most overrated food places in Austin (Burnet, Franklin: where to, BBQ, road)

[Pjcowboy]

Hecho in Mexico is a little known place to go in sw Austin.
Huts is overrated.

I always get a kick out of people's opinions on food and the responses their opinions draw from others.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

[i]P

10.Barlata (Finally, great tapas in Austin). Completely concur. Might be the best tapas I've had in the US.


Places that I love to eat that don't get a lot of hype:
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Tried barlata tonight, it was not very good (but not terrible)

oxtail on potatoes - was way too salty, oxtail was a little dry
calimari - overcooked, too salty
bravas - pretty good
duck leg - ok, a little overcooked
filet - a little dry (even though it was rare) pretty good
lobster paella - lobster was cooked perfectly, the rice was so dark it was crispy. I liked it, but my wife didnt at all. Too salty.

the couple we went with didnt like their dishes (meatballs, bravas, and one other thign)

It seemed like it had a lot of promise but most things were over seasoned or overcooked. The best tapas Ive had in the US has been in santa fe and we found a nice one in NYC. Barcelona has excellent tapas.

[homeinatx]

Originally Posted by cBach

I agree with this, Franklin doesn't know how to mix in flavors. I've gotten indigestion both times I've eaten there and I'm officially through with his restaurant. The brisket is good but personally I need something to absorb the oil, I've always been like that. My body needs a balanced diet with protein, fat, but also starch, vegetables, and sweetness. For instance, I can get all that with brisket, cream corn, cole slaw, and banana pudding. After I eat something like that my stomach is doing quite nicely.

Back in KC, they would have a piece of bread at the bottom to absorb the oil and there was always quality starchy sides to absorb the oil as well. It balanced out the meal instead of leaving you with that heavy stomach where you have to digest all day and feel sick.

That's great for all the lovers of Franklin, they can stand in line for 3 hours. I have much better things to do with my time.

I actually think Franklin could use a little culinary school, if he wanted to truly improve the whole restaurant experience.

Go for it. Spread the word. The less the line the better, and while you're at it, why don't you write a letter to those people at Texas Monthly and Bon Appetit, and Anthony Bourdain and Nobu Matsuhisa and any other number of top chefs and food writers that they are terribly terribly wrong and that Aaron Franklin needs to go to culinary school. Hilarious.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

It's Texas and brisket (and Bob Wills) is still the king. I don't agree with scm on many things but think he is 100% right on this. In terms of food,and especially BBQ, increasing volume ALWAYS decreases quality. Look at Salt Lick - used to be great but expanded locations and starting shipping briskets nationally and quality has declined precipitously. I suspect back in the day a guy called Bill Miller made pretty good 'cue. Now it is tough to tell the difference between his BBQ and a bicycle tire.

I don't know Aaron Franklin, but I used to eat there a lot, when it was still a trailer on the frontage road of 35, just south of 38th and a1/2. I rarely go now. I don't have 3 hours to spare often. Back then there were no lines, no hype and while I had one meh experience, close to a dozen times I could not believe the deliciousness that I was putting in my mouth. Franklin has an impeccable business plan. He makes a much brisket as HE can in a day without compromising the integrity and quality of his product, and sells it till it is gone. He is not interested in franchising and diluting the quality of his product . A bunch of BBQ places have opened on the East side to pick up the Franklin's overflow LA BBQ, Kerlin, Micklethwaite Craft meats. They are all pretty good, not as good IMO as Franklin, but Franklin has raised the bar on bbq in this town. More are on the way, and if they diminish the lines at Franklin's, I say excellent. It won't affect Aaron Franklin one bit. He will still be making the exact same amount of meat, because that is the amount he can make without compromising quality and maybe it might take until 2pm instead of noon to sell it all.

I think Aaron Franklin is steeped in the very best of Central Texas BBQ traditions. He operates Franklin's like a traditional roadside BBQ stand. You make the best meat you can and then sell it till its gone. He trained with the Muellers; he has John Mueller's old pits (now that's a genius pit master with no business plan). I wish there were more like Franklin, people who make food who care more about what they make than cutting corners and making a quick buck on the reputation of past excellence. If the lines become too onerous, people won't go and then word will get out that the lines are less and people will go back because of the integrity and quality of the product.

