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Old 05-15-2014, 03:09 PM
 
259 posts, read 347,826 times
Reputation: 258

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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10scoachrick View Post
Reminds me of the Myrtle Beach golf course that raised its fees significantly in order to reduce the amount of play. That following spring and summer were their busiest in history!
Wait... why don't all businesses do this?? Haha.
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Old 05-15-2014, 06:31 PM
Status: "Springtime!" (set 16 days ago)
 
Location: Jollyville, TX
5,856 posts, read 11,861,261 times
Reputation: 10872
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffdano View Post
There was a line at Schmidt's in Bee Cave shortly after they opened. Not any more. I like the building and atmosphere. But their brisket had good flavor but was dry, the sausage the mushiest (not firmly packed in the casing) and worst I have ever eaten at a BBQ place. I am told that is how that style of sausage is supposed to be. So maybe they do it great. But it isn't for me.
OK, got a chance to try Schmidt's today. Brisket was awesome! Sausage was weird. The texture didn't bother me as much as the flavor - something off there. It's almost like there wasn't enough seasoning in there. Sauce was very original, I liked it. In any case, nice to have a good BBQ option in Bee Caves since Jim Bob's closed.
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Old 05-16-2014, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,807,805 times
Reputation: 7256
Quote:
Originally Posted by scm53 View Post
#1. They aren't "inefficient", or "lazy screw ups". There is no one in this town that works harder than Aaron or Benji. Frankly, your assumption is insulting to the hours that are put in at Franklin. They start around 2 AM, and work for at least twelve hours. Six days a week.

#2. It is about quality. There is a finite space for the smokers to go along with the finite amount of time to cook it to the consistent standards that have earned them their national acclaim. Add to it the the final quality control - I've never been there when it wasn't Aaron himself slicing it to order. Because he is going to have the say on what has his name on it. He could have four cashiers like Rudy's - but he won't. He could open a place in Dallas - but he won't. He has a nice deal, that allows him to make a good living, doing what he loves. He's the same guy he was in the trailer - all this fame hasn't gone to his head an iota. But this is it. He's not responsible for the lines. When it is gone for the day, it's gone. Whether anybody like it, or not.

Which in this day and age, is kind of refreshing.

Sounds like you have a dog in this fight which makes your opinion biased.

As a foodie who has reviewed hundreds of restaurants, I can say that Franklin's is indeed overhyped. Chuy's is as well.

The brisket at Franklin's is excellent (weirdly both times I've eaten there I've gotten indigestion though), but the side dishes are mediocre. The potato salad tasted like mustard, no other flavor. So yes he may have excellent quality control for his brisket, but he can't make a potato salad. A truly good barbecue restaurant should be able to do all the sides well, like potato salad, cole slaw, etc... Also, his sauces are decent, but Salt Lick's sauce is so much more flavorful.

He would do better to crank up the brisket production (even if it means the brisket isn't the best in the world), spend a little more time on quality control for the sides, and expand his restaurant.

The fact that there are imitators (i.e. La Barbecue) out there, taking the outflow from his business means that there is room for improvement.

Eventually there will be even more competition, with some more barbecue joints opening up. I was joking with a friend that I should just pull a trailer alongside Franklin's and sell some not as good but much more handy brisket. Or heck a taco truck would even do well.

He needs to improve his business model, long term. You said he's fine with the way things are. Complacency is never okay in the restaurant business.
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Old 05-16-2014, 09:11 AM
 
249 posts, read 490,488 times
Reputation: 108
Speaking of overrated, I finally got around to In-n-Out burger and got a 3x3 with no onions/ketchup/mustard with fries. The burger was good but nothing crazy better than P.Terry's, and the fries were kinda weak stringys that almost tasted stale. Better than McD's, not necessarily better than Whataburger, ok but not worth going out of your way.

