Beef is to Texas as crabs are to Maryland. Sorry for the frightening flashback to SAT days, but it’s true: both beef and crabs are vital to their respective state’s culture and economy. Just like it would be a shame not to have steamed crabs (or crab cake if you’re too much of a pansy to crack open our crimson crustacean), it would be wrong not to try Texas’ BBQ beef brisket. In the 30 hours we were there, we had brisket three times at three different restaurants. You might call it going overboard; we call it being thorough. Here’s our review of each place we visited:
Rudy’s
We both had friends recommend that we visit Rudy's. It was described as a gas station restaurant, which made it seem a little sketchy. I envisioned a rickety hole-in-the-wall wood shack. Far from it. Rudy’s is actually a chain of many restaurants, each of which has that famous, down-home Texas decor. It just happens to be located at gas stations. So don't let that bother you, because it's well worth a visit.
The first good sign: the restaurant smelled like smoke. Not holy-shit-call-the-fire-department smoke, but holy-shit-that’s-good-BBQ smoke. Second, the cashier has that warm, southern hospitality that you’d expect from a local. Third, they offer free samples to all "rookies", so be sure to take advantage. Lastly, their signature moist brisket was oh-so-scrumptous. This restaurant wins for best-tasting brisket. The sauce was good, but nothing remarkable.
Moist brisket
Moist brisket, pork ribs, and sides
Lone Star: Texas :: Natty Boh: Maryland. Yay, analogies!
Ayk in front of the smokehouse.
Rudy's has a disturbing sense of humor.
Ruby’s
At the statehouse, we asked our tour guide where to eat. He recommended Ruby’s. We told him we already ate at Rudy’s, but he told us there was a difference. The most obvious (other than spelling): where Rudy’s typifies the typical Texan friendly atmosphere, Ruby’s embodies all that is weird in Austin. Don’t get me wrong – they’re friendly; they’re just weird. And I dig it.
Forget about the weirdness -- that sauce is phenomenal. Ayk said he preferred the brisket at Rudy’s. I was too busy falling in love with the savory and spicy sausage. This scrumptious sausage didn’t need any sauce, but I slathered it on anyway. The sauce’s perfect blend of smoky and spiciness was so good that we actually ate it by the spoonful. The baked beans (who knew we’d feature them so many times on this trip?) were also spicy and so tasty. Clearly, everything was spicy here – except for their creamy potato salad. I actually hated potato salad until I tried theirs. That’s how good they are at Ruby’s.
Spicy sausage with Ruby's sauce, baked beans, and mustard potato salad
Beef brisket sandwich topped with cole slaw
Our server, Aidan.
Ironworks
The same friends who recommended Rudy’s also recommended Salt Lick. We planned to go there for dinner, but apparently it’s a 30-40 minute drive from Austin. We were already on 6th Street checking out one of the bars when a patron recommended Ironworks, which was only a few blocks away. Figuring it must be good if the locals recommended it, we decided to save the hassle and go to Ironworks instead of Salt Lick.
We soon regretted that decision. Ironworks, which has apparently won a few awards and received praise in national publications, only disappointed us. The sauce was so unappetizing that I didn’t use it after the first taste. Ayk’s biggest concern was the meat’s lack of smokiness. (Ayk's note: "After all, isn't that the soul of BBQ?"). The bland sides and the bland service added to our discontent. It would’ve been worth it to drive out to Salt Lick instead of eating at that letdown.
At least we finally got some vegetables.
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