Austin Care Package (Taylor, Lockhart, Elgin: food, places, worth)

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Eastcoasting

Without getting into the BBQ wars...

The Salt Lick does offer mail order of a fairly comprehensive selection of items.

So does Rudy's, Kreuz's or Black's -- any of which are light years better than Salt Lick.

[ToddATX]

Originally Posted by scm53

So does Rudy's, Kreuz's or Black's -- any of which are light years better than Salt Lick.

I wouldn't put Rudy's as better. Rudy's and Salt Lick are both the same basic thing - franchised or semi-franchised decent-BBQ-for-decent-price-but-nothing-approaching-special. They are the Fudrucker's of BBQ ... it's decent or thereabouts, and it's available, and cheaper than a truly standout place, but it's not anything special or needing to be sought out.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by ToddATX

Bill Miller's, Pok-e-jo's and Salt Lick are all the same basic thing - franchised or semi-franchised decent-BBQ-for-decent-price-but-nothing-approaching-special.

Fixed it for you.

If you order the moist brisket at Rudy's, you are pretty close to the best in town. The rest of their stuff I totally agree with you, but then, I don't eat the rest of their stuff.

NOTHING at Salt Lick approaches decent. Except maybe the potato salad. The only good thing about the place is the experience -- and they can't send that by mail. It is a VERY small achievement to be better than Salt Lick. Even Rudy's can clear that bar, regardless of their business model.

[ToddATX]

I agree Bill Millers and Pok-e-jo's are pretty dire, but I think Salt Lick is a good site better than them. Not good, mind you, but I think on par with Rudy's. I think it's kind of crazy to call Rudy's (moist or not) anywhere near the best in town, when we are surrounded by places like Franklin's, La BBQ and J Mueller, and Micklethwaits who offer some of the best brisket on the planet. Rudy's isn't in the same galazy as any of those places.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by ToddATX

I agree Bill Millers and Pok-e-jo's are pretty dire, but I think Salt Lick is a good site better than them. Not good, mind you, but I think on par with Rudy's. I think it's kind of crazy to call Rudy's (moist or not) anywhere near the best in town, when we are surrounded by places like Franklin's, La BBQ and J Mueller, and Micklethwaits who offer some of the best brisket on the planet. Rudy's isn't in the same galazy as any of those places.

I said "pretty close", and I eat at all of them often enough to know. (maybe not Micklethwait's - in fact, I'm sitting in Terry Black's right now - sorry, not a trailer kind of day)

But there is no possible way I would ever choose to eat at Salt Lick. Their brisket is wretched - gas pellet ovens can't produce a bark or a smoke ring. Their sausage - like Rudy's - is hot dog. Too fine a grind. Past that, who cares?

[Aquitaine]

Salt Lick isn't even in the same galaxy as the other places in this thread. I don't know if it used to be and then they sold out or what. I took my in-laws there the first day we moved to Austin and we were tremendously disappointed. Dry and flavorless - and I've been back a couple times because we thought it might be a fluke.

I'd go to Friedman's any day of the week.

[10scoachrick]

I gotta say...I've been to Salt Lick at Dell Diamond more than once and I can't complain. Now, if your barometer is brisket, I can't help you...I eat it from time to time; but I'm certainly no expert. But; I've never been disappointed in their other offerings. The dozen or so folks at our table felt the same way. Put them side by side and I would choose Salt Lick over Stiles Switch(except for the iced tea).

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by scm53

So does Rudy's, Kreuz's or Black's -- any of which are light years better than Salt Lick.

Again, not entering into the great debate of Q.

I know not of the quality of the mail order of the places you mentioned but I do know from experience that SL has a decent selection of mail order products that arrive and present well.

So that is all there is behind my suggestion.

[ToddATX]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Put them side by side and I would choose Salt Lick over Stiles Switch(except for the iced tea).

I will probably get crucified, but I don't get the hype around Stiles Switch. I am part of a foodie group of a few friends and we go around trying different spots in town and compare notes. We all have pretty good palates and we all (5 of us) were universally disapointed. Not that the food was bad, but that it certainly wasn't anything good or special either. There was one side dish when we went, a squash casserole, that I loved and would buy a tray of if I could ... but the actual bbq was pants.

Now, everyone keeps raving about them, so I keep telling myself to give them a second try, maybe it was an off night. However, one of our members literally lives about 100 yards away right on that side street, and says that she has walked down and tried them on several additional occaisions and she continues to say that apart from some good sides the bbq is really underwhelming. Regardless of her opinion, I will give it a second try sometime just to see ... but to this point I am absolutely dumbfounded by the ammount of good reviews they get.

[theurbanfiles]

Looks like I've started a war lol... I've enjoyed reading all your suggestions and ideas and will enjoy checking out then. Would Lockhart be worth a separate day trip just to eat at Kreuz? Anything else worth seeing out that way?