Incidentally, the only good stringy fries out there are at McDonald's. Any business that isn't McDonalds needs to do a proper double-fried Belgian fry, and the closest I've found around here is Five Guys'.
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Old 05-16-2014, 09:11 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,234,375 times
Reputation: 24738
cBach, for sides as well as excellent meat, try Riders in Jarrell. The owner was born and bred in Taylor, did his apprenticeship at Kreutz's, does brisket better than the latter, and someone is paying really close attention to the sides. I've been tempted to go and just buy the potato salad on occasion.
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Old 05-16-2014, 11:18 AM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,249,913 times
Reputation: 2575
Quote:
Originally Posted by cBach View Post
Sounds like you have a dog in this fight which makes your opinion biased.
Great ASSumption. As usual, you are totally wrong. He isn't complacent - there is no one more devoted to staying on top of their game. He just isn't willing to change his business model to make you and all the other arm chair quarterbacks happy.

Your "remedies" display a woeful ignorance of his logistical realities. The real limiting factor isn't how much he cooks. It is two things - that there is only going to be one person slicing, and there isn't enough room in the DR for a faster flow than there is now. And none of that is going to change - especially your abhorrent thought of "cranking up" at the expense of quality.

All you newcomers didn't have the good fortune of living here while Charlie Dunn was still making boots. He was a craftsman, and people paid thousands and waited YEARS for a pair of his boots - because they were worth it. The arm chair quarterbacks probably would have told him that he should just get them made in Mexico - which is about as unthinkable as what you are proposing. Aaron does and Charlie did, march to the beat of a drum you don't care about. It is sad that our disposable, instant gratification society doesn't have the patience to allow artists to do their work.

Enjoy your instant grits. Those of us with patience are quite happy with the results - no matter how much the yapping dogs bark.

Last edited by scm53; 05-16-2014 at 11:41 AM..
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Old 05-16-2014, 11:27 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,243 posts, read 35,474,152 times
Reputation: 8587
Why should he change what he is doing if he is happy with it? I respect someone that does what they want to and manages to make a living out of it.

Anyone remember Dots? Similar deal, in some ways...
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Old 05-16-2014, 11:56 AM
 
2,283 posts, read 3,840,961 times
Reputation: 3680
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trainwreck20 View Post
Why should he change what he is doing if he is happy with it? I respect someone that does what they want to and manages to make a living out of it.
Exactly! It's not like there aren't other options out there - don't like the wait, go on a random weekday or go to one of the dozens of other options out there. I've always admired Aaron's commitment to quality - it's not like cooking 100 more briskets per day will speed anything up with him cutting it all himself.

His openness and commitment to getting everyone to enjoy some 'que and unpretentious attitude are a refreshing change from SOME of the pitmasters around. The few times I've had a chance to chat with him, he's been super-engaged in the conversation, while volunteering tips, tricks and wisdom.
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Old 05-16-2014, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,807,805 times
Reputation: 7256
Quote:
Originally Posted by scm53 View Post
Great ASSumption.
Your usual response. Someone dares to challenge you and you resort to name calling.

Franklin has good tasting brisket but his sides suck. That ain't good barbecue if you ask me.

That would be like going to a burger joint and getting really good burgers but nasty fries, oh wait that's what In-N-Out is, let me guess you like them too? ...

If you look at top chefs, the side dishes matter as much as the main course. If I go to a steakhouse and they mess up a baked potato, you better believe I will not return there. The reason why is, of course, nobody should mess up a baked potato. Likewise about potato salad.

Franklin does one thing well, and very well, but that is not a good business model. I don't care if he's friendly, has a great attitude, blah blah blah. When I go out to a restaurant, I want good food, and not just the main course.

Gordon Ramsey has a horrible personality but boy can he cook good food. Emeril Lagasse has an attitude but he's a good cook.

Let's not kid ourselves, Franklin is a hobbyist barbecuer with a fetish for brisket. When it stops being fun or hip, the joint will probably close. The old timer barbecuers are here for the long haul.
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Old 05-16-2014, 12:40 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
12,059 posts, read 13,807,805 times
Reputation: 7256
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
cBach, for sides as well as excellent meat, try Riders in Jarrell. The owner was born and bred in Taylor, did his apprenticeship at Kreutz's, does brisket better than the latter, and someone is paying really close attention to the sides. I've been tempted to go and just buy the potato salad on occasion.
Thanks, I will give them a try.
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