Best Barbecue Bites

The best bites from Texas' greatest barbecue fest 2016

The Beast from Paris, France, was the first global joint to participate in the fest.

Photo by Morgan Katz

Barbecue-lovers gathered on October 30 to chow down at Texas Monthly's annual TMBBQ Fest. Austin's Long Center was flooded with folks eager to sample bites from 27 joints, 25 of which were honored in the magazine's guide to the 50 best barbecue restaurants in Texas.

As we've noted in years past, it's virtually impossible to hit every single booth; we conquered as many as possible. Here are our favorites, representing joints across Texas — and even abroad:

The Beast
Hailing from Paris, France, The Beast was the first global participant at the festival. The crew presented a perfectly marbled beef rib that was tender and juicy and easy to chew.

Cousin's Bar-B-Q
Cousin's sausage was the first link that stood out to us. This Fort Worth joint served a jalapeño cheddar sausage with a smooth consistency. The jalapeño contributed some heat, while the cheddar added a creaminess that reduced the spice.

Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue
Evie Mae's dished up some of the best brisket we had all day — well worth a trip to Wolfforth, located just outside Lubbock. The meat was tender and, even without sauce, as moist as could be. The smoke ring around the meat was clearly visible, and the crust boasted a delicious combination of seasonings.

Gatlin's BBQ
This Houston joint whipped up creations we didn't expect to see at a barbecue festival. On the menu wassmoked salmon served in an endive boat with tomato jam and jalapeño crema (our fave), as well as a beef short rib on a mound of white cheddar porcini grits.

The Granary 'Cue & Brew
The San Antonio spot served pork belly unlike any we've had. The thinly sliced pork, sprinkled with salt before it was served, maintained a sweetness that wasn't overwhelming.

Killen's Barbecue
Killen's from Pearland was one of a few other joints offering pork belly. Each tasty cut was caramelized and cooked to perfection, with a slight crunch on the outside to contrast the soft and tender inside.

La Barbecue
Among the Austin joints we sampled, La Barbecue stood out. Pitmaster John Lewis' well-known sausage was extra spicy, the kind of link that'll put your taste buds on high alert.

Louie Mueller Barbecue
The Taylor joint's lamb chop was a pleasant change of pace from the other bites we tried. The delicate meat was coated with a sweet sauce that made the handy wipes very handy indeed.

Miller's Smokehouse
These folks from Belton know how to cook a pork loin. The pork was incredibly moist and tender, with a balanced blend of spices that wasn't too peppery.

Pecan Lodge
We waited in a long line for this Dallas hot spot and were lucky enough to score a coveted end piece of brisket. Dripping with juice, the brisket had the perfect amount of fat and smokiness that made us want to double back for more.

The Granary 'Cue and Brew's pork belly.

Texas Monthly TMBBQ Fest 2016 The Granary 'Cue & Brew San Antonio barbecue pork belly

Photo by Morgan Katz

The Granary 'Cue and Brew's pork belly.

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Restaurant News Roundup

Summer specials and new sandwiches fill up this Fort Worth restaurant news

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Last weekend to get some Dough Boy Donuts

This roundup of restaurant news around Fort Worth has it all: an opening, a closure, a relocation, plus summer menus, brand new sandwiches, and a bruschetta battle.

Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news:

Dough Boy Donuts, which has been making doughnuts in Burleson for nine years, is closing on Sunday 30. According to a post by shop owner Melvin Roberson, he's closing due to health issues that prevent him from continuing to run the business to its full potential. "I have decided to prioritize my own health and therefore feel this closure will allow me to reset and regain control of my health," Roberson says. "Dough Boy Donuts was founded in 2015 as an idea that became a reality. From my personal kitchen, to a food truck, to finally our ultimate dream of brick and mortar, we have felt the love of this community. I am so grateful for the last nine years and I have felt the love and support from you all. I will be forever in your debt from the love you all have shown Dough Boy."

Chip'd, a food truck that specializes in "hot cookie nachos," closed their storefront at 2430 Forest Park Blvd., in the former Black Rooster Bakery space near TCU, where they'd been since April 2023. They said they had reached "the breaking point" after lots of hard consideration and months and months of struggling to keep the doors open, and closed on June 29. They'll continue to operate the truck in neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and private events. Their specialty is cookie nachos — warm cookies adorned with toppings such as chopped PB cups, mini M&M’s, chopped nuts, and chopped Heath Bars.

Los Vaqueros Stockyards celebrates its final night at its current location on June 30. "Come by and create a few more cherished memories with us," they recommend. They'll be closed for about two weeks during the transition, reopening at their new location in mid-July. The new location is in the 1911 Stockyards Exhibits building at 2501-2519 Rodeo Plaza where it will occupy an 8,000 square foot-space with an adjacent patio that seats an additional 85 guests.

Bobo Bites is a new shop at 841 North Tarrant Pkwy. #100 near Rufe Snow Drive in Keller serving coffee, tea, bubble tea, slushies, smoothies, and Vietnamese treats. The menu includes lychee rose-flavored jasmine tea, honeycomb toffee latte, Hanoi egg coffee, Vietnamese milk coffee, coco pandan latte, and creative smoothies such as ahhhvocado avalanche and strawberry cheese cloud. Bites include mochi muffins, cheesecakes, flan, and croissant waffles.This is the second location from owners Jesse Nguyen, founder Michelle Ta, her brother Jason Ta, and Jen Nguyen, who opened the first in Arlington at 4201 W Green Oaks Blvd. #416 in 2023.

