. Well done.

 

[Falko]

Hopdoddy is damn good as well for burgers. Great atmosphere with a solid beer menu.