I wish I could still go and pick up half a pound of brisket in 5 minutes, and when I am in proximity to such sublime meat, I am not wasting any stomach space on sides, but I would rather have an extraordinary experience once or twice a year than sit in a Franklin's franchise in the airport and eat a really crappy piece of brisket. BBQ has never been and should never be fast food.YMMV, but I think the success is entirely deserved, and the hype and lines have no impact on the quality of the 'cue.

Great post. He doesn't even try to make his brisket a secret formula. Watch the 5 part KLRU series on Youtube - he tells the world how he makes his brisket. It is all about the fire.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

Go for it. Spread the word. The less the line the better, and while you're at it, why don't you write a letter to those people at Texas Monthly and Bon Appetit, and Anthony Bourdain and Nobu Matsuhisa and any other number of top chefs and food writers that they are terribly terribly wrong and that Aaron Franklin needs to go to culinary school. Hilarious.

Whatever, I don't make decisions based on hype. I evaluate based on personal preferences/experience. I read all the hype and went to his restaurant twice. The first time, it was a bit of a novelty waiting in line in anticipation, the second time was just annoying.

Go ahead and wait 3 hours in line for BBQ. More power to you bro.

[UTHORNS96]

Originally Posted by cBach

Whatever, I don't make decisions based on hype. I evaluate based on personal preferences/experience. I read all the hype and went to his restaurant twice. The first time, it was a bit of a novelty waiting in line in anticipation, the second time was just annoying.

Go ahead and wait 3 hours in line for BBQ. More power to you bro.

Good to know you're the only person in the world that doesn't care about hype. My years of eating all over from Luiling to Lockhart to Gonzales to Llano to Taylor to Elgin to Lexington and then going to Franklin and never tasting anything like it means absolutely nothing because YOU are just too smart for hype.

[TexasHorseLady]

I don't care about the hype, just the food, I've eaten at Franklin's, and I find it middle of the pack. And I've eaten all of those places, too, go figure.

I do get the point that he makes as much as he needs to sell and that's it and how that is quality control - my most favorite BBQ ever, from Jerry Jacobs lo these many years ago, was made that way. Weren't huge long lines, that wasn't the in thing in those days like it is now, but if you got there at 1:00 you were out of luck because he'd run out and he was going fishing. Hearts were broken when he finally decided he'd been doing it for 30-odd years and now he wanted to go fishing all the time. But it was, in my opinion, MUCH better than Franklin's. But maybe in 25 years or so Franklin's will be just as good - the pit boss needs seasoning just as much as the pit does, after all!

[UTHORNS96]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I don't care about the hype, just the food, I've eaten at Franklin's, and I find it middle of the pack. And I've eaten all of those places, too, go figure.

I do get the point that he makes as much as he needs to sell and that's it and how that is quality control - my most favorite BBQ ever, from Jerry Jacobs lo these many years ago, was made that way. Weren't huge long lines, that wasn't the in thing in those days like it is now, but if you got there at 1:00 you were out of luck because he'd run out and he was going fishing. Hearts were broken when he finally decided he'd been doing it for 30-odd years and now he wanted to go fishing all the time. But it was, in my opinion, MUCH better than Franklin's. But maybe in 25 years or so Franklin's will be just as good - the pit boss needs seasoning just as much as the pit does, after all!

How many times have you been to Franklin? Out of curiosity. I can understand not thinking it's the best thing ever, perhaps, but middle of the pack is a very, very strong statement. I seriously have never taste smoked meat that good in my life.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by UTHORNS96

How many times have you been to Franklin? Out of curiosity. I can understand not thinking it's the best thing ever, perhaps, but middle of the pack is a very, very strong statement. I seriously have never taste smoked meat that good in my life.

Often enough to know that in my experience (remembering that BBQ is subjective - there are people that think Rudy's is really great 'cue, and for me the best thing that can be said about it is that it's consistent - their breakfast tacos, on the other hand, are great), it's middle of the pack. As in, both my husband's reaction and mine was "Eh," and, as I said, the most interesting thing there was the sauce, and we all know what that means.

Now, my son, the 'cue afficionado, really likes Franklin's, and I don't hold that against him (see post above about best brisket I've ever had being his). So I don't take it personally when someone else likes Franklin's, but I'm not going out of my way to get some, with all the other choices available, and I'm certainly not going to stand in line for hours to get some - I did my stint of that back when the result was tickets to the Beatles or the Airplane or some such.

[cBach]

I'm noticing a trend here. The youngsters (<30) age group love Franklin. The older "more seasoned" folks don't like his food as much.

Interesting...