Texas Indian Kabab & Grill is a recently opened Indian restaurant in far southwest Fort Worth at 5054 Trail Lake Dr #108, in a small shopping center, taking over where another Indian place called Tikka Tikka once resided. They're doing classics like chicken tikka masala, samosas, pakoras, butter chicken, biryani, the rice dish, in a variety of options — chicken, lamb, shrimp, goat, and veggie — plus chicken wings cooked in a clay oven.

BJ’s Restaurants added a new Graham Cracker S’mores Pizookie to the menu for $8.45. It’s a Ghirardelli triple chocolate cookie topped with graham cracker crumbles, toasted marshmallows, two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, and more graham crackers on top.

The Capital Grille has brought back The Generous Pour, a wine-pairing dinner special available July 1-September 1 in Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth, and Southlake, featuring seven wines from California’s coastal growing regions of Sonoma, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, to pair with special menu items. Pricing starts at $45.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill has a new summer menu available through August 26 including tomato caprese with burrata, crab & shrimp Florentine, and Sicilian citrus mahi and wood-grilled mahi. Dessert is an Italian cookie cake— a take on the traditional Italian rainbow cookie made with almond cake with raspberry filling, covered in chocolate ganache, served with vanilla ice cream.

Dairy Queen is featuring the Salted Caramel Truffle DQ Blizzard for its July Blizzard of the month, consisting of vanilla soft serve, caramel truffles, and sea salt.

Blue Goose Cantina has a new summer menu featuring $14 entrees, such as tacos al pastor, shrimp tacos, huaraches, and a "Mexican benedict" with two sopes topped with refried beans, chorizo, poached eggs, salsa verde, sour cream, queso fresco, and cilantro, served with brunch potatoes, as well as a new kiwi cucumber margarita. At Frisco, Plano, Highland Village, McKinney, Grapevine, Fort Worth, and Grand Prairie.

Dog Haus is launching new limited-time menu items: the Naughty Dog and Naughty Burritostarting July 1. The Naughty Dog is an all-beef jalapeño snap dog topped with sweet and spicy pickled pepper relish and mustard aioli, served in grilled King’s Hawaiian rolls. The Naughty Burrito is a collaboration with Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos, featuring an all-beef jalapeño snap dog, three sunny-side-up eggs, white American cheese, caramelized onions, crispy tater tots, and spicy mayo inside a toasted flour tortilla.

Fish City Grill launched several July Chalkboard Specials, including seared Ahi tuna tacos with mango jicama relish, avocado ranch, chips & avocado salsa verde for $16.49. Grilled Mediterranean Branzino with creamy olive pesto, creamy parmesan rice, and a chargrilled summer squash medley for $24.99. These specials will be available July 1–31 at all Dallas locations.

Postino launches its second annual Battle of The Bruschetta a bracket that runs July 1-September 15 where diners can cast their vote for their favorite bruschetta from four options: French Onion, Buffalo Cauliflower, Philly Cheesesteak, and Berry Mascarpone. Voting requires diners to text “BATTLE” to 602-637-1510 for each round, but hey, the winner gets added to the permanent menu.

Starbucks has new cold beverages and menu items for summer including an Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich with an egg frittata, kale & basil pesto, and mozzarella on a cheddar -onion bun; and a Blueberry Streusel Muffin. There are three new Iced Energy Beverages: melon, tropical citrus, and frozen tropical citrus with strawberry puree; a new Caramel Vanilla Swirl Iced Coffee; and two new nondairy items: vanilla sweet cream and vanilla sweet cream cold foam, both made with oatmilk and soymilk and available year-round as an addition to any beverage.

Taco Cabana has a new Cheetos Flamin' Hot Taco with ground beef, Cheetos Flamin’ Hot snacks, lettuce, and Cheetos Flamin’ Hot infused sauce; Al Pastor Street Tacos and Al Pastor Tortas featuring diced pork marinated in dried chilies and spices, three tacos with rice, beans, shredded lettuce, guacamole, and two tortillas. Also: Brisket Loaded Fries and Nachos, with queso, smoked brisket, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. New beverages include Caramel Iced Coffee and a frozen MTN DEW melon rum Punch with Bacardi Rum and Mountain Dew Major Melon.

Snappy Salads has added a new handheld category featuring sandwiches, wraps and pita pockets. Sandwiches come on toasted ciabatta bread, wraps on lavash flatbread, and are served with choice of sweet potato chips or tortilla chips and salsa. New handhelds include turkey & spicy bacon onion relish, roast beef & black truffle aioli, and Italian chopped salad.

Tacodeli has new Chunky Salsa, Queso, and Creamy Jalapeño (aka Salsa Doña) dips now sold at Whole Foods Markets.

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe has two limited-edition dishes: watermelon spinach salad with watermelon, basil, pecans and crumbled feta cheese on a bed of leafy spinach for $8.25, and whipped feta lamb burger includes two griddle-cooked seasoned lamb patties, whipped feta, sliced tomato, grilled red onions and peppers on a toasted Kaiser bun for $13.

Whataburger is bringing back the buffalo ranch chicken strip sandwich. It's available for a limited time in full and Jr. sizes in-store, at the drive-thru, online at Whataburger.com, and on the Whataburger App. To celebrate its return, Whataburger released an 18" x 12" sandwich pillow available in Whataburger's online store for $15